SHIPPING SUBSIDIES.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 236, 18 July 1936, Page 3

SHIPPING SUBSIDIES.

STATEMENT BY MR SAVAGE. (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, July 17. » The question of subsidies for British shipping in the Pacific was again referred to by the Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage) m an interview to-day. Mr Savage was asked specifically to comment on the cabled report from Sydney that the British Government is planning to support shipping in the Pacific to meet American competition by a form of capital assistance from Britain in the building of ships and an annual subsidy with co-opera-tion from the Dominions concerned. The statement of the Prime Minister of Australia, Mr J. A. Lyons, that nothing is likely to be done until any possible decisions are placed before the Governments concerned, seems to sum up the position fairly, Mr Savage said. For our part we have no knowledge of any final proposals for British shipping subsidies, and until these proposals are received and examined we can hardly carry the matter any further.” The Prime Minister added that some form of assistance appeared desirable," but the Government would be concerned with ensuring that the terms and conditions on which that assistance was granted were acceptable. “As I have stated previously,” Mr Savage said, “we do not want to grant subsidies ii conditions of work in ships operating under those subsidies are not satisfactory. It would also he necessary to ensure that with the granting of subsidies the British steamship lines involved would he able to provide service and facilities at least equal to those offered by their competitors.