Shipowners Retaliate For Slow Turn-Round

Chronicle (Levin), 4 August 1949, Page 4

Shipowners Retaliate For Slow Turn-Round

Receiy§d Wednesday. 7 p.m. LONPQM, Aug. 3; fhe Liyprpool Journal of Commeron apd Shipping, discussing veeeiit iucreases in Nerv Zealand and Australian freight' rates, says that after the prop'aeted delaj-s to which shipping is subjected in Kew Zealand and Australian ports, it is. surprising the ownei s did not inerease freight charges earlier. Two jrears ago it seenied these delays inight be symptoms of a teinporary post-war malaise but as month succee 1ed month and there was no improvement — or any signs of one — if becaine clear that the only way the shiporrners could avert losses was by inereasing their freight charges. "It would seem that the owners haye nqt despaired of anv improyenient being made in the rate or turn-round in Rew Zealand and Australian ports, " says the journal, "The unfortunate aspect of-the matter is that when charges rise, prospects of them falling agalu are remote. In fact, if the owners thought there was any possibility of a betterment in the turn-round position , in the near future, they would probably haye made the best of a bad job until better days return. "But in New Zealand and Australian ports partieularly, it would seem the rate qf turn-rqunc] will get wqrse before it gets better. The increased mechanisation on the docks there has not resulted as it should have' done, in redueed handling costs and a quicker turn-round of shipping. Qn the contrary, waterfront workers seem to De engagc-d upon a deliberate go-slow movement. This, it would seem, is the only explanation which would account for protracted spells in port that .al' general cargo ships are experieneing since even in Britain there has been a general improvement in the turn-round rates during recent months, and in at least one British port (Manchester) "man outpiit on the docks now exceeds that of prewar. ' ' After remarking that despite the fact that ships are making faster voyages they are making fewer round trips each vrear owing to delavs in port, the journal concludes: "That someone will have to meet bigger bills after Septeinber 1 for the transport of goods in the Australian and New Zealand trade, is apparent. Inevitably at least part )f the charges will have to be borne by 'he consumer directly through higher orires in shops or indirectly through ncreased taxation to meet increased •dtate subsidies. It is true that trans'tort charges represcut a very small prooortion of the selling prices of most •ommodities but at a time when it Is -Ttallv important to reduce the prices >f British exports, it is singularly un 'orlunate it has become necessarv to ake a step which will increase them."