H—3B

3

Payments are made to freezing-companies free of exchange in accordance with the arrangement made with the associated banks at the inception of the requisition, and this arrangement has application also to payments made to the companies' clients on account of shipments and advances. The following statement furnishes particulars of frozen meat in store and of shipments made in the equivalent of 60 lb. carcases from 3rd March-, 1.915, to 31st March, 1920 :— In store on — 1915-16. 1916-17. 1917-18. 1918-19. 1919-20. April 30 .. 1,792,362 2,304,258 2,946,781 4,082,323 7,265,253 May 31 .. 2,048,454 2,642,362 3,290,072 4,794,787 7.931,103 June 30' .. 2.165,342 2,480,846 3,483,324 5,230,000 7.934,921 July 31 .. 1,865,283 1,892,504 3,383,235 5,314,602 7,780,394 August 31 .. 1,410,167 1,396,540 2,949,545 5,233,308 6,960,556 September 30 .. 665,992 816,933 2,873,277 4,970,053 5,923,651 October 3.1. .. 199,936 367,975 2.557,881 4,576,942 4,953,429 November 30 .. 140,836 161,31.1 1,890,489 4,446,726 4,321,729 December 31 .. 597,817 451,361 1,915,451 4,293,315 4,466,364 January 31 .. 1,093,300 1,137,438 1,954,490 4,992,719 5,131,901 February 28 . . 1,575,336 1,901,085 2,609,618 5,766,815 5,912,670 March 31 .. 2,152,250 2,409,541 3,398,364 6,567,871 6,628,789 Shipments during— 1915-16. 1916-17, 1917-18. 1918-19. 1919-20. April .. .. 498,971 540,204 340,374 490,339 423,003 May .. .. 389,223 500,097 338,507 365,688 572,871 June .. .. 302,293 605,890 239,793 94,855 745,147 July .. .. 761,641 740,845 229,402 75,290 308,049 August .. .. 602,647 555,630 453,178 98,327 823,780 September.. .. 795,766 609,362 96,059 264,780 1,037,465 October .. .. 474,055 465,983 321,127 394,722 971,223 November.. .. 282,450 321,497 743,065 133,486 .663,906 December .. .. 241,734 235,316 394,941. 369,577 405,525 January .. .. 514,036 440,168 904,810 217,749 419,553 February .. .. 498,964 272,910 369,043 31.7,679 369,143 March .. .. 542,586 800,539 335,303 549,936 638,129 5,904,366 6,088,441 4,765,602 3,372,428 7,377,794 The freezing companies in the Dominion have further increased the storage capacity of their works during the period under review by 313,095 freight carcases, making the total refrigerated storage accommodation 7,718,367 60 lb. freight carcases, represented by 5,089,656 in the North Island and. 2,628,711 in the South Island. CHEESE. The requisition of cheese on behalf of the Imperial Government came into operation on the 4th November, 1915, and has continued during the interval. The conditions of purchase for the 1919-20 season's output are the same in all respects as those for the previous season, and provide for the payment on delivery of the cheese f.o.b. ocean steamer, subject to an advance of 90 per cent. in the event of the cheese remaining in store for a period of fourteen days prior to shipment. All insurance risks up to the point of shipment are borne by factories, but liability for storage is accepted by the Imperial Government should the average period during which the cheese remains in. store exceed two months. The present contract expires on the Ist July, 1920. The following table shows the number of crates and the value of all cheese purchased from the inception of tlie requisition up to the 31st March, 1920 : — c Number of Value. beaSolh Crates. £ 1915-16 .. .. .. .. 189,502 918,104 1916-17 .. .. .. .. 518,327 3,271,982 1917-18 .. .. .. .. 756,142 5,013,295 1918-19 .. .. .. .. 789,550 5,634,389 1919-20 ... .. .. .. 644,773 4,269,096 The figures for the present season include 274,411 crates awaiting shipment on. the 31st March, a portion of which has been advanced against in accordance with the conditions of purchase.