INTERCOLONIAL TRADE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 45, 23 February 1931, Page 11

INTERCOLONIAL TRADE.

As was to lie expected, certain of the ■ Auckland shipping interests are en- ' deavouring to obscure the issue raised : by the Waterside Workers' and Sca- . men's Unions in their objection to the entry of foreign cheap labour ships into the intercolonial trade. The statements of some of these gentlemen, as ' quoted in your issue of Saturday Aveck, are interesting examples of the gentle art of drawing a red herring across the trail, but are quite irrelevant to the main issue. One says, for example, the situation brought about by the refusal of the Avaterside Avorkers to unload cargo shipped at Melbourne by the Japanese ship Brisbane Maru may lead to international complications. Surely such rubbish is not seriously propounded. This gentleman must be aware that other nations protect their intercolonial shipping against foreign competition. It is common knowledge that none but American ships may trade between the Philippines, Hawaii and the United States. The shipping IaAVS of Japan are equally stringent. Is it suggested that Ncav Zealand and Australia have not similar pOAvers 1 The same gentleman asserts that many of the oA'erseas ships that pick up cargo here carry seamen receiving higher Avages than New Zealand seamen. If that Avere true our case Avould fall to the ground. But it isn't trite. That any responsible person can hazard such a statement is a matter for wonderment. • Another shipping gentleman disdains to argue. He is all for tho Mussolini method. Commercial men are to bo allowed to do just Avliat they please. They have, it a monopoly of economic Avisdom, Avliicli must 011 no account be questioned. The function of tho Avorkers is to work, and not to interfere in the natural flow of trade! There is something intensely funny about this naive outburst. With commercial interests the world over fighting and intriguing one against the other to secure, by means of tariffs and other discriminatory measures, a free hand for themselves and protection against tho, other fellow, this indignant demand for an unfettered "natural Aoav of trade" is a really delicious bit of sententious humbug. Apart from a half-liearted reference to the benefits of healthy shipping competition and facilities fro prompt shipment of cargoes, not -one of these gentlemen Avliose views you quote has the hardihood to attack the reasons Ave put forward in support of our action. And wo doubt if even they dare to describe as healthy tho kind of competition which is only made possible through the exploitation of cheap labour. As for prompt shipment of cargoes, our ports are full of unemployed New Zealand seamen aid of ships lying idle through lack of cargoes. So far -as tlie Waterside Workers' and Seamen's Unions arc concerned, the issue is crystal clear. If foreign cheap labour ships are allowed to get a footing in the intercolonial trade they Avill eventually drive out the intercolonial ships Avhich employ New Zealand and Australian seamen at much higher Avages and Avorking conditions. It folloavs that some thousands of these seamen and their dependents will be thrown on tho bread line, and the Australian and NeAV Zealand mercantile marine Avill become a thing of the past. But that is not all. In order to liA r e our seamen Avill be compelled to seek lower-paid employment in foreign ships, and thenstandard of living will thus be reduced to the level of the Japanese and other foreign seamen. This in turn will have a depressing effect upon the living standard of the waterside workers, and, ultimately, upon that of the whole working class of this country and Australia. The prominent shipping men who have taken us to task in your columns studiously avoid this aspect of the matter. They demand unrestricted cheaplabour competition in the intercolonial trade in the sacred interest of private profit, but it is fair to assume that they are indifferent to its probable effect upon the economic condition of the workers' of. New Zealand. They and I their Chamber of Commerce friends bit- 1 terly resent the action taken by the - waterside Avorkers and seamen to avert the threatened danger, and they now call upon the Prime Minister to force us to assist in cutting our ovra throats. If there can be anything laughable about a matter so deadly serious, then surely here is cause for laughter! But it is high time these gentlemen realised that the workers no longer believe in the omniscience of self-appointed pundits of commerce. We knoAV from experience that mere ability to make, say, a shipping agency pay does not necessarily carry with it either political wisdom or public spirit. In short, Ave are no longer prepared blindly to entrust our economic destinies to commercial gentlemen Avho are so absorbed in the pursuit of profit i that they can spare no time to consider 1 the possible effect of their operations I upon those who perform the useful work . of the community. T. F. ANDERSON, Secretary Seamen's Union.