BRITISH SHIPPING

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21083, 7 February 1934, Page 8

BRITISH SHIPPING

NEED FOR POLICY IMI'OKTAMK OF .MF-KHIANT MAIM NT-: WELLINGTON. February 0. The Hon. Alexander Shaw, chairman of the P. and O. Line, arrived by the Monowai to-day on a holiday visit, to Mew Zealand. In an interview lie urged the need lor a definite British shipping poliev. This would be the only way of preventing the process of decay which had set in so far as the British mercantile marine was concerned. He said ihat the shipping which carried the commerce was as necessary as the commerce itself, and in that sphere Great Britain was entirely without defence against economic aggression. "We have not evnn the power to bargain." he said "We have nothing to bargain with.

4i A<; a conseciuence we have seen the dccliiu of'the British mercantile marine from 43 per cent, ot the world's tonnage before the war to 20 per cent, to-day. That proce;.s is still continuing. "Before Great Britain took the power to negotiate by tariffs there was a large body of people with cold feet who' held it to be unwise for us to defend ourselves for fear that we might offend some foreign country. I find in certain quarters at Tlomc the same timidity complex to-day. It leads to inaction to foreign "naval ambitions as a sort of peace offering. "Certain of these countries have said quite definitely that the foundation of a strong navy is a strong mercantile marine and. although the economic position does not make a huge mercantile marine necessary, they have built up that navy. "What we want is an Imperial shipping policy. If we had had .hit the present disastrous position eouicl never have arisen. It we go on without an Imperial shipping policy there is nothing whatever to prevciu the nroccss of decay continuing until it is too late to repair it.