PRODUCERS' SHIPPIN CO.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 August 1917, Page 7

PRODUCERS' SHIPPIN CO.

NEED FOE IMMEDIATE ACTION.

The geographical position of New Zealand and. our uttw dependence on the markets of the "old world for the sale of our produce make security, efficiency and economy of ocean transport of primary importance to our progress and 'Welfare. Thin truism cannot be denied, but in normal times may he overlookod by the average individual. Since war conditions have prevailed attention has been drawn to our shipping necessities by the scarcity of shipping space and the huge increases in shipping freights. This may prove a blessing in disguise by enforcing the attention of the public to such a vital matter, and dispelling the

inertia which existed in pre war times. I The significance of the fact that the shipping on which we have depended has he<ffi the subject of trust control has not "Deen truly appreciated. Trust methods and control exist for the purpose of conserving the interests of shipowners only, and we may safely assume that the limits of their demands are governed only by our power to resist, and the increases in freight announced last season indicate the measure of their greed. The actual organised strength of the Shipping Trust is not generally known, but some idea may be formed by reviewing tho various companies already under its control, including the recent absorption of two companies well known in this Dominion, viz., the Union Comjpany and the Now Zealand Shipping Co. Apart from the ©hipping Trust, there is another trust which constitutes a danger to New Zealand, namely, the Meat Trust, and it is quite obviouß that trust-controlled businesses are more inclined to come to an understanding than to fight each other. A coalition between the Shipping Trust and the Meat Trust

would have consequences disastrous to our producers and consequently to us all. ■Representative producers have given this i 'matter grave consideration, and have come to the conclusion th«£ the only remedy lies in producers' owned shipping. In order to successfully establish and maintain this sufficient strength must be organised. A company iormed on ordinary principles of voluntary contributions would bo fore-doomed to failure or subsequent, absorption. The proposal to organise the whole of the producers and provide the necessary capital by means of a levy is sound. This levy would require the sanction of Parliament which should give its sanction, provided that the interests of the people were duly conserved. Probably the limitation of to, say, 6 tper cent, would itself be sufficient safeguard, but it may be desirable to have Government representation on the board of con-

trol, and possibly other restrictions and conditions should be imposed. The urgent necessity at present is activity and pushful energy, and the committee which was set up in Wellington last April to further the project seems lacking in these attributes. The scheme should be placed before the ipublic, 'whose good judgment can be trusted to approve. With strong publie opinion Mhind it, Parliament would be willing to sanction the levy. A fitting motto for the committee might well be, "Work while it is yet day for the night Cometh wherein no man can work." In this connection we would refer to Sir James Wilson's statement in his address at the annual conference of the 'Farmers' Union. He indicated that the idea of organisation by means of a levy originated with Mr. H. D. Vavasour, of Blenheim, and stated that it bad been taken up enthusiastijjijy in Taranaki. This is not correct. The idea of the levy originated in Stratford. Mr. J. B. Richards, president of the Stratford Chamber of Commerce, called a select meeting of representative producers on October 24 of last year, and placed before them calculations showing the prqbable cost to New Zoaland and submitted the levy scheme. The meeting approved, and set up a small committee to further the matter. Meetings were held in Hawera and Waverley, and considerable preliminary work was done. Producers approved "unanimously, wherever Qfe scheme was submitted to them in Taranaki. Mr. Richards lia« consistently urged the levy scheme, and deserves credit for his disinterested and sincere efforts in this direction. We cannot therefore allow Sir James Wilaofl'a statement to pass unchallenged,