THE SHIPPING MONOPOLY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVII, Issue 24, 27 January 1906, Page 4

THE SHIPPING MONOPOLY.

Among the many interesting topics touched upon by the Premier yesterday in his speech at Pahiatua, an important place is claimed by the references to existing and prospective shipping rings. Mr Seddon did not hesitate to say that so far as oversea freight is concerned the colony is practically in the power of two or three companies which have hitherto succeeded in crushing or absorbing all dangerous competitors. The result is that, as Mr Seddon pointed

out, ocean freights from New Zealand are far higher than from Australia, and our producers suffer severely from the unfair treatment to which they are thus subjected. But it is not to be expected that a party and a Government so strongly committed to the defence of public interests will submit tamely to such a monopoly as this. Mr Seddon showed that he had already taken an important step in the way of breaking down the ocean freight monopoly by encouraging direct trade with the West of England porte. But he is prepared to go much further than this. Bather than see the colony at the mercy of a shipping rmg, the Premier is ready to advocate the establishment of a Government line of steamers to carry our produce Home, and thus to beat the shipping ring at its own game. The country has now so completely identified itself with_ progressive Liberalism that very few people would be found to demur to such a solution of one of our most important commercial problems. The existence of trusts and combines is a standing menace to the industrial prosperity of all countries in which they operate, and the Liberals of this colony will never submit to be exploited without a struggle for the benefit of any monopolist, local or foreign. The Premier's words should come as a timelywarning to the mercantile corporations which control our trade, for unless Mr Seddon and his colleagues can secure fair treatment for our farmers and producers from the shipping companies that trade here, they will certainly not hesitate to attempt the work of ocean transport for themselves.