Protests At Ship Freight Rise

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28178, 17 January 1957, Page 11

Protests At Ship Freight Rise

(N.Z.P.A.—Reuter—Copyright) MELBOURNE, January 16. The Australian Government will register an official protest with the Overseas Shipping Combine on the proposed new freight charges on imports and exports, the Canberra correspondent of the “Age” reported today. He said that Cabinet would continue talks today on what action should be taken against the imposition of the proposed new rates. The Overseas Shipping Combine has announced a 14 per cent, increase on Australian imports from Britain and Europe to apply from February 1, and a similar increase on exports to apply from March 1. The Australian Egg Board and the Australian Manufacturers’ Export Council have asked the Commonwealth Government to intervene on their behalf to prevent the rise in the export freights. The chairman of the Egg Board (Mr R. C. Blake) said last night that he had been instructed by the board not to sign any agreement giving effect to the increase. The demand for a 14 per cent, freight increase would hasten the virtual extinction of the Australian egg export industry, already threatened by other factors, including the British subsidy scheme, he said. Shipping authorities last night said that the shipowners would be ‘‘very reluctant” to defer the proposed increases, even at the behest of the Government.