SHIPPING TO BRITAIN

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31094, 24 June 1966, Page 6

SHIPPING TO BRITAIN

National Line Advocated

The Government should immediately set up a national refrigerated-shipping line to avert shipping crises such as the British seamen's strike, said the general secretary of the New Zealand Freezing Workers’ Association (Mr F. E. McNulty). A report in "The Press ' yesterday on an expected shortage of shipping for meat exports in August, said Mr McNulty, clearly showed that there was sound reason for a New Zealand line.

Mr McNulty said that his association would write to the Prime Minister (Mr Holyoake) to ask him to consider immediately the setting-up of a nationally-owned line. “The crisis is on now because steps have never been taken to avoid a situation occurring where New Zealand would be left without shipping,” said Mr McNulty. “The whole of our export trade depends on a single group of English-owned and controlled ships.” Mr McNulty said that when the shipping service resumed New Zealand could expect an increase in freight charges. At its last conference in Christchurch, he said, his association adopted a resolution calling on the Government to set up a nationally-owned shipping line. This had been endorsed by the recent national conference of the Federation of Labour.