THE VANCOUVER SERVICE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3168, 14 March 1911, Page 7

THE VANCOUVER SERVICE.

COLD STORAGE SPACE. NEW ZEALAND’S INTERESTS SECURE. [Special to times.] AUCKLAND, March 13. Concern would no doubt (says the “Star”) be occasioned among New Zealand exporters of meat by an article appearing in the ‘ ‘New Zealand Herald,” in which it is stated there is a report prevailing that endeavors are being made by an Australian cattle king to secure the whole of the cold storage space in the vessels to take up the new Vancouver New Zealand frozen meat. It is also pointed out that under such an agreement- all New Zealand frozen produce may be excluded, and the Dominion would thus lose the benefit of the preferential tariff with Canada, and seeing that New Zealand is to pay a subsidy of £20,000 per annum towards the. service, while Australia is not contributing, the exporters interested urge that a specified cold storage space should always be reserved for local produce. Now this would be interesting were it correct, but- although an American buyer is at present in New Zealand for the purpose of making arrangements for cold storage space, he is not likely to secure a monopoly. In the first place the contract for the service has not. yet been signed, and 'there . .ig the uncertainty as to whether Australia will or will not join in the mail contract. In any case it is understood that the Union Steamship Company intend to advertise for tenders from New Zealand shippers for space, with the object of allotting in full, if the aggregate offers do not exceed the present capacity. These offers will probably bo received for at least two months after the first advertisement appears. It is quite possible that Australia may join in the contract, and if so the Union Company would require to advertise there also for offers for space, but if necessary, in that event, they might possibly be prepared to extend the cool storage in the steamers. In any case if the New Zealand applications, do not come up to the present capacity the balance of the space is intended to be made available to Australian shippers, even if Australia does not join in subsidising the service.