BRITISH SHIPPING

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 31, 6 August 1923, Page 7

BRITISH SHIPPING

SEVERE FOREIGN COM-

PETITION

HIGH TERMINAL CHARGES

REQUEST FOR LOWER DOMINIONS .DUEfe.

(DNITED PR"S ASSOCIATION.— COPYRIGHT.)

(AUSTRALIAN • NEW ZEALAND OABLI ASBOOIATION.> LONDON, 4th August. The shipping trade is passing through a period of acute depression, and fears are expressed that next win-ter-is likely to be the worst so far experienced, for shipping trade cannot bs expected to improve so long as conditions in Europe remain, unsettled. A very unsatisfactory feature in the trade is that British tonnage is being ousted from the grain-carrying business by foreign boats invading every market and offering tonnage at rates that no British boat can make expenses upon. The Japanese, Italians, and Dutch are particularly active. It is Unfortunate, as «, shipping expert writes, that to:day .there is no out and no home voyage that can. at best be made to do more than cover working expenses, while in the majority of cases losses cannot be avoided. OBSTACLES TO DEVELOPMENT. The Council of the Chamber of Shipping passed resolutions regretting the continuance of the high port charges light dues, pilotage rates, quarantine expenses, and other terminal costs at Australian ports, urges upon the Federal and Stats Governments that such charges constitute a serious obstacle to the free development of Australian trade, points out the drastic reduction made in similar charges in this country, which now do not exceed 40 or 50 per cent, above the pre-war rates, also drawing the attention of the State Governments that they are still charging' light dues, although the Federal Gov^ ernment.relieved them of the responsibility of maintenance, also urging the New Zealand Government to reduce the light dues, which were recently increased. FREIGHT REDUCTIONS. The council comihunicated the resolutions to the Press, with a statement that the Australian light dues were 225 per cent, over the pre-war dues, while the United Kingdom dues, which rose 186 per cent., above the pre-war charges had beeti reduced to only 14.8 per cent above the pre-war rates. The council points out that freights on produce have been reduced 39 to 75 percent; and it is in the interest of. shipowners to charge the lowest economic freight, but it must be clearly stated that it is vai n for the Dominions to hope for further reduction untd they substantially reduce the port and other terminal charges, which at present are an absolute.bar to the cheap marketing of Dominion produce