THE SHIPPING PROBLEM

Auckland Star, Volume XLIX, Issue 131, 3 June 1918, Page 8

THE SHIPPING PROBLEM

A very important remit came before the Farmers' Union conference on Friday, when Mr. A. K. Duun, Kaiwaka. proposed, " That this conference approves of a scheme by which the farmers could own their own ships, ship and eventually dispose of their own produce, the necessary capital to be raised by a levy of. say. one penny per pound on all wool, butter find cheese, a halfpenny per pound on meat, and a proportionate amount on hides and skins. - ' The mover said that the proposal was Jo start operations with five or six ships suitable tor carrying cargo and passengers. By doing this, he suggested, they would be taking the right steps to fight the shipping and meat combine, now threatening the commerce of. and the welfare of the Dominion. The money which was being lost through having to pay storage on goods would pay for the ships. Mr. \V. D. I.ysnar (Gisborne)" seconded the motion pro forma. lie suggested that the resolution should be altered so as to provide that the farmers and mercantile firms should own the ships, and the reference to the lew should be deleted. , Messrs. Munro (Clevedon) and .Tounneaux favoured State control of shipping, whereas another delegate from Hamilton contended in respect to the scheme that the farmers should be the sole owners. Mr. -T. K. Martin (Rotorua) said he was confident that tlie business people of Auckland would join in such a scheme. Mr. Lysnar answered a number of question to the complete satisfaction of the conference, after whicU Mr. Fisher (Cambridge) moved an amendment on the lines suggested by Mr. Lysnar, deleting the reference to the levy and providing for the mercantile firm's to come into the movement along with the farmers. This was seconded, and on being put to the meeting was carried almost unanimously.