BETTER USE OF SHIPPING

Waikato Times, Volume 128, Issue 21366, 10 March 1941, Page 4

BETTER USE OF SHIPPING

Appointment in each of the Dominions of a representative of the British Ministry of Shipping indicates that British shipping is being regarded more and more as a unity for the purposes of the conduct of the war. The intention is by co-ordination and the elimination of waste time to make the most effective possible use of every ton of ship'ping available to the Empire. This has become an urgent necessity because of the havoc wrought among ships by enemy submarines, mines and bombers. Maintenance of the trade routes is vital to the survival of the Empire, and the time has come to ensure the utmost efficiency in the service. The New Zealand representative is to be Sir Alexander Roberts who, presumably, will act in close co-operation with all the other Dominions and Britain. He will act in an advisory capacity and will, apparently, investigate the shipping position in New Zealand generally as far as it concerns vessels over which the Ministry has control. Ships registered in New Zealand will be outside his scope. Complete knowledge of the movements of all these ships has, of course, been available to the Ministry ever since the war began, but to ensure the utmost efficiency further details are required. Time occupied by ships in harbour, facilities for handling cargo, rates of loading and a dozen other circumstances all affect the rapid “ turn-round ” of ships and the amount of cargo that can be carried in a given time. New Zealand is as vitally concerned with the Mercantile Marine as Britain or any other part of the Empire. There has been some unpleasantness in the Dominion regarding the despatch of ships and conditions on the waterfront generally. This is no time for futile recrimination but for positive action. Literally the fate of the Empire is at stake and it is the bounden duty of everyone concerned with the shipping industry to put the best foot forward and ensure that the Empire receives the best possible service from its depleted number of ships. The Mercantile Marine is Germany’s particular target and may become increasingly so in the near future. Any contribution that New Zealand can make to the foiling of the enemy’s designs will surely be made willingly. If what the Americans call a “ bottleneck ” exists in any part of the shipping industry it is essential that it should be removed.