OVERSEAS SHIPPING

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 103, 4 May 1933, Page 14

OVERSEAS SHIPPING

BLUE STAR COMPETITION

Vnited Press Association—By Electric Tele- ., crapii— Copyright., . LONDON, May 3. Until the chairman of : the New Zealand Meat Board (Mr; David Jones) arrives to negotiate a new" freight agreement' little more is likely to be heard of the Blue Star Line's proposal to enter the New Zealand trade.- The Blue Star Company declines to discuss its plans. The City Editor of the "Daily-Express" recalls that Vesteys, which controls the Blue Star Line, put one or two ships on the China' run to compete with the Peninsular and Oriental Company, but it is understood the voyages were less profitable than was hoped for. There was a similar experience in the venture in the Gulf fruit trade. The "Express" adds that the rates offered/to New Zealand exporters are below those of the regular lines with which Mr. Jones is coming to negotiate.

As is generally known, four shipping ! lines are regularly engaged in the New Kingdom export trade, the New Zealand Shipping, Shaw Savill, j Commonwealth and Dominion (which took Wer the old Tyser Line), and the Federal Line. These companies have maintained the export services of the Dominion and provided tonnage as the growth of the trade demanded. In order to maintain these services to meet all export requirements the companies" concerned sent out fo the Dominion last season about forty ships, and the prospects are, that an even greater number of vessels will have come out this season in ballast in order to lift all the produce requiring to be shipped to the United Kingdom..