INTERCOLONIAL TRADE.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 13830, 6 September 1910, Page 8

INTERCOLONIAL TRADE.

OBJECTIONS TO LASCAR CREWS. fsr-F.ciAn to ''tiie thess.' , ) WELLINGTON, September o. The question of coloured crews on tlie P. and O. beats, which was originally raised by the Auckland .Seamen's Union, was brought under the notice of the Prime Minister this morning by a deputation from the Merchant Service Guild and Marine Engineers' Institute. Mr Jierdman, M.P., introduced tho deputation, and pointed out that its members desired to call the attention of the Government to the fact that the P. and O. boats entering intercolonial trade meant unfair competition. Cheap coloured crews were working boats between Sydney and Auckland, against the better paid white crews of the Union and liuddart Parker lines.

Members of the deputation stated their case, voicing all the objections raised by the Auckland Union.

The lion. C. M. Luke suggested that the Government should only subsidise the mail services on condition that white labour be employed. Mr Hislop, secretary of the Marine Engineers, said that his union had no objection to P. and O. boats coining here, but they did object to discrepancy in wages.' On tho Maheno tlio wages of the engine-room staff totalled £116 per month, and on ■ the German liner Friedrich der Grosse £51 per menth. Sir Joseph Ward said that he was familiar with the whole question, and was cognisant of its importance; it could not be settled by tho New Zea land or Commonwealth- Governments. Even if New Zealand and Australia were of the same opinion, they would still have to get that legislation agreed to by the Homo Government. .Now Zealand could control shipping in its own waters, but the deputation would recognise the difficulty when it applied to vessels trading further afield. Hβ was of opinion that no matter how anxious they were to have it done, they could not do jit without the Home Government's sanction. At tho same time he knew that this country would support a movement of the kind, anci he would dearJy love, to see the Homo Government do the same thing, but ho realised that they had to view it from the Imperial point of view. If he adopted the suggestion that they should only subsidise the mail eervice with white crews, it would mean a very heavy subsidy. Ho was not disposed to name the amount, because it had been the subject of a confidential interchange between those connected with the shipping interests and the Government. It meant the displacement of a good many steamers now running between Australia and New Zealand, because if they subsidised a service it would have to consist of a fleet capable of competing with the services to which reference had been made. Personally, his sympathies were -with the movement.

In answer to a question, Sir Joseph said that it ivas possible that the matter would be brought up before the next Imperial Conference.