The Taihape Daily Times. AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE. FRIDAY, JULY 23, 1920. A SHIPPING SENSATION.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3534, 23 July 1920, Page 4

The Taihape Daily Times. AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE.

FRIDAY, JULY 23, 1920. A SHIPPING SENSATION.

With which is incorporated "The Taihape Post and Waimarino News."

I Amid the multitude of comparatively unimportant questions which demand public attention, arising as a result of the war, there are occasionally sandwiched (facts tof *he most vital character, innocent looking and otherwise, which must exercise an influence for good or evil on that peace which all governments and peoples seem to be striving to bring to a state o±\ materialisation. From the Australian Commonwealth Parliament it is learned that the British Shipping Combine has commenced putting into operation its threat to make the Australian Government repent of its audacity in getting ships of its own to enable the produce of Australian farmers being transported to the best market that offers. According to the Prime Minister the Combine has got such complete control of British exports that it can completely prevent Australian ships from gefftng a backloading in British ports. It must be assumed that Mr Hughes has appealed to the Bri&sty ilmperia|l authorities, and, from the course he finds" it novv necessa.ry to pursue, r he has failed to get any Satisfaction-. Neither the great British nor the Commonwealth Government is potent to alter export and shipping arrangements which the Shipping Combine has decreed, hence Australian State ships may take Australian produce Home, but they must return empty because the shipping ring has said no British merchandise must be carried in them, or shipped by them. Yet British exporters and the shipping ring are the people who are-broad-casting the precept that the Dominions should support Empire trade and manufacture. While importuning the Dominions to trade within the Empire with a view to promoting and assisting British trade .reconstruction British exporters and the Shipping Combine are endeavouring to ruin the Australian I ■ .1 State shipping flSne by 'refusing to i allow an ounce of British goods being carried in Australian ships. Such an- I thoritative announcements do really cause thoughtful people to wonder who the people are that rule the British Empire, and, if things are as they appear, whether tlje British Empire is ! worth .saving any more than other Em- ' pires. For, if Britislf Governments and Dominion Governments cannot rule the shipping ring, then the shipping ,ring must rule those governments, and they become mere buffers between the rings and the people they exploit. No other deduction is available, one or other must rule, and if governments cannot dominate shipping rings, then shipping rings must dominate governments. Britain and the Dominions have been at war with their working populations to break down all efforts to attain some degree of internationalism, but here is food for thought which workers may • masticate- and digest for their own edification. It seems fairly well established ! beyond denial fbat combine enemies of the people have brought internationalism to an advanced stage of perfection. While workers have been agitating for internationalism shipping combines and British exporters have attained it and have put it into operation .to still further oppress British communities, and British gov-

eminent s arc powerless to prevent them. Britain could save itself from the German menace but it is impotent against- the forces of shipping rings and trading trusts. AT ;i meeting of Australian Premiers Sir W. M.. Hughes crented a sensation by announcing that the Slates' could no longer }>ooi their wheat for export: lie said the Shipping Combine was trying to drive rne Federal Line off the seas. "The fight was being waged on lines which entirely deprived Federal steamers of back-loading to Australia." In view of this Die producers in the various .

Ktates are in a precarious position, find the climax to their helpless condition will synchronise with the need for shipping the next harvest. It is staled that the Combine jyUl refuse to ship » grain i,|' wheal' from any of tho Australian States unless i; gets the whole Ooirunomvenlt}] output. The Combine control of exports from Britain to Australia will prevent Federal steamers from parrying Federal wheat only in negligible quantities. State Ministers of Agriculture are considering the impasse to-day, but if the British Government, is powerless against the Combine wh,at can Australians do but capitulate? ...Herr. then. is an instance of the ultimate of Combines of capital; they can defy governments, threaten and ruin countries that dare to own and. use a ship for the transport of their own produce. They c-an, unchecked, starve peoples into subjection; it is irony to talk about interEmpire trade while a Shipping Combine

can compel the Dominions to send their produce to whare the Combine "wills, and can stop British exporters from sending supplies to the Dominions if "they feel indisposed .to allow their I ships to be used for the purpose. It i is evident from the Australian ship- : ping impasse that the Shipping Combine has decided that it is now sufficiently powerful to compel the whole British Empire to do its will in shipping matters. In the Legislative Council, at Wellington, on Wednesday, this country's shipping parlousness was permitted to leak out under thick camouflage, when Colonel G. J. Smith gave notice to ask whether, in view of the great importance of providing necessary tonnage will the Government enter into negotiations with the combination of shipping companies to secure tonnage at a reasonable rate for a period of three years, with provision for extension if thought desirable? If a reasonable arrangement cannot be arrived at will the" Government favourably consider the establishment of a Dominion line to be owned by export- j ers and importers of the Dominion? With Australia's experience before the Government what nonsense it is to talk about negotiating with the Combine for reasonable rates, and if nothing reasonable is the outcome to threaten the Combine with a new shipping line. How the Combine must chuckle at the audacity of limited New Zealanders while they have the sensational experience of the ''stand and "deliver" attitude of the Combine to Australian produe«rs. The question asked in the Legislative Cdtrncil by Colonel Smith is the Government's way'of gently breaking the shipping news to producers and people; it is one more instance of inviting trouble to enable government to deal with it should it arise. Whether this country is yet in the thraldon of the Meat Trust may be problematical, but There is no denying the fact that if/is under the domination of the Shipping Combine and do what negotiating the Combine may endure, producers, importers and exporters will have to conform" to' what the Combine insists upon, and the people must foot the bill.