The Taihape Daily limes AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 12th, 1916. NEW ZEALAND WOOL FREIGHTS.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 209, 12 October 1916, Page 4

The Taihape Daily limes AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 12th, 1916. NEW ZEALAND WOOL FREIGHTS.

(With which is incorporated The Tai hapo Post and Waimarino News.)

When shipping companies announced that for the coming season an additional penny—a whole penny—per pound was to be added to the already outrageously high wool freights, it took our editorial breath away, and left us unequal to the occasion of calmly discussing it. Last year freights were so inordinately and unreasonably low that shipping companies were able to do little mor.e than double their whole paid-up capital with the one year's profits; but they intend to rectify that this year by exacting enough profit over doubling their capital to buy another fleet of ships. It has occurred to us that question of Stateowned ships is worth considering, for with last year's profits, and if sheepfarmers will assist by agreeing to pay the penny shipping companies intend to extort, half-a-dozen ships can be paid for with the one year's profits, after which shipping charges might be allowed to sink to an honest and honourable level. This wan will go down in history noted for its commercial highwaymen almost, if not as much, as for Prussian frightfulness, and it will disclose to future generations that the utter disregard for human life and human right is just as deep-seated in British commercial men as it is in the heart of the Hun. The same inhuman

agencies are at work to secure precisely similar objects—riches and power. The difference is that Germany assails other Empires, while commercial men suck out. the life-blood of their own; of the two, -we arc not. quite sure which is the most devilish and diabolical. These commercial monsters are using Xew Zealand journals, at least one, to excuse

their "stand and 'deliver" proposals. They say that after the war, with the release of many ships now used as transports and for munition carrying, there will bo such a number available that it will cause a disastrous slump. We wonder who owns the ships now in Government use, and if it is the same shipping companies, why they will not be as powerful to control freights as they were at any other time of their existence. We do not remember the time when shipping companies could, and did not, pay remunerative dividends, and dt is quite superfluous to remark that such a time will never come so long as ocean Communication is controlled by private enterprise. That should now be obvious to any observer., let alone to those who have occasion to study the freight question. The cloven hoof seems to have its imprint on some part of New Zealand daily journalism, so much so that a duty now devolves en the sheep industry to do all in its power to shake it off, by urging men in Parliament to take such immediate and insistent steps as the alarming nature of j the occasion more than warrants. We say mere than warrants, because we are of opinion that one form of robbery should not go rampant while another incurs severe and degrading punishment. The journal referred to excuses the extortion of shipping companies by saying the farmer can better afford to pay the penny increase than he could the low freights of fifteen ness of such years ago; the insinuating flagitiousness of such a remark is too obvious to need comment. After recounting how a post-war shipping slump is to be brought about, and how the bottom is going to fall out of the freight trade, it is suggested that New Zealand sheep-farmers should go into the shiping business themselves as the only course that would impress the shipping monopoly; but that journal leaves no doubt about its attitude to Mr Pearce's opinion that if New Zealand is, to be subjected to such monstrous freight rates on its produce it is time for the State to step in as Australia has done, for, after careful and studious leading up, it says—'' Even if the farmer is exploited by the shipping companies." it is no reason why the Government should go to the rescue. This contemporary is careful to avoid stating that another million filched from the farmer is another million taken from circulation in New Zealand. This country will be a million poorer, and, let it be well understood, that these millions are mounting up, and have mounted up to such an accumulation as would be sufficient to pay cash for ships sufficient to carry all our wool to Britain. This freight extortion is a question for farmers first; but it is also a question in which every man, women, and child is involved, and we can unhesitatingly say that if exploitation is to be urged, condoned, or excused in New Zealand newspapers, sheep-farmers are justified in taking steps while the wedge is being driven through their, source of income, and while they would have the sympathy and support of all classes in the community to ensure their products being carried to market at reasonable freight rates from now on for all time, by enlisting the functions of the State in dealing with the truly alarming circumstances. If shipping people will not listen to reason then the State should own vessels of its own. It is utter nonsense to contend that the State cannot run its ships as profitably in the public interests as it runs its railways. While ships would cost less than our railways they would -prove much more profitable. State ships would for ever allay all uncertainty and alarm about freights. Sheep-farmers know well from experience that however low the value of wool may go in the future, there would be little chance of freights falling proportionately. These confident predictions about freight slumps through there being more ships than the world can use is obvious humbug, and cannot be regarded seriously by any sane man who has even . a smattering knowledge of the question. If prompt .action is not taken by sheepfarmers in supporting Sir James Wilson and Mr Pearce, M.P., in their efforts, farmers will pocket one million pounds less for their wool this year than they might do, and arc justly entitled to, and there will be one million pounds less for circulation in New Zealand business.