The Chronicle LEVIN. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 13. 1917. THE NEED FOR STATE CONTROL OF SHIPPING.

Levin Daily Chronicle, 13 February 1917, Page 2

The Chronicle LEVIN. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 13. 1917. THE NEED FOR STATE CONTROL OF SHIPPING.

I lie declaration <by the Hon. J. G. Herdman, Minister for Justice, "that in these times of peril for the empire 110 body of men will be allowed to interfere in affairs that are essential to successful prosecution of the war," is commendable. It was for the purpose of giving the Government sufficient power to deal effectively with any: interference that might cause such an undesirable state of affairs that regulations were issued last Friday which give the Government power to pro-

claim "Government wharves," and control them, wherever , necessary. These angulations" see/m unestoeptiionable, per se, so far as we are able to judge them; whether they will prove to ibe so in practice rests ' with the Administration. They are intended to-day to prevent ©rente - with oversea trade through disputes that have arisen between sections of the wharf laborers of New Zealand and certain (shipping companies. The Chronicle passes no opinion here as to whether the demands of laborers for increased pay and altered working condition are exorbitant or reasonable ; that aspefct is a minor one when compared with the great issues involved. These centre in the fact that profits too great by far are being made fey the shipping companies, and that the whole population of New Zealand, of Great Britain, and of her Allies, are b'ing harassed and mulcted of their rights by the exactions of these monopolists. Italy, our ally, has been voicing a deep grievance against Great Britain during the last few months because of the injury caused to her industries through the ruinous height charges and Coal and other art'cles which she lias to import from the Old Land. In New Zealand the cist of living has advanced 1 very considerably through the higli 'rates for oversea and lotoal freights; it is not too great an estimate of the resultant increase when 100 pea- cent is mentioned. In some lines imported from America and Great Britain the cost has gone' up between 200 per cent and 300 per cent; and we can speak with personal knowledge of one imported line of commercial goods (that experienced no manufacturers' rise until a few months ago) that for twelve months past has been from 150 to 200 per cent dearer than, in pre-war times j solely as a result of the abnormaL and I unfair charges of shipping companies. | It may be said that the increased risk ! of disaster en voyage justifies the in- ' creased charge. But the case is not 1 so. An increase Of 50 per cent would have been ample; -and this fact is the ! more apparent when remembrance is j made of the fact that the British GovI ernment itself takes the major risk,

under its benoficiont scheme of National Insurance. Hie weak point- in tho case is the failure of the British Government to nationalize the steamer service for the period of the war. Therein lies the reason why the people of-the empire and of our Allies are being strangled financially. To a lesser extent there is a reptition of these happenings within ifche IDoniinion ofl New Zealand, and whether the wharf laborers' demands are as defensible or deplorable, the fact must be faced that what the wharf be faced that what the wharf laborers are indeavoring to secure is j ust [done since the war began: "reaching out" for a larger proportion of the en- I lianced 1 profits that are made. The National Government of New Zealand, if it did its duty, would take over the whole of the intercoastal service and run it on Fair and proper lines until the termination of the war. To those who raise objeotion that this would be an undue interference 'with private enterprise, we would remark that private enterprise must t>e like any other private in times of war, and do what his superiors reckon best for his army and country. Conditions that suited in time of peace prove detrimental in war times; and this truth is clearly illustrated in the conditions now obtaining throughout the empire in regard to shipping. We have but faint hope, however, that there will be any alteration in this respect. In iNfew Zealand, as in 'Great Britain, the vested interests in such concerns hold too strong a hand politically whether a Balfour or an Asquith, a 'Massey or a Ward, stands as head of the Government. The need for a change is apparent to the people; but as "most people" means the political majority, that majority has to sit silent and pay up whfile the representatives deleted by it is times of peace demonstrate.in war times that they are mere puppets in th© hands of those real forces of Governmental Administration who control the ostensible heads both in war and l peace.