SHIPPING AFFAIRS

Hokitika Guardian, 15 December 1927, Page 3

SHIPPING AFFAIRS

LORD INCHAPE’S ADDRESS. (Received this day at 11.0 a.m.) LOXDOX, Dec. 14. At the annual meeting of the Peninsular Company, laird Ineliape stiid it was most gratifying to find leaders of the trades unions doing their utmost to secure peaceful methods for settling industrial disputes, and to convince the men that strikes of violence usually result in misery find want to themselves and their families. In this connection this country is very indebted to Mi 1 Havelock Wilson. Ilf the direct local method of settling differences n.s foreshadowed l»y the .leaders of industry is adopted, wo may see a speedy, all round improvement in British manufactures. Air Hughes’ idea, of government embarking in shipping has cost tlie country many millions, hut a wiser man, Mr Bruce, with a majority behind him, has decided to lid himself of this wasteful incubus There seems to be a desire by a certain section in Australia to maintain the Commonwealth line, no matter what the losses incurred, with the object of keeping down rates and ruining private ilines. I presume their idea is that if piivato lines are driven out of the Australian trade, the Government would put up the money for more ships, and continue to run them at ruinous rates of freight, the taxpayers providing capital and hearing the losses of working. This is political economy gone mad. He hoped tho tide of British migration to the Dominions would regain the lormci volume. Any increase in man power of ,tho Dominions was hound to he reflected in an increase in exports, which was a carrying necessity. “I think it would ultimately be of advantage to the Dominions if they directed tfhoir efforts more to the development of the soil of the gloat hinterlands than to building up industries by protective tariffs, yearly increasing the cost of living and imposing hardship. Would we could only "have freedom of trade within tho Empire and the same free cxc jl hingo of commodities as exists between England and Scotland and also throughout United States. If vo had, there would he no unemployment here, but thousands of other functionaries would have to find other occupations.” Referring to the waterside strike, ho said the condition ot affairs in Australia for some years, m* far as shipping was concerned, reminded him of tho title of the play running in London, “One damn thing after another.” Some people in Australia seemed to legard him as controlling all the lines serving trade between Britain and Australia, but tho Peninsular Company had no pecuniary interest in the A) bite Star, Aberdeen, Blue funnel, Commonwealth and Dominion lines, over Which it bad absolutely no control. It is true they bad conference agreements regarding freights, and sailings to which in Australia the Commonwealth line was a party, and undei which all shippers were treated absolutely alike. Without such arrangements, chaos would ensue.