CARRYING CARGO

Waikato Times, Volume 128, Issue 21374, 19 March 1941, Page 7

CARRYING CARGO

BETWEEN BRITISH PORTS USE OF AMERICAN SHIPS NEW ARRANGEMENTS MADE (By Tejf-sraph.—-Special to Times) WELLINGTON, Wednesday Arrangements have been made for the carriage of cargo in addition to passengers by United States liners trading between British ports where British ships are not available,” said the Minister of Marine, the Hon. R. Semple, in the House of Representatives to-day, when replying to an urgent question. Mr W. J. Broadfoot (Opposition —Waitomo) had asked the Minister whether, owing to the shortage of shipping services to and from New Zealand, he could say when it was proposed to revoke restrictions imposed on United States shipping from carrying passengers and cargo from one British port to another. He said shipping services were much restricted and the general public was being greatly inconvenienced.

POLICY OF COMPANY

ASSISTANCE TO GOVERNMENT (Special to Times.) AUCKLAND, Wednesday “After the Minister recently approached us we placed the matter before our principals, who agreed to assist the New Zealand Government by accepting such cargo.” said Mr E. J. Hewitt, freight manager of Henderson and Macfarlane, the Matson Line’s local agents, last night. Previously, no cargo had been carried between Australia and New Zealand by the Matson liners. The amount of cargo that would now be carried by the liners between Australia, New Zealand and Fiji would depend entirely on the time at the disposal of the ships. Some years ago the New Zealand Seamen’s Union objected to the carying of cargo between the British ports by foreign vessels and was backed up by the Auckland Waterside Workers’ Union, who informed the Matson Line agents that they would refuse to work the liners should such cargo be carried. Cargo had always been carried between Australia and Fiji by the American vessels, said Mr Hewitt, but, although no actual regulations prohibiting it had been passed, no cargo was ever carried by them between Australia and New Zealand, and New Zealand and Fiji. British ships had been allowed to carry cargo between the Philippines and the United States, Mr Hewitt continued, but not between Honolulu and the United States, Hawaii being regarded as part of the mainland. Mr H. Williams, an official of the Auckland branch of the Seamen’s Union, said last night that he was unable to comment on the matter as the secretary of the union, Mr T. F. Anderson, was at present in Wellington.