COMBINATIONS. AN AUSTRALIAN PROBLEM.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIV, Issue 78, 28 September 1907, Page 7

COMBINATIONS.

AN AUSTRALIAN PROBLEM.

SHIPPING RING. DISCUSSION IX FEDERAL PARLIAMENT. By Telegraph.— Press Association. — Coiiyrigui. MELBOURNE, 27th September. Mr. Sinclair moved the adjournment of the House of Keprescntatives to-day, in order to discuss the shipping coinbine. Ho stated that one of the lines interested i« the combine was subsidised by the Federal Government to carry mails to England and elsewhere. Under the recently made contract for the carriage of butter shippers were compelled to ship the whole of their butter by the mail boats, and this left exporters in the hands of companies running these steamers. Mr. Sinclair, urged the Government, when accepting any new mail contract, to impose such conditions as would prevent a recurrence of this sorb of thing. Mr. Watson, Leader of the Labour Party, declared that developments of late in the direction of concentration and greater combination seemed ,to be made with a view to attracting improper prices and freights from the public. He doubted the effectiveness of the Anti-Trust Bill to deal with this matter, since it could not deal with over-sea lines. The people of the Commonwealth would soon be driven, to the expedient of constructing boats of their own. 'Mr. Joseph Cook contended that it was the duty of the Government to see that it did not subsidise any company which treated Commonwealth citizens unequally. Several other members were of the opinion that the only way to deal with the combine was, by the establishment of a line of State-owned steamers. Mr. (i. H. Reid, Leader of the Opposition, said that if a good line of steamers were established ib would have to stand the battle of competition witii all the ships of the world. It would bo one of the most desperate attempts the Commonwealth could take on. If Socialism was to be tried it would be better to start on the land. They were not' masters of the sea yet. The men who denounced a combine of shipowners must also denounce a combine of trades unions : there was no difference in >prlnciple. If, Mr. Reid continue!, any trust used it 6 power for the purpose of crushing honest competition he would treat it as he would treat a sneak thief. Later on Sir William Lyne, Treacurer, said Mr. Deakin (the Premier) when dealing with the new mail contract would doubtless ' take action regarding the alleged shipping combine. % If any "vend" or combine was doing 6erious injury tp the public the Government would take action. Mf. Reid and other Opposition members promised to support the Government on that point. NEW ZEALAND TIMBER TRADE. SYDNEY, 27th September. Shipping agents interviewed here strongly reiterated that the coal combine will have a eerious effect on # the New Zealand timber trade, the result being that vessels will be unablo to load back with coal. They predict an increase in New Zealand timber freight up to 50 per cent., and express the hope that the New Zpaland and Federal Governments will probe the alleged combine to the bottom. ' The shipping-combine (including the P. and 0. and Orient Companies) refused to give better terms than 2s 6d per box for the carriago of butter by the mail steamere, and 2s 3d per box for other steamers. The inter-State conference of butter exporters, which was recently beldi in Sydney, could not accept the&a terms, and communicated with the. representatives of the Fed-aral-HouldeT-Shiro lino, "which agreed to cany butter at Is lOd per box.