AID FOR BRITISH SHIPPING

Press, Volume LXXV, Issue 22768, 21 July 1939, Page 11

AID FOR BRITISH SHIPPING

* BILL PASSES SECOND READING • FOREIGN COMPETITION TO BE MET (Received July 20, 7.30 p.m.) LONDON, July 19. In the House of Commons the President of the Board of Trade (Mr Oliver Stanley), in moving the Shipping Assistance Bill, said: “Merchant shipping is vital in time of war, which may come within a measurable period. A diminution of shipping may cause us to revert overnight from an Empire to an island.”

He added that Germany had regained her 1914 position after the extinction of her mercantile marine and Italy and Japan have trebled theirs. The Government could not stand by and not attempt to assist industry to meet subsidised and unfair competition, often from noneconomic motives. The Government considered it urgent that shipbuilding yards should immediately be filled, for which reason part of the proposals were of an emergency character.

Liner shipping was in a special category. The Government was constituting a committee consisting of the chairman and two members of the Board of Trade to consider applications for assistance on their merits. It would be necessary to show that because of foreign subsidised competition a line was endangered. Assistance would be limited to £ 10,000,000 for an experimental period of two years. Mr E. Shinwell (Labour) moved an amendment regretting that the assistance was not accompanied by a measure for public control and reorganisation of the industry, and the application of the National Maritime Board agreement in respect of wages and crews. The amendment was lost by 224 votes to 141, and the bill passed its second reading.