CALL FOR ACTION

Wairarapa Times-Age, 15 December 1938, Page 7

CALL FOR ACTION

PLIGHT OF BRITISH SHIPPING

THE MENACE OF SUBSIDISED COMPETITION.

DEBATE IN HOUSE OF LORDS.

By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. LONDON, December 14.

Lord Lloyd, drawing attention to the shipping situation in the House of Lords today, complained of Government inaction in spite of the importance of the merchant navy to national defence.

Britain, he said, was being driven from Far Eastern trade by subsidised Japanese competition. One British line had already ceased to operate an Empire route in the Pacific, and another must go soon because of subsidised American competition if nothing was done about it. Lord t Runciman. Lord President of the Council, said that the Government had taken energetic steps to deal with shipping interests in the Mediterranean and elsewhere, and would shortly have to face a difficult situation in the Far East. The case of the Matson Line showed how difficult it was to extend rapidly schemes for keeping alive British shipping on difficult routes. It was impossible to work a scheme with the support of one Government alone. Referring to the general situation, Lord Runciman said that, if shipowners and shipbuilders made out a successful case, they would find the Government ready to respond.