STATE COMPETITION URGED. SOUTHERN CRITICS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXV, Issue 31, 6 February 1908, Page 7

STATE COMPETITION URGED. SOUTHERN CRITICS.

f_Br TELKenAPH. — St-EciAt to The Post.J INVERCARGILL, This Day, On Mr. Fdrdc'B motion a resolution was carried, at a meeting of the Political Labour League, protesting emphatically agfcihst the action ot the Union Steamship Company raising fares "on the unjustifiable plea of the increased • cost of coal." The motion went on:— "Taking into account the huge proflts m&de year after year, aad the exorbitant rates levied on the peftplcto, maintain thefee profits, also the tactics employed to kill cdlnpetitioftj urges that tho timo is now opportune for State competition with, the Hud-dart-Parker and Union Companies in order to protect people from exploitation by these concerns." The mover, then quoted figures in the fendeavotir to provo that th& excessive charfreß of tho Union Company were retarding . industrial progress, and he asserted that foods cc-uld be shipped aa cheaply from America to New Zealand as from the South Island to any xif the toWns in thfr North Island. The Union Company,' he said, wais a good bh,i'ng for ita shareholders, but an •expensive' luxury to the' pebple of New Zealand. Tha Huddart-Parker and Union "Oohlpanie's ' were working under a trade agretme.nt» ahd any opposition Was promptly equelched by an elective system of which the speaker gave, instances. The late Mr. Sedttcn's tnteat to -place a lino of steamers in opposition, and the fact that farc3 during ths Exhibition pterrt>d ware not reduced were. referred to and Mr. Fordfc said .that lit- would ..likft- to know why Sir Joseph Ward .fcad 'h«t'. , given effect to Mr. Seddon v o and thfe people's wishes in this matter* , - It was decided to ask the .othtr brances of tho league to co-o^ef-tito ia bringing ths matter under public notice.