Is There a Shipping Ring.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 4, 30 September 1907, Page 5

Is There a Shipping Ring.

THE ALTERNATIVE. COMPETITION OR STATE SHIPS. By* Telegraph. —Association. —Copyright . Melbourne, Sqptember 27. Mr. Sinclair moved the adjournment of the' House of Ropresentaives to-day, in order to discuss t!i< hipping combine. '■ Ho stated that no of tho lines interested in the timbine was subsidised by the Fed,al Government to carry mails tc England and elsewhere. -Under tlu •':-cently-made contract for tlio cari;igo of butter, shippers wero 'com-

to ship the wliolo of their •niter by the mail boats, and this ■it exporters in the hands of corn■anics running these steamers. Mr ■inclair urged the Government, when • ec'f-pting any new mail contract, t.o mposo such conditions as would pro '.-cut a recurrence of this sort of ■:l?.ing. . • .Mr. Watson, Leader of the'Labow barty, declared that developments ci : ntc in • the direction of concontratio;: slid greater combination seemed te be made with a view to '-attracting improper pricos and freights from t.iii! public. He doubted tlio effectiveness of tho Anti-Trust Bill to deal ivith this 'matter, sinco it could not leal with over-sea lines. Tho people 'if tho Commonwealth would soon bo Iriven to tho expedient' of constructing boats of tlieir own.

Mr. Joseph Cook contended that it was tho duty of tlio Government to see that it did not subsidise any '•ompaiiy which treated Commonwealth oitizons unequally. Several • other membors wore of the opinion that the only way to deal with tho combine was by the establishment of a lino of Stateowned steamers.

Mr. G. H. Reid, Leader of the Opposition, said that-if a good line of steamers was established it would havo to stand this battle of competition with all the ships of tho world. It would be one of the most desperate attempts tho Commonwealth could take on. If Socialism- was to bo tried it would bo better ,to start on tho land. They were not masters, of tho sea yet. Tho men who • denounced a combino of shipowners; must also denounce a combino of trades-unions; there was no difference in principle. If, Mr. Reid, contended, any trust used its power for tho .purpose of crushing honest competition he would, treat it as ho would treat a sneak thief.

Sir William Lyno (Treasurer) said that if any "vend" or combine was doing serious injury to the public, the Government would tako action.