VITAL TO BRITAIN.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 169, 20 July 1939, Page 11

VITAL TO BRITAIN.

MERCANTILE MARINE

Could Revert From Empire To

Island Overnight.

BILL FOR STATE HELP,

(Received 1.30 p.m.)

LONDON, .July 19.

111 the House of Commons, Mr. Oliver Stanley, President of the Board of Trade, moving the Shipping Assistance Bill, said that merchant shipping Avas vital in time of war, which may be within a measurable period. "A diminution of shipping would cause us to revert overnight from an Empire to an island. Germany has regained her 1914 position, after the extinction of Britain's mercantile marine, and Italy and Japan have trebled theirs. The Government cannot stand bv and not attempt to assist the industry to meet subsidised and unfair competition often from non-economic motives.

'The Government considers it is uigent that shipbuilding vards should immediately be filled, and for that reason a part of the proposals are of an emergency character." Liner shipping was in a special category. The Government would constitute a committee, consisting of a chairman and two members of the Board of Trade, to consider applications for assistance on their merits. It would be necessary to show that owing to foreign subsidised competition a line was endangered.

Assistance would be limited to £10,000,000. with an experimental period of two vears.

A Labour amendment, proposed by Mr. E. S'i"]i\Y;ll. was defeated by 224 vote?, to lil, and the bill was read a second time.