FULL CONTROL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 5 January 1940, Page 5

FULL CONTROL

OVER BRITISH SHIPPING REQUISITIONING POLICY EXTENDED. STATEMENT BY MINISTER. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.50 a.m.) RUGBY, January 4. The Minister of Shipping, Sir John Gilmour, has announced that, in the interests of an efficient conduct of the war, he has extended the policy of the requisitioning of shipping. The Government is satisfied that the regular execution of shipping programmes will be most effectively secured by bringing shipping under full control. Action was taken at the beginning of December to requisition for full cargoes of cereals imported on account of the Ministry of Food on the North Atlantic route, and the same system is now being applied to shipments of all full cargoes of cereals, oilseeds and sugar upon Government account. It is also being applied to the carriage of iron ore and certain other essential metal cargoes, as part of the general application of the requisition to all tramp shipping. Sir J. Gilmour stated today that he had decided to apply the policy or requisition at an early date to all ships on the United Kingdom and colonial register engaged in deep sea liner trades, as from the date when they complete their first discharge in the United Kingdom after the scheme comes into operation. The Minister said that the same reasons which had been found to have been the compelling force in favour of this policy in the last war actuated him now. The withdrawal of ships from their present trades would be facilitated where that course was necessary in order to find tonnage for more urgent national employment. The scheme, by providing greater unity of control and identity of interest, would enable tonnage to be used more effectively and material economies of tonnage, would be secured. It has been arranged that discussions with representatives of owners of ships as to conditions of. charter and rates of hire shall start this week.