TRAMP SHIPPING

Evening Star, Issue 21905, 17 December 1934, Page 11

TRAMP SHIPPING

BRITISH SUBSIDY PLAN. BILL BEFORE COMMONS (British Official Wireless.) Press Association— By Telegraph—Copyright RUGBY, December 14. When the second reading of the British Shipping Assistance Bill was moved in the House of Commons Mr H. L. Burgin (Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade) described the conditions under which grants from the proposed £2,000,000 subsidy would be made to tramp shipping. The objects of the Bill were, first, to assist such vessels to meet the competition of foreign subsidised craft; secondly, to help British shipowners by means of loans on specialterms to modernise and improve the mercantile fleet under conditions which would at the same time help to reduce the surplus world tonnage; thirdly, to give some relief to the shipping industry in respect of the fees chargeable for services rendered by the Board of Trade. He said every effort ought to be made to induce foreign countries to give up subsidies. He used the analogy of tariffs to point out the impossibility of negotiating without , having something 'with which to negotiate. Mr J. Addison moved a resolutionon behalf of the Labour Party recognising the necessity for State intervention on behalf of the mercantile marine, but deplored the absence of measures in the Bill to ensure fair wages and working conditions and reinstatement of British domiciled seamen displaced by cheap labour. He urged that conditions should be laid down that a larger percentage of British sailors be employed by an industry which was receiving Government helfi. The second reading, was carried. ’