SHIPPING RINGS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 192, 8 May 1908, Page 10

SHIPPING RINGS.

AUSTRALIA AND TUB REBATE SYSTEM. BRITISH MANUFACTURERS' A STATEMENT. , At tho Chamber of Manufactures meeting I Jit Adolaido last,week, Mr. B. H. Morgan, a _ representative of the British ■Manufacturers' ( Association, who is now in Adolaido, in an address said that, British manufacturers . laboured under tho disadvantage of having to f pay inoro than Germany for tho carriage of . their goods to Australia. While in Australia . ho would collect information to lay before a , Royal Commission on shipping rings on his \ I'ot.urn to England, English houses trading with Australia wore entirely in tho hands of Bhippors, through tho oxistcnce of tho de- ( lerred rebate system under which they wore ■ granted 10 per cent, rebate, provided they did not ship with other boats during tho foi--1 owing twelvo months. In tho ease of many » largo liousob these deferred rebates meant . .CifOOO or £3000 a year, and firms could not vory well Icavo tho ring oxcopt as an entire 1 01 H lrol, (?h legislation making rebates i illegal, as in America. ; Noithor British manufacturers nor Ausi tea linn, ho said, would desiro to see ratoi cutting in freights, because that would givo . ono house a considerable advantage over their neighbours, and vico versa. That would do inoro harm than good. Tramp ships 1 entering into tho trade had never done any good for that reason. Tho shipping ring was not harmful. It was only when the rebate system was introduced that tho harm camo i in, and firms could not leavo it without sacrificing a considerable mini of monoy. Mr. Morgan said ho was vory sorry to read in Australian newspapers a statement mado.by Mr. I'rico in England. Mr. Price referred to the lack of sentiment prevailing in England towards tho colonies, with which nlio wanted .to. drive a bargain every time. Air. Morgan said nobody could have invented a greater misapprehension. English fooling towards' tho colonies v was reflected in the manner in which she undertook matters of defence. Tho Britisher paid '21s. per head for tho Navy alono, lVhcroaß tho Australian paid 4s. only. , Mi\ Morgan said English manufacturers noticed with regret that a large proportion of tho Australian trado with England was going yearly to Germany and America. English manufacturers, woro not now too full of orders, and wore prepared to attempt to acquiro tho trade of Australia. Thero woro forces in operation against fostering. tho trade, tho same,as tho'influenco of trusts, combinesgand shipping rings. In England thoy had to pay more than Americans and Germans for sending their manufactures to Australia. It was a common thing for Gorman manufacturers to ship, to London, and then send goods at a cheiipor rate than tho English could secure. ,Ho was considering the question of opening up branch factories in Australia. The idea was not to enter into competition with factories which now existed, but to prevent largo firms from importing largo quantities of goods which woro not now manufactured in Australia; -Under the present tariff there was not much opportunity ' yet for launching out into entirely now industries. _ High duties, were imposed on some goods which Australia would not.be able.to make for tho next 20 or 30*.years, for tho reason that the local market was not sufficiently large, and that' they would not be able to competo with largo plants in England. The heavy duty on certain machinery which Australia would not be able to make for years only hampered the English trade. The English manufacturer, however, appreciated tho preference given'in tho tariff, and while it would not be of'much material advantaged it would cause people to inquire into and purchase British manufactures, and thus it would serve, as an advertisement. .