PACIFIC LINERS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 22 July 1938, Page 4

PACIFIC LINERS

POSTPONEMENT OF BUILDING PROJECT MR SAVAGE NOT SURPRISED By Telegraph—Press Association. WELLINGTON. This Day. "Frankly. I have never expected anything else,” said the Prime Minister, the Rt Hon M. J. Savage, when he was asked to comment yesterday evening on the report cabled from London that proposals for the construction of two new Pacific liners had been deferred on account of an enormous increase in costs. It would be ridiculous, said Mr Savage, to attempt to build the ships at prohibitive costs. At present everything that was required for shipbuilding was being used at full pressure by the British Government in the development of its rearmament programme. There was apparently a shortage of skilled labour and of material and that was bound to have* its effect on costs. “In the circumstances we cannot afford to be too hasty,” said the Prime Minister. “After all, it may not be too much to say that the defence of Britain is at least as important as the provision of shipping services across the Pacific. However, as far as New Zealand is concerned, I can give an assurance that the building of the two new ships will not be forgotten. We will keep the matter open for discussion and the building of the new ships will be proceeded with as soon as the time is opportune.”