FIGHTING FOR LIFE

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 103, 28 October 1933, Page 9

FIGHTING FOR LIFE

BRITISH SHIPPING

NEED OF COMMON POLICY

LONDON, October IS. "British shipping is fighting for its life. Sixty thousand officers and men aro ashore, who formerly served 1,800,000 tons of shipping» new idle. I believe tjiat only th© Empire acting together canl save, shipping, consequently I urge tho Imperial Conference to consider solely the creation of a common Empire shipping policy," writes Sir Abo Bailey, ono of the principal Transvaal mine owners, in the "Daily Mail." Sir Abe Bailey criticises the South African Government's action in subsidising Italian lines to the extent of £150,000 a year in'order-to retain and increase South Africa's meat trado with Italy as fatal to an Imperial policy, which is essential to tho prosperity of the British Commonwealth. Sir Abe Bailey emphasises that tho Italians obtained charters at uncommercial rates to- load wheat from Australia. An Italian ship completed a round voyage within the Empire, earning £1100 for the Italian Government, enabling it, to undercut British shipping. British ships before the war carried 52 per cent, of world trade, he adds. Today they carry only 40 per cent. Britain has 300,000 tons less than in 1914. ■ Sweden, Holland, France, Spain, Denmark, and Greece have nearly doubled their tonnage, and Italy and Norway have moro than doubled it. Japan and America • show a much greater increase.