MALOLO VISIT

Hokitika Guardian, 1 December 1930, Page 5

MALOLO VISIT

SEAMEN’S UNION PROTEST,

By Telegraph—Per Press Association.*

WELLINGTON, December 1

Mr F. P. Walsh, President of the Seamens Union in an interview, states that to the seafaring section c(f the community there is a. serious aspect to the visit of the luxury liner Malolo. As the vessel has entered into the inter-colonial trade by carrying over a thousand bags of mail from Sydney, besides bringing passengers from Sydney to ports of destination at Wellington and Auckland, thus competing with the New Zealand and Australian Shipping Coy. Like all other American shipping companies the Mjilolo carries a heavy government subsidy. In spite of the subsidies, the wages paid and conditions of employment imposed on seamen aboard American ships is far below the standard that would have to ho complied with, were the vessels under the marine laws of New Zealand and Australia.

Owing to the lack of trade brought about by the unfair competition of highly subsidised cheap labour of foreign shipping companies, there are at the present time a large number of boats laid up in all the main ports of New Zealand. As the Matson Company proposes to build two further passenger boats of the Malolo type to enter the transpacific trade, they rvobably will make Auckland a- port of call on voyages to and from Sydney. If they book passengers from Sydney to Wellington and Auckland and carrv mails their unfair competition will increase unemployed here and in Australia. In view of American vessels being protected on their own seaboard against competition from outside shipping companies, the companies employing New Zealand and Australian seamen and complying with the wages and conditons of employment should be protected against the “unfair competition” of highly subsidised cheap labour Yankee ships.