WORKING SHIPS

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 109, 10 May 1943, Page 4

WORKING SHIPS

EFFECT OF THE WAR CENTRALISATION SYSTEM (0.C.) WELLINGTON, this day. The difficulties created in the port of New Plymouth through the centralisation of overseas shipping as a war measure were discussed on Saturday by a representative deputation from New Plymouth, introduced by Mr. F. L. Frost, M.P. The Ministers present were the Prime Minister, Mr. Fraser, the Minister of Finance, Mr. Nash, and the Minister of Marine, Mr. O'Brien. A reassuring reply was given by Mr. Fraser, who stated that the centralisation policy would not be thought of by the Government when the war was ended. The smaller ports, said Mr. Fraser, were being hit heavily. He and his Ministerial colleagues and Departmental officers had listened with interest to the very reasonable points presented. They saw no gain in hitting any port or any part of the Dominion without adequate reason. He knew Taranaki was willing to make sacrifices, but it was essential to their understanding that this was in the interests of the war effort. But if anything could be done inside the war effort to keep continuity of work at New Plymouth it was eminently reasonable to ask for it. The Waterside Control Commission would be asked to report on the matter, though there was also the Overseas Shipping Allotment Committee to be considered. If the Commission could point out that more work could be done at New Plymouth than at Wellington, to the advantage of shipping and without delay then a case would be made out. It would all depend on the report they got before they approached the Overseas Allotment Committee.