MERCHANT VESSELS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 11 September 1940, Page 6

MERCHANT VESSELS

A SCRAPPING PLAN. A plan for scrapping, after the war, all British merchant vessels more than 20 years old is now being put before the British shipping industry by Sir Philip Haldin, president of the Chamber of Shipping of the United Kingdom. When the war is over, he suggests that British shipowners ought to buy, as quickly as possible, the merchant fleet which the Government is building today. A purchase price of £90.000 for a steamer and a pro rata figure for motor ships might be fixed, he says, for those shipowners who have lost their vessels by enemy action or by the perils of the sea. The difference between the £90.000 and the cost price could be met out of the profits being made by the present use of privately-owned vessels. Sir Philip proposes that, after all ships more than 20 years old have been scrapped, those shipowners who wish to keep their fleets up to date could buy at market prices what remained of the Government vessels or build new ships on an ordered plan to keep British shipyards regularly employed. When they are approved by the shipping industry, these proposals will be submitted to Hie Government.