Shipping Line Head Praises Proposals

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30368, 18 February 1964, Page 15

Shipping Line Head Praises Proposals

■ Unless the suggestions for streamlining of shipping services between the United Kingdom and New Zealand were adopted there would have to be a substantia] increase in shipping rates, said Mr J. A. MacConochie, chairman and managing-director of the Shaw SaviU and Albion Company, Ltd., when he arrived in Christchurch yesterday. This did not mean that the shipping companies were holding the pistol at anyone’s head, he said. The report of the joint committee of shipping companies and New Zealand producer boards which was published recently contained the ingredients for profitable trade; but there was one thing that appeared to have been overlooked and that was the recommendation on agreements between producer boards and the shipping lines. Mr MacConochie said this was that the shipping companies should have a reasonable measure of security—and so should the boards—to enable them to improve efficiency and enter into capita] works. If by a wave of the wand all the improvements recommended came into force immediately there would be no surplus of shipping, Mr MacConochie said to a question. There was no surplus of refrigerated shipping, rather a shortage. Any improvement in the service would mean that less capital had to be funded for replacements, and £3m was a conservative estimate of the cost of replacing a modern refrigerated ship.

r Already tile shipping comg panics, by implementing an 1 interim recommendation of 3 the joint committees, had 1 demonstrated the value of - calling at fewer ports, Mr I M-’eConochie said. Loading * at two ports in New Zealand r and unloading at two ports 3 in the United Kingdom would e save shipping lines a great ■ amount of money. The lines were not out to * deprive any area of its port, ® but there had to be a s rational system, he said. , “No, political,” he replied, * when it was suggested that '' there would be parochial I I objections to cutting out j. ports for overseas ships’ calls, e Watersiders 1 There would have to be 1 negotiations with waterside 1 workers on the improve- - ments recommended in the ? report, he said. Generally, they meant shorter hours of s work and a possible increase * in earnings. The shipping - companies were certainly not - out to reduce earnings. They ’ believed that increased effi--5 ciency with shorter hours 5 and shift work would benefit both parties. 1 Mr MacConochie is no " stranger to New Zealand. He ‘ visits the country every few ’ years, and as a busy executive has to travel by airlines, ■ his competitor. But it is not a serious comr petitor for the goods the 1 ships carry, he said. “There I are token shipments of _ frozen meat going by air to * London,” he said, “but I j can’t see them being any . more than token.”