8.--6.

XXXIII

DEPARTMENT OF IMPERIAL GOVERNMENT SUPPLIES. The Department of Imperial Government Supplies has continued to purchase the Dominion's primary products during the past year on behalf of the Imperial Government. Ebozen Meat, Wool, and Sheep-skins. The shipments of frozen meat since the requisition commenced on the 3rd March, 1915, total 2,885,043 quarters of beef, 12,299,080 carcases of mutton, and 13,625,510 carcases of lamb. The requisition of frozen meat on behalf of the Imperial Government ceases in respect of meat killed after the 30th June, 1920. The requisition of the 1919-20 wool-clip is being continued under the same conditions as in the previous season, and the Gazette notice determines the contract with the Imperial Government with wool clipped up to the 30th June, 1920. Similarly, the contract with the freezing companies for the purchase of slipe wool applies only to wool produced by them at any time before the date named above. The total purchases of greasy wool clipped to date are 2,031,092 bales, and in addition 207,286 bales of slipe wool have been purchased from freezing companies. The number of sheep-skins purchased on behalf of the Imperial Government and distributed to fellmongers totals 6,380,501, and the payments in connection therewith amount to £2,573,155. Disteibution of Wool Peoeits. His Majesty's Imperial Government has notified that the profits arising under the Imperial Government wool-purchase scheme and available for distribution to New Zealand growers amount to approximately £1,620,000 up to the 31st March, 1919. The amount includes a sum of £369,254 credited for the year ended the 31st March, 1918, as the share of underwriting profits on the insurance of the wool purchased by the Imperial Government. Steps are now being taken to put in hand the arrangements for the distribution of the profits to growers as soon as the amount is made available by the Imperial Government. In respect to the 1918-19 and 1919-20 seasons the Imperial Government has agreed that the share of the profits accruing to New Zealand growers shall be calculated at the same rate per pound on wool delivered as is paid to the Commonwealth Government during the same period, always provided that in no case can the bonus paid to New Zealand exceed 100 per cent, of the profit actually realized on the two last clips of New Zealand wool. Cheese and Buttee. The requisition of the exportable surplus of cheese was continued during the 1919-20' season at prices similar to those paid for the 1918-19 season— namely, lOfd. per pound f.o.b. for first-grade cheese and lOjd. per pound f.o.b. for second-grade cheese. In addition, the cost of storage was paid by the Imperial Government for cheese remaining in store over an average period of two months. The shipments of cheese to date under the requisition which commenced on the 4th November, 1915, total 2,623,883 crates, including 370,362 crates of the current season's manufacture. The contract for the purchase of the exportable surplus of butter for the 1919-20 season was also carried on from the previous season, the price being 181s. per hundredweight for first-grade creamery butter, with relatively reduced prices for second-grade, whey, dairy, and milled butter. Storage was also paid under terms similar to those obtaining in respect of cheese. The total shipments of butter since the commencement of the requisition on the 20th November, 1917, amount to 1,797,430 boxes, including 405,617 of the current season's manufacture.

v—B. 6.