TRAMP STEAMERS

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 42, 13 November 1936, Page 9

TRAMP STEAMERS

Subsidy to be Granted ’ By Britain

£2,000,000 NEXT YEAR

Dominion Governments to be Consulted (British Official Wireless.) Rugby, November 11. The President of the Board of Trade, Mr. Walter Runciman, announced in the House of Commons that the Government proposes to submit iwoposals providing for the payment of a tramp shipping subsidy not exceeding £2,000,000 in respect of the year 1937, subject to the same general conditions as apply to the present year. These conditions provide for (he decrease or disappearance of the subsidy if the average level of freight rates for the year approaches or passes that of 1929. The industry will be expected to make its plans on the definite assumption that no subsidy will be paid after the end of 1937. Replying to a debate iu the House of Lords.'Lord Templenwre. speaking for the Government, said that the report of the Imperial Shipping Committee was being sent to the Dominion Governments and would, he hoped, be published in two or three weeks. The Government bad been considering the matter and intended to approach the other Governments and formulate their views in the hope of reaching an agreement. The whole question of shipping was exceedingly complicated, and the Government was of the opinion that it must be dealt with in a great degree piecemeal—by a given tramp subsidy and by supporting other schemes brought in in the last few years. The British Government, he added, would not wait for approaches from the other Governments, but would formulate its own views and communicate them to the Dominions. “We must move with the Dominions,” he said, “but as far as possible we will take the lead and try to get an agreement in a reasonable time.”

The Government is sending the report by air mail.