THE HARM IT DOES.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18507, 8 October 1925, Page 9

THE HARM IT DOES.

GOVERNOR-GENERAL'S WARNING. • •*» (jBJSSS ASSOCIATION TXLrGSAV . HASTINGS, October T. At a Chamber of Commerce luncheon to-day, at which he was the guest of honour, Lis Excellency the GovernorGeneral said that during the few months he had been in the Dominion he had not seen so much of the couatrv as he would have liked, lie considered the best plan was to pay a flying visit to each district, and later to pay longer visits to see the country iu greater detail. From his cursory inspection he could easily see that it would lie difficult to find a finer country from the agriculturist's point of view than that surrounding Hastings, and it was obvious that Hawkc's Bay contributed largely to the success of the Dominion as a whole. The people in Great Britain wero awakening to the high standard of New Zealand products, but if those products were to meet with the success they deserved, regularity of supply would have to be assured, as there werfc many people in England who would give preference to an article which they would be assured of receiving a regular supply. It was for this reason that one was so horrified at the seriousness of the present shipping situation. It was not for him to say anything regarding the right or wrong of the matter, but it was unquestionable that regularity of supply was receiving a set-back from which it would take years to recover. Tt could only be hoped that, wiser counsels would prevail, and that the difficult situation would be straightened out..

COAL TRADE SLACK. The strike is affecting the coal industry of the Dominion, which is, at present, having a lean time: "This is tho "between seasons" p'eriod when trade generally is slaek, but the shipping trouble has increased the dullness. Not only is there an absence of business with overseas shipping, but freezing companies throughout tho Dominion have deferred the laying in of stocks of coal for the new season. Usually at this period tho purchases of coal by the freezing companies are considerable. A

PROGRESS LEAGUE'S ATTITUDE,

At the monthly meeting of the executive of the Canterbury Progress League last evening, a resolution was moved and seconded commending the action of the Government in taking measures to man tho vessels held up by the shipping strike, but after a discussion in committee on the expediency of carrying any motion with regard to such a' matter, tho resolution was allowed to lapse.

VOLUNTEERS OFFERING. (PRKSS ASSOCIATION TELEGBAIf.) DARGAVILLE, October 7. The response to tho call to man the ships, if required, lias ibeon good in the Northern Warroa district. The manager of the Northern Wairoa dairy factory to date has received sixty definite, applications, with another sixty who will go if their services are urgently required. The men who have offered aro mostly men who have had experience at sea in some capacity and aro at present in shore positions.

MR SEMPLE IS WARY, HECKLED ABOUT STRIKE. PROFITS OF SHIPPING RING. (SPSCUI, TO "IHI PEE 33.") WELLINGTON, October 7. Opposing Mr W. Field, tho sitting member for Otaki, is Mr E. Semple, well known in Labour circles throughout New Zealand. At his meeting at Johnsonville, Mr Semple was heckled about the strike. * "What is your opinion of the action of Tom Walsh and Johansen?" asked odo of his audience. ■ "All my information as to their action* comes from the Capitalist replied Mr Semple, "and I am not going to judge Walsh or anj f other man on such information. They have been condemned by the Press cablegrams that come here from time to time, and whether they deserve the condemnation that has been hurled at them lam not prepared to say. I leave them in the hands of the Australian workers, to whom they are responsible, 'and who know them and their actions. But to-day we aro not discussing men in Australia; we are discussing New Zealand problems, and let us confine ourselves to them." '•What is your solution of the present/ shipping troublo?" demanded another questioner. •The fiabour Party stands, of course, for State ships as against the combines and the trw>ts, that goes without saying," declared Mr Semple. "Any Government that does not interfere'in that direction'would certainly bo at the mercy, of the combines and the trusts. W> 'are at their mercy now, and State interference- is tho only remedv I kr.ow of. Wo cannot allow tho people t-o be fleeced by these combines aiid. trusts, and the' State will certainly have to interfero with the gang headed by Lord Inchcapc. CerTainlv the New Zealand Labour Party stands Jor dealing with those, shipping riifcs.''

Big Profits. ' Replving to further questions, Mr Semplo* said that the aggregate profits of the shipping rings on 569 ships of 2.067.000 tons . burden amounted t<> £•3,823.000 in The number of ships had been reduced to 499, and their tonnage to 1.95:2,000. but tho shaping ring's orofUs totalled no less than £10,906.000.* Of course the Govern-" meii't durinc; the war indemnified them against the' loss of their, ships, and from 1914 to 1922 inclusive, the shipping rings made- a net profit of £44?493.000, and the number of rboir ships was reduced to 367. These trusts and combines Had paid 10 per cent, dividends on three times watered stock, together with a bonus of 200 I>cr cent., yet they had reduced the wages of the seamen to £'B a month, which was far below a living wage. He had asked a number of British seamen on strike now in New Zealand why they had not fought the matter out in their own country, instead of signing on and then going on strike out here, and they had told hirj that they did not know of the wage reductten when tliey signed- on. It was pushed on them.' they knew nothing about it till, after thev had' sigued on.