H.—3Ba

16

From High Commissioner for New Zealand to Right Hon. the Prime Minister. 11th June, 1915. With reference to your telegram of Bth June: Board Trade states that "Waimana," "Zealandic," " Pakeha " are to be used for carrying frozen meat from Argentine for use French Army, and that for this reason alone it is inexpedient to interfere with arrangements. Board of Trade further points out "El Cordobes" and "La Blanca," usually engaged in Argentine trade, have been chartered for two voyages to New Zealand, and that Board of Trade refused to disturb charters although owners requested that they should be again made available for Argentine trade. From Right Hon. the Prime Minister to High Commissioner for New Zealand. 17th June, 1915. With reference to your telegram of 11th instant : It is stated here that " El Cordobes " and " La Blanca " have, been only chartered for one voyage to New Zealand, and that " El Cordobes "" is now on way to Australia to load there. Please inquire and advise. From Right Hon. the Prime Minister to High Commissioner for New Zealand. 15th June, 1915. Please confer with Board of Trade and telegraph names of steamers available for New Zealand loading August and September. From information available here there appear to be only four steamers loading August. From High Commissioner for New Zealand to Right Hon. the Prime Minister. 17th June, 1915. With reference to your telegram of 15th June: Tonnage Committee states that there will be approximate tonnage for 1,300,000 carcases during August-September, but, they hope to be able to increase by 300,000. Will telegraph names of vessels later. From Right Hon. the Prime Minister to High Commissioner for New Zealand. 19th June, 1915. With reference to the supply of insulated tonnage to enable the pressure in the freezingstores to bo removed, and to allow of killing to be resumed and for the industry to be maintained in a prosperous condition, I must again ask you to be good enough to confer with the Board of Trade with the object of having more steamers provided in August, and to advise upon the matter, and further to ascertain and advise what action will be taken to provide steamers for the period October until end of year. I must also ask you to convey to the Board of Trade my sincere and emphatic protest at what has taken place in diverting steamers regularly employed in the New Zealand frozen-meat trade such as happened in the case of the three steamers diverted to the Argentine, and to express my great disappointment that this was done without my being consulted, and to further say that producers and shippers throughout the Dominion are bitterly resenting this inconsideration of their interests. Day after day I ani in receipt of complaints from producers and shippers at the treatment they have received, and indicating the straits in which they are placed in consequence of the congestion and the absence of adequate relief. At present there is only one steamer loading frozen meat in New Zealand, and there are over two million carcases in stores. Slaughtering is practically stopped, with the consequence that hands are deprived of their employment, and this at a time when it is of the utmost importance that their earnings should not be affected. From reports I have received, and which I regard as authentic, it is made clear to me that the outlook is exceedingly bad, and that unless plentiful relief is afforded to clear the stores before the new season commences in October the position is going to be much worse. S.S. "WHAKARUA." From Right Hon. the Prime Minister to High Commissioner for New Zealand. 17th June, 1915. It is reported that " Whakarua," Commonwealth and Dominion Line, is due Auckland on 27th July, and is then booked for Australia. Please confer with Board of Trade and point out that producers and traders are full of indignation in consequence of diversion of steamers from New Zealand frozen-meat trade, and urge that, at least until the stocks of meat on hand are appreciably reduced so as to allow killing to continue, the policy of diverting steamers elsewhere be not persisted in. There will be on hand at end of June two million carcases, and greater relief than has already been afforded is most urgently required. I hope that it will be arranged for " Whakarua. " to be made available for New Zealand trade. l ( 'rom Right Hon. the Prime Minister to High Commissioner for New Zealand. 15th February, 1916. I desire to inform you that the New Zealand Overseas Shipowners' Committee have recently been in communication by telegraph with the London Tonnage Committee, and have supplied