Line A “Sacrifice Of Well-being”

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31985, 12 May 1969, Page 14

Line A “Sacrifice Of Well-being”

(New Zealand Press Association)

DUNEDIN, May 11.

The president of the Federation of Labour (Mr T. E. Skinner) had sacrificed the well-being of the whole community in the interests of the small Seamen’s Union by advocating the establishment of a national shipping line, the president of the Associated Chambers of Commerce (Mr S. C. Scott) said today.

Mr Scott, of Dunedin, was replying to a statement by Mr Skinner in which the F.O.L. leader said there was widespread support in New Zealand for the establishment of a national shipping line.

“It is now regretably clear that the Federation of Labour, led by Mr T. E. Skinner, has joined the Parliamentary Labour Party in supporting the efforts of the New Zealand Seamen’s Union to sell the idea of a New Zealand national shipping line,” Mr Scott said.

“It is distressing that Mr Skinner, with the harmonious

music of the National Development Conference still on his lips, should be advocating a course whereby the wellbeing of the whole community would be sacrificed in the interest of members of the small Seamen’s Union. “If anyone doubts the impossibility of running competitively an overseas shipping line operating on New Zealand articles let them examine the Union Steam Ship Company’s service to Ceylon and Singapore. “This well-patronised service, using modern ships but forced to compete with an efficient Dutch service, was sustaining heavy and continuous losses amounting to many hundreds of thousands of dollars. These tremendous

losses are now being carried by the New Zealand taxpayer in a form of subsidy, without which the service could not continue. Is it reasonable that the already overburdened New Zealand taxpayer should bear this additional load and greatly increase, it, for that is what Mr Skinner is advocating—merely to keep members of the New Zealand Seamen’s Union employed?” Mr Scott asked. "As a matter of fact while one can understand Mr Skinner's motives and those of his colleagues one may question whether he is acting in interests of the people'he leads. Should New Zealanders, in their own interests, be encouraged to go

to sea when there is more than enough for them to do at home?

“New Zealand must have the cheapest and most efficient shipping services if her hard-pressed farm produce exporters—especially in the dairy sector—are to sell successfully in the next difficult years. In the main these ships will be manned by the people of Asia, whose standard of living, so much lower than our own, compels them to accept conditions of work which no New Zealander would countenance.

“In view of the availability of these cheaper services and the vital importance of them to New Zealand’s primary exports it is sheer madness, or extreme selfishness, for the Labour leaders to support the Seamen’s Union in this emotional and unjustifiable appeal for a New Zealand national line.

“This is election year and perhaps the voting public should' remember that New Zealand already has a national shipping line which, due to the New Zealand seaman’s award, is costing the taxpayer dearly. Why add to the burden for no reason?”