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Secondly: Ministers feel that they should have been consulted before such a serious departure was made in the arrangements respecting these vessels, which, if proceeded with, will lead to serious inconvenience and loss. Thirdly : The produce awaiting shipment in New Zealand at the present time is as follows: Meat, over 2,250,000 601b. carcases (and killing season already proceeding in some parts of the Dominion, in addition to which a great deal of the meat has been in store for many months); hides, 13,000 sacks; wool, 125,000 bales; tallow, 36,000 casks; pelts, 2,000 casks; hemp, 34,000 bales. Fourthly: Ministers will be glad if His Majesty's Government will take the foregoing representations into serious consideration with a view to allowing these three steamers to remain on the New Zealand loading-berth. The figures above mentioned are convincing evidence of the straits in which New Zealand producers will be placed if any reduction in tonnage takes place. Fifthly : Ministers, yielding to, the urgent request of the Imperial Government, consented to the "Waitemata" and the " Aparima " being made available for Imperial, purposes, and were influenced in acquiescing to the release of these two vessels by an assurance from His Majesty's Government that by so doing it would more likely serve to maintain the number of refrigerated steamers that would be available from time to time for New Zealand loading. Sixthly : Ministers desire to request that after intimation has been received, and the allocation of tonnage and commitments have been made, no change should take place until the New Zealand Government has been consulted in regard thereto. The Prime Minister will be glad if His Excellency will be so good as to telegraph these representations to the Secretary of State for the Colonies with a request that they may receive early and favourable consideration. From Governor-General of New Zealand to Secretary of State for the Colonies. Bth November, 1917. My Ministers would be glad to be informed as promptly as possible of the arrangements being made through the Australian Tonnage Committee with regard to replacing the tonnage lost to New Zealand by the withdrawal of the three insulated steamers referred to in your telegram of 6th November. My Ministers also desire it known that at the end of November it is estimated there will have accumulated in the Dominion frozen meat totalling 2,200,000 601b. carcases, 30,000 tons of wool, 40,000 of second-priority cargo. From Right Hon. the Prime Minister to High Commissioner for New Zealand. Bth November, 1917. I am much concerned in noticing that a new system appears to have been instituted with regard to the provision of overseas tonnage to meet the requirements of the Dominion, and that instead of direct communication being made by London Tonnage Committee to New Zealand Overseas Shipowners' Committee instructions are being received from Australia signed " Owen Cox," thus placing the Dominion in an unfortunate position in comparison with Australia. No Australian representative can have any idea of the conditions existing in the Dominion, and I hope that you will represent this to the London Tonnage Committee with a view to re-establishing the system of direct communication here. I understand the London Tonnage Committee were informed by cablegram on 2nd November by the New Zealand Overseas Shipowners' Committee of the great accumulation of first- and second-priority cargo, and I sincerely trust that general cargo-space in the " Port Pirie " and " Port Stephens " will be allocated to the Dominion. Please make the authorities understand that we object in any way to be dominated by Australia. From High Commissioner for New Zealand to Right Hon. the Prime Minister. 15th November, 1917. With reference to your telegram Bth November, provision of tonnage : London Committee states that there is no intention of altering original arrangement direct communication Overseas Shipowners' Committee, Wellington. They state that recent instance referred to was isolated, and arose from fact that arrangement had to be made through Sydney Committee for provision of tonnage for horses, meat, to India, Egypt, respectively, which arrangement necessitated requisition of steamers allotted to New Zealand amongst others. Claims of New Zealand regarding tonnage being considered carefully, and London Committee informs me that " Port Macquarie " and " Port Napier " entirely allotted to New Zealand.—Mackenzie. Frt»m Secretary of State for the Colonies to Governor-General of New Zealand. Dated 24th November, received 25th. November, 1917. The following is in answer to Your Excellency's telegram of 10th November: The Sydney Committee have replied that the steamers " Waipara," " Westmoreland," and " Port Melbourne " will each complete loading in New Zealand with meat, and that there are good prospects of their being able to divert a fair amount of insulated tonnage for December loading in New Zealand. The Committee has promised that the position will be closely watched as steamers approach Australia, and everything possible will be done to relieve the situation in New Zealand.—Long. From Secretary of State for the Colonies to Governor-General of New Zealand. Dated 21st December, received 22nd December, 1917. My telegram of 28th May : In view of stringency tonnage situation, has become necessary to refuse facilities for transhipment in this country in all cases where means of direct shipment are available irrespective of nationality of carrying-vessel.—Long.