FREIGHT RATES

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 34, 9 August 1933, Page 10

FREIGHT RATES

AUSTRALIA'S ANXIETY

(From "The Post's" Representative.) SYDNEY, July 29. The failure of the exporters 01 Australia's primary produce to reach an agreement for a reduction in overseas freights has caused some anxiety and not a little consternation. An urgent appeal has been made to the Commonwealth Government to come to the rescue. It is suggested that the Government should amend the Industries Preservation Act so as to briny about that status quo before the formation of the Overseas Transport Association. In the past freight agreements have been made with "the so-called Conference lines, to the exclusion of all others, and it is evidently imagined that with the disappearance of the association negotiations wili be easier, and perhaps other lines ■Will be induced to compete for the overseas trade. Australian exporters have never been able to understand why freights from New Zealand are lower than those ruling from Australia, and this aspect of the position was placed before the Prime Minister (Mr. Lyons) and the Minister of Commerce, (Mr. Stewart) by a deputation at Canberra this week. Stating the case for meat export interests, Mr. W. Angliss (Victoria) said that the oversea freight rates were 56 per cent, to IG3 per cent, above the 1914 rates. The difference in the rates compared with New Zealand were not justified, and were having a serious effect upon Australia. It was hoped that the Government would be able to take reasonable steps to bring about a measure of relief. ' The shippers had been offered a reduction in meat freights from 2% to 12% per cent., but no reduction on other general cargo. They had offered to accept this arrangement until September, when the New Zealand rate would be fixed, but the shippers had refused. It was felt that the New Zealand rate would be reduced then, and the shippers considered that they would not be justified in accepting a twelve months' contract on the terms offered.