A.B.C. to fight decision

Press, 6 May 1980, Page 36

A.B.C. to fight decision

pi Wellington ’The A.B.C. Container Lines group has reaped to its defeat m the H'gh Court, the group’s Belgian head, Mr T. V. Rosenfeld, saying it would , h B a p e b £s too easy if A.b.C. nau WOn - . M„ tl , The company’s New Zealand manager (Mr C. N Fawcett) said the result was not the end but very much the beginning. . The High Court decision permits the exclusion or his company from tne conference lines dominated wool trade. Mr Fawcett said that counsel would research the Court s written decision very thoroughly and make a decision about an appeal. A.B.C. still hoped that a case to be heard between the Meat Board and Waitaki N.Z. Refrigerating, Ltd, would allow it into the meat, trade between New Zealand and Europe. If A.B.C. was excluded from that trade, too, Mr Fawcett said it would be left with the general cargo field, which amounted to 5 or 6 per cent of overall trade. Mr Rosenfeld said, “I did not think we would lose on everything and I thought at least we would win on America. Apparently New Zealand is very conservative and we will have to work much more strongly than we thought. However, we should not take this temporary setback too much to heart.” The whole issue is scheduled to have a fresh airing at a forum organised for the end of June by the Exports and Ship-

ping Council. Mr R ot . nieid will speak at th. forum. e . Among the six questions to be discussed are wheth er contractual relations’ with the shipping conference shoulu continue and whether minor parties should join the producer ooards in their negotiations on freight services Mr J. Clarke, chairman of the Wool Board, said uie board was keen to see competition in the shipping of wool from New Zealand “but as well as price that competition must embody levels of service and reliability that match those we now receive.” “We are not wedded to the idea of a permanent exclusive arrangement for the shipment of wool with any organisation,” M r Clarke said. “If any shipping organisation wants to participate in the New Zealand trade to various parts of the world it is essential that they make a detailed study of exactly what the New Zealand trade requires, rather than merely offering a discounted price for a limited service based oh someone else’s rates.” he said. The board’s present three-year contract with the New Zealand European Shipping Association (N.Z.E.S.A.) — a consortium of 16 lines from 12 countries including New Zealand — has a further two years to run. During that time the board will be looking at arrangements it wishes to apply from the end of the contract period.