ANTI-LASCAR LEGISLATION.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXI, Issue 39, 16 February 1911, Page 2

ANTI-LASCAR LEGISLATION.

FEELING IN SHIPPING CIRCLES. tFBOM OUn OWN CORKESPONDENT 3 LONDON, 6th January. Thero is no more vigorous critic of tho maritime legislation of tho Australasian Dominions tnan Fairpby, the well-know n shipping journal, and it hits out vehem ently at tho proposals of the New Zealand Government with regard to the entry of the P. and 0. Company into the inter-colonial trade. The secretary oi a Seamen's Union, says Fairplay "in order to secure the sympathies oi legislators," has "been making the wildeht charges against tho P. and O. Company, all of which seem to- ha,ve been taken seriously by legislators there t while the other unions are also using their influence against the P. and 0. Company." The Editor of Fairplay received copies of the manifestoes issued from time to time, and he says : "When I received the different documents 1 paid little attention to them, as I considered the statements made absolutely too wild for, any serious notice to be taken of them; but I have now received a copy of a Bill which has just, been introduced into the House ot Representatives at Wellington, showing that the Labour Government there have taken all the statements as true, and are only too anxious to introduce legislation to support the members of the labour unions." Sir Joseph Ward is said to h'ftve stated thab if the Bill meant the stopping of the P. and 0. Company altogether, he would not object to it. "The Bill Is an evidence of what one might expect from Governments which are run by trade unions; but efforts will, no doubt, be made on this side to prevent th* Royal Assent to the Bill. From the discussion on the subject one vvould assume that j British shipping companies had done absolutely nothing to add to the prosperity I of the colonies, which is claimed to be due to the local shipping companies, which should consequently be protected from all outside confpetition. But it was solely due to th» enterprise ot British shipowners in the past that New Zealand and Australia were saved from bankruptcy, and yet tho Seamen's Unions in New Zealand, with the aid of all the forces of trade unionism there, are allowed to use the Legislature to handicap British shipowners out of then* intercolonial trade, in. order to secure employment of their members on locallyowned steamers."