REGULATION OF SHIPPING

Evening Post, Volume XCVIII, Issue 139, 10 December 1919, Page 9

REGULATION OF SHIPPING

GOVERNMENTS POWERS

INCREASED

control oe~ccazaßß&,

Recently the Government has tssoeS important regulations governing the control of shipping. The significance of these was not apparent on the surface. ■-. Consequently, a Post reporter sought an explanation from an authority, who made the following interesting statement:— " During the war period it will be remembered the Union Steam Ship Company's fleet was sold to the P. and 0. Line. As a result of this (and, so it was said, to effect cheaper marina insurance) most of the vessels were reregistered in England. This had the effect of taking away control of the vessels from the New Zealand Government. _ To get over this difficulty the Dominion Government has recently gazetted notices whereby any vessel managed in New Zealand came under its control. To strengthen its hands the Government has also decided that all cargoes loaded outward shall have to be done under license. These regulations will have the effect of compelling shipowners to place their vessels in trade which the Government approves. Since the sale to the P. and 0. several of the Union Steam Ship Company's colliers have entered other trades, notably the trans-Pacific; but will now, if tho Government so elects, have to go back to the Newcastle-New Zealand trade, where they are urgently needed. The regulations, if properly worked, will have another effect. They will compel shippers in New Zealand to support Bntish-owned vessels and ship their1 freights by them. It is well known that the. United States Government is doing its utmost to obtain mercantile supremacy over Great Britain, and American vessels have already loaded cargoes in our ports. Within itself tha United States Government protects its own shipping in the coastal trade, and no British vessel can trade on its coast. and no British vessel can trade from Honolulu to America. Surely the New Zealand Government should protect the Empire's interests and see that at any rate our goods should be exported in. British bottoms. If our local importers were as loyal in trade as they were m war they would see that their goods imported into New Zealand from the States were shipped in British bottoms. Trade should follow the flag, and following it bring continued prosperity to the Empire."