BRITISH SHIPPING

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 71, 21 September 1936, Page 7

BRITISH SHIPPING

IN THE PACIFIC

THE LONDON CONFERENCE

"I propose the toast, "The Mercantile Marine' with a full sense of its importance," said the Hon. P. Fraser, Minister of Marine, at the Combined Shipping Companies' annual smoke concert in the Concert Chamber of the Town Hall on Saturday night. The Minister said that New Zealand, like the Mother Country, was a maritime country, and our people—not only those afloat, but also those ashore, were concerned with the success of our shipping industry, as Mr. W. Gregory, speaking for the overseas companies, had pointed out. The Minister said that although he had not the good fortune of being a passenger on the Qiieen Mary from England to America, he had an opportunity, with delegates to the Parliamentary Conference from all parts of the British Empire, of inspecting the great steamer' on the Clyde. They were all very: much impressed by what they saw. He also saw the French liner Normandie ■at Plymouth. He had always imagined that the blue ribbon, representing a steamer with the greatest speed, was a myth, but there was no myth about the blue ribbon » that the Normandie flew. There were yards and yards of blue ribbon flying with the French flag—in fact, it almost seemed to him that there were miles of it. (Laughter.) The Normandie was a beautiful ship going up the Channel; he never saw a more beautiful ship. When visiting the Queen Mary in course of construction he asked a member of the firm that built her if she was going to win back the speed record, and he replied that he was not worrying about that, but he aimed at running to schedule time. "I asked him 'what about the millions of people throughout the Empire who are looking to you to do it?'" said Mr. Fraser. "Oh! Well," he replied, "we will probably have •» try." Nobody could have spoken more modestly. "The Normandie," remarked the member of the firm referred to, "is a beautiful ship. I have never seen anything better. Do not let anybody under-estimate the French engineers." The Minister said he came away feeling confident that if it was possible for the British builders to win back the record they would do it—because they were so' modest; he fety that the modest attitude was so characteristically British—(applause)—perhaps he ought to say Scotch." (Laughter.) That spirit seemed to animate also the thousands of men working on the ship and on shore. There was a determination to do their best. The same spirit, said the Minister, must have animated those who built the Awatea, which was a fine ship, and far exceeded what was expected. He hoped it would mean the rebirth of British mercantile supremacy in the Pacific. We did not say that in a boastful spirit nor in a spirit of recrimination. FRIENDSHIP WITH AMERICA. ; "J have said it before, and 1 repeat it: It is in our interest and in the interest of every English-speaking ■ person in the Pacific, whether he belongs to. Canada, the United States, Australia, or New Zealand, to be on the most friendly terms with each other; and it is our duty, as it is our privilege, to hold out the hand of friendship to our American cousins. At the same time none of us would allow a cousin, or even a brother, to take advantage of us. Consequently, we have to consider the people of our own country, and the methods of our American friends; and we haye to see how far thqse. methods . may'aflect us. .The "closer our friendship is with America the better it is for everybody in the Pacific. The American people, I am sure, could not expect us to see our own people driven off.the seas." > IMPORTANT CONFERENCE. The Minister said that a conference of: British shipping organisations, the Board of Trade, arid representatives of Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the United-Kingdom was to be held in. London to see what it was possible to do for British shipping in the Pacific. Mr. Fraser added that our immediate problem was one which New Zealand and Australia could themselves settle, • and that was the problem oftheTasman Sea. Mr. Fraser concluded by saying that recent events had shown ' that we could not afford to neglect adopting the most up-to-date scientific methods, including radio-beacons, to enable mariners to make port in reasonable safety in all weathers. A number of radio-beacons had already been installed; and others would, be installed; ■ where they were deemed necessary. \