EMPIRE TEAM

Evening Post, Volume LXXV, Issue 121, 22 May 1908, Page 2

EMPIRE TEAM

BRITISH COMMISSIONER VISITS NEW ZEALAND.

ALLEGED SHIPPING RING. Mr. Ben H. Morgan, special Trade Commissioner for the Manufacturers' Association of Great Britain, arrived in Wellington on Wednesday, and is now actively making enquiries into the condition of British trade with this country. The Royal Commission now enquiring into the shipping trade at Home was set up as a result of Mr. Morgan's enquiries into the South African trade. In conversation with a Post reporter, Mr. Morgan spoke of the existence of a shipping ring whose ramifications extend to New Zealand and Australia. He declares that goods can be imported here from Germany or the United Sates, via British 1 ports, at lower rates than they can,bo imported from the same British ports. This was a condition of affairs which was detrimental to tho best interests of British trade within the Dominion. The commission now sitting in England will enquire into the existence and operations of shipping rings in all parts of the Empire. Mr. Morgan, himself, on his return, will submit to- the commission evidence which he has collected during the time he has been in the colonies. The remedy, Mr. Morgan says, is to pass a rebate Act on the lines of the Elkin Act at present in operation in America. Such an Act would abolish rebates and would admit of competition entering into the trade. "I recognise," Mr. Morgan continued, "that anything in the nature of rate-cutting would be a positive disadvantage! to the commercial community, but in the case of such lines as those trading between Great Britain and New Zealand miscellaneous competition could not possibly occur because so much capital would be required 'to organise a new competitive line. Capital could not be procured for such a line if the requirements of the trade were properly filled and a reasonable (not an excessive) rate prevailed. These matters naturally adjust themselves. As things stand at present it is practically impossible for any new competitor or any view enterprise to be introduced into New Zealand trade bej cause the whole of the merchants are [ tied up through having large sums in tho way of rebates in the hands of the rings. These monoys are liable to forfeiture if the merchants go outside the rings." An important feature of Mr. Morgan's mission to New Zealand is to ascertain if there is any foundation, in fact for the complaints often made that the British manufacturer has a want of enterprise, a want of adaptability, and so forth. He is making it his special business to enquire into any case brought before him, and he will be glad to hear through the newspapers or otherwise of any instances of the kind mentioned above. In view of tho passage of the Tariff Acts of New Zealand and Australia, Mr. Morgan is also enquiring into the possibility of establishing British-capi-talisod industries, in these countries and so provide for tho manufacture of different classes of goods within the tariff. He is of opinion that some of the "experimental legislation" of these new lands has resulted in the locking out of considerable sums of ' British captal, not necessarily because the legislation, was bad but because it was new in principle and perhaps was not fully understood by the people in the Old Country. ' ' Questioned about 'the- Tariff Act passed by tho New Zealand Government last session, Mr. Mjorgan apoke approvingly of tha foresight of those responsible for it, and said the measure was looked upon with great favour in Great Britain. The measure of encouragement extended to British' trade would be repaid a thousand times when a fiscal revision takes place at Homo, as Mr. Morgan anticipates it will, and that, pos.sibly, in the very near future. •Mr. Morgan has been invited to address the members of the Wellington Chamber of Commej-ce on Friday next. His stay in New Zealand wiV extend over about four weeks.