NAVIGATION COMMISSION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8064, 21 March 1906, Page 3

NAVIGATION COMMISSION.

PSESS CRITICISM OP THE HEPORT. SOME EXTRAORDINARY EVIDENCE. Sydney, March 20. The Commission's report states that the evidence regarding crimping was of au extraordinary character. Some was so sensational that had it not been amply corroborated the accuracy might have been doubted. The law to prevent'crimping is quite inadequate and for years lias been openly defied. In Newcastle, where a regular tralKe existed in inciting seamen to desert, sovcral witnesses asserted that some masters of the vessels connived at the practice partly for the purpose of sharing in the blood money obtained from the sailors and partly for the purpose of defrauding the seamen of their wages. Regarding rebates the Commission says it is freely stated that a combine already exists by which passenger aud cargo rates under steamship owners in the federation arc regulated. Its extent may be gauged from the fact that out of 180,000 tons engaged in the interslate traffic less thau 10,000 tons i.s outside the ring. Evidence was given that any departure from the agreement under the combine involved the forfeiture of rebates on the whole year's transactions Tliik' Herald," commenting on the the taxpayer may perhaps be if he regrets so much time and nroney has been expended on the collection of well-known facts and airy tlioyries. Telegraph " says the peculiarit}' om c report is that it ignores the project of a Commonwealth •"vucii line and oversea mail steamers, whiitfa'ijhe Labor party has so insistentproposed by the Coinnus- » sion will almost certainly have tin v effect of excluding British and foreign shipping from our coastal trade, thi avowed object being lo build up a local *■ jnercuitile marine. It instances as a lurid example of this policy the United States, which has seen its mercantile marine almost extinguished by this very process. ENDORSED BY "THE THUNDERER." Received 20,11 p.m. London, March 20.. " The Times" says the report.of thr and Federal Navagation is a document of great interest, and indicates thai side by side with the growth of Australian national principle, the Commonwealth evinces a much fuller consciousness of Imperial unity. Most rightly and far sightedly th< colonies adhere to preferential treat incut between members of the Empire, and no surprise is felt at the decision to secure the carrying trade of Australian waters for Australians. - " The Times" heartily approves the prospect to establish a Naval Reserve without raising vexed questions of higher Imperial strategy. The Commission's evident desire to stop the 'decline in the numbers of British seamen commands full sympathy.