SHIPS HELD UP

Evening Post, Volume XCIX, Issue 92, 19 April 1920, Page 8

SHIPS HELD UP

BLOCKING EMIGRATION

THOUSANDS WAITING,

(mOM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

LONDON, 26th February. In an interview with the Morning Post, the High Commissioner for New Zealand laid special emphasis on the necessity for increased shipping facilities to meet the growing requests for passenger accommodation from the United Kingdom to the Overseas Dominions. The shipping companies were, he said, doing their best to meet the demands made upon them, but they were handicapped, partly by the difficulty of getting back to their normal tonnage and partly by the fact that there were prolonged and vexatious delays in the "turnround" of the limited number of ships which they had at their disposal for the Dominion services.

LONG WAITING LIST.

"We have," said Sir Thomas Mackenzie, "completed the repatriation of our soldiers, so that in the future we shall require ships no longer for military.' transport, but only for civilian passenger traffic and commercial transport. With the purpose of satisfying our demands in that respect the Imperial authorities have released from control all the New Zealand steamship lines, and if those lines were being used to their full capacity it would be to the mutual advantage of New Zealand and of this country. "The shipping companies are ready and willing to do all in their power to help us in bringing food supplies to this country, and in taking emigrants to the Dominions. They realise, quite as strongly a 5 we do, the plight of the tens of thousands of civilians and ex-service men and women and their dependents who are awaiting the means of transport to the Dominions. New Zealand alone has a list of 7280 people awaiting passages to New Zealand, while the shipping companies have at least another 2000 intending passengers on their books. To meet thia demand the shipping companies have undertaken, if necessary, to transform their cargo-carriers into passenger-carriers and have speeded-up their liners with a view to a quick 'turn-round' here, only to, find their plans frustrated by a 'holdup' in this country, which has sometimes run into weeks, while inward ' cargoes have been awaiting discharge ajid outward passengers have been awaiting transport."

NEW ZEALAND NEED FOR SKILLED

LABOUR.

If the Port authorities in the United Kingdom, would—or could—a-rrange for the quick discharge of incoming cargoes and the quick despatch of outgoing ships the position would, improve rapidly. In the meantime New Zealand was asking for immigrants, while thousands of wouH-be emigrants were clamouring for passages.

With regard to the Britidi Government's scheme for granting free passages 'to the Dominions to Imperial ex-service men and their dependents, the New Zealand Government will undertake to" find employment on arrival for able-bodied men ofthat class, and the High Commissioner is authorised to assure applicants, whether skilled or unskilled, of constant employment. ■ But (and the High Commissioner insists ttiat this is a very important "but") he cannot undertake to provide transport until he can get the shipping.