11

H.—3Ba

From High Commissioner for New Zealand to Right Hon. the Prime Minister. 12th February, 1915. In reply to your telegram of 9th February : The following is position of refrigerated steamers referred to :— New Zealand Shipping Company— " Turakina," " Opawa " : Loading for New Zealand; available May. " Rualiine," " Rotorua " : En route to New Zealand; available March. "Kaikoura," "Otaki," "Waimate," "Orari": In New Zealand; not yet fixed outwards. " Remuera " : Returns New Zealand; available July. " Paparoa " : Arriving from Australia next week, and loads for Australia. "Rimutaka": Arriving from Australia end of February; loading for New Zealand; available June. " Hurunui " : Arriving from Australia early next month; not yet fixed outwards. " Tongariro " : Loading Canada for Australia and New Zealand; available June. "Whakatane " : Will load Canada for Australia and New Zealand; available July. " Ruapehu " : En route from Canada to Australia and New Zealand; available April. " Hororata " : Australian transport. "Rakaia": Sold. Shaw, Savill, and Albion Company— "Delphic": Will load for New Zealand; available June. " Athenic," " Corinthic " : Will load for New Zealand; available June. " Matatua," " Tainui " : En route to New Zealand; available March. " Karamea "■ : En route to Australia and New Zealand; available March. "Kumara," " Pakeha," "Arawa": En route to Australia and New Zealand; available April. " Zealandic," " lonic " : Loading for Now Zealand; available late April. " Mamari," " Kia Ora " : Will load for New Zealand; available May. "Rangatira" : En route from Canada to Australia and New 'Zealand; available May (late). " Waiwera " : Will load for Australia and New Zealand; available June. '' Waimana '': Loads for River Plate. Commonwealth and Dominion Line— " Muritai " : Proceeds to New Zealand direct; available April, " Star of Ireland " : Carrying meat from River Plate to Havre. " Indralema " : Discharging here; not yet fixed outwards. " Indrabarah " : Will load for Australia and New Zealand; available May. " Whakarua " : Arriving from Australia this month; not yet fixed outwards. " Indrapura " : Will load for New Zealand; available June. " Makarini " : Will load for Australia and New Zealand; available July. " Niwaru," " Mimiro " : Will load to and from Australia. " Port Albany " : Loading in Australia; not yet fixed outwards. " Star of Australia," " Hawke's Bay," " Star, of Scotland " : En route to Australia and New Zealand; one available March, two April. " Port Kembla " : Loading New York for Australia and homewards. " Star of India " : Loading New York for New Zealand and Australia, then home from Australia. " Nerehana " : Loading to and from Australia. " Star of Victoria," " Marere," " Star of England " : Australian transports. Federal Houlder Shire Line— " La Blanca " : Loading and en route from New Zealand and Australia. "Essex," "Durham," "Ayrshire," "Carpentaria," "Somerset," "El Cordobes " : Will all load to and from Australia. " Sussex," " Roscommon," " Middlesex," " Limerick " : Loading to and from Australia. " Westmeath " : En route for New Zealand; available March. " Dorset " : En route from Australia; not yet fixed outwards. "Shropshire," "Wiltshire," "Argyllshire": Australian transports. "Banffshire," "Buteshire": Sold." Provided all steamers proceeding to New Zealand via Australia are not requisitioned by Commonwealth of Australia, position is that during month of March seven steamers are available, capacity 668,000 carcases; nine steamers April, 911,000; six steamers May, 609,000; five steamers June, 498,000; five steamers July, 523,000: total capacity, 3,213,000. Owing to exceptional congestion at docks there is also question of delay in discharging those steamers which are shown as returning to New Zealand to load June-July. Will telegraph further to-morrow. From Right Hon. the Prime Minister to High Commissioner for New Zealand. 16th February, 1915. With reference to your cablegram of 12th : Following steamers do not appear on your list : Federal Houlder Line—" Cornwall," "Kent," "Morayshire," "Perthshire," "'Suffolk," "Surrey," " Waipara " ; Commonwealth Dominion Line—"Star of New Zealand."