PATRONAGE OF BRITISH SHIPPING.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 209, 3 September 1932, Page 8

PATRONAGE OF BRITISH SHIPPING.

In Wednesday's "Star" I read that the Mayor of Auckland, Mr. G. W. Hutchison, had arrived in Auckland that morning from Sydney by the Matson liner Monterey, and that to a newspaper reporter lie had complained bitterly for having had handed to him on his departure from Australia, a packet containing three leaflet® stating that the running of the Matson Shipping Line was an attempt to oust the British mercantile marine and criticising the passengers for travelling by an American boat. The public of New Zealand and of every British country should open its eyes to the reality of our good old mercantile marine being steadily pushed off the sea, not through fair competition, but by the fact that foreign Governments are aiming at and aiding in the destruction of our shipping, which means our trade. How much is American tourist traffic worth to New Zealand compared with our trade with Britain. We should pay heed to Mr. Baldwin's references made at Ottawa to the large quantity of foreign goods being imported by New Zealand when at the same time Britain is expected to, and does, consume practically all of our exportable primary products, the returns from which, I venture to say, make it possible for our city to exist. Supposing Britain was forced into another war—l wonder how many of the .Matson Line or any other foreign ships would be prepared to carry our troops 1 And the fact should be constantly borne in mind that the British mercantile marine is the bulwark of the nation both in peace and war. M. W. RESAEF. Whangarei. [On similar lines to those above several other correspondents urge the support of British shipping from patriotic motives. —Ed.]