SHIPPING TOO DEAR

Dominion, Volume 19, Issue 96, 18 January 1926, Page 6

SHIPPING TOO DEAR

COST OUT OF PROPORTION TO FREIGHT

London, January 15. Speaking at a lunch in the Napier Shipyarcl, Glasgow, Sir William. Raburn said that "he did not believe there was freight in the world which would cover the working costs of the new, vessel. A ship which his firm put on the stocks in 1920 for £225,000 had been offered to him on the previous day for £45,001. If the workers had been partners in the shipping industry in recent years, they would have to pay back a large proportion of their wages.— Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. SALES OF AUSTRALIAN VESSELS (Rec. January 17, 5.5 p.m.) London, January 16. It is reported that the Commonwealth liner Cooee, late Neuminster. has been sold to Finnish buyers for £19,000 for delivery she is now lying in Britain. Since the inauguration of the Shipping Board thirty-seven old and unsuitable ships have been sold, including eleven since Air. Larkin arrived m London in April. It is generally admitted that the prices are satisfactory. There remains seven surplus steamers for sale, the Erkunda, Emita, Ernba, Delungra, Dinoga, Dromana, and Booral. Negotiations have leached an advanced stage. When these are sold there will remain only ten vessels now in commission, namely, five bay liners, two Dale liners, besides the Boorara, Bulla, and Carina. T t is understood the ship-owning and ship-builcFug communities arc forecasting an early mote in the direction of selling the remainder of the fleet, or supplementing it with .yew liners.—Press Assn.