Feilding Star, Oroua and Kiwitea Counties' Gazette. MONDAY, JULY 24, 1916. WATCH THIS CLOSELY.

Feilding Star, Volume XII, Issue 3001, 24 July 1916, Page 2

Feilding Star, Oroua and Kiwitea Counties' Gazette. MONDAY, JULY 24, 1916. WATCH THIS CLOSELY.

Tho Dunedin Star states that it has the authority of the managing director of the Union Steamship Company to say that no negotiations with the P. and O. Company have taken place.— Press Association message. And who said there were such negotiations going on ? A Press Association cable message from London says U.S.S. Co. shares jumped £1 in a fortnight, due to rumoured absorption. There have also been sales on 'Change in Dunedin. Germany recently rushed out all over the neutral world a message to the effect that it was not true that the Russians liad captured a certain town. This was the first intimation that tho Russians were anywhere near that town. Russia hadn't said anything about it. But Rus<;i;i really had captured the place! Of course, rumours are used as much by financiers in London as by the Germans iv New York. But wo need ; ■ watch out. The P. and O. Co. is : -■ -coming a money-fat institution that needs watching by our producing interests as well as by the anti-monopolist. It is waxing fatter and becoming more monopolistic-ally inclined as a result of its enormous dividends from the use of its ships and the heights to which its freights have soared during the war. The man behind its operations is shrewd and far-seeing. He knows that right now and for long enough after the war, with Gorman shipping competition out of action, British ships for use in the Seven Seas will be at a premium. The P. and O. cannot get ships built right away. Money is

easier to get than shipyards and builders—theretoro the quickest means to the great end is to acquire ships already alloat. Such cannot be obtained in America, for U.S.A. wants nil tbe shipping her operators can lay their hands upon. Her shipyards are working three shifts to tho 24 hours turning out vessels, to enable Brother Jonathan to snap up the trade Fritz from the Fatherland has lost. Japan cannot be. looked to, either, to supply ships tor big English corporations; for lhe Japanese have already begun the supply to British Dominions of articles the production of which had hitherto been the monopoly of Germany and Austria. Samples of these articles have already "travelled" through New Zealand, and within a short time they will he on sale in Feilding. Tho Japanese are sending ships and more f*sps to Australia ivith their wares; and does anyone doubt that Admiral Shiinauuira and his young brigade who have just toured New Zealand are not acting as trade missioncrs, to report their impressions at headquarters ? We foresee Japanese steamers trading busily and profitably to New Zealand very shortly; and Aye trust that their ships will be loaded for tho return voyage. It is a foolish and un-busines.s-like thing not to get a quid pro quo. And whilst on the question of rumours and monopolies, tho following news item, which we take from a London paper just to hand, is apropos: "The Cunard Company arc about to extend their services to tho Mediterranean. It is officially announced that the Cunard Company and the HI lor man Line have purchased the goodwill of the business of Messrs. Herbert Watson and Co., who own the Manchester fleet of steamers, and with the seven vessels thus acquired will maintain a service between Manchester and Marseilles and Sicilian and Spanish ports. It may have been this arrangement that caused rumours that the Cunard Company was about to absorb the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company and the Booth Line. These rumours have been denied by Sir Alfred Booth, the chairman of the Cunard Company, who states that tho C-:-n::rd Company has absolutely no intention of going into the South American trade, either directly or indirectly." Well, now, if British shipping corporations cannot get more ships from U.S.A. and Japan—meeting with rivalry rather than supplies

-—it is but natural that they should seelc to acquite fleets from otherwheres. All the shipping world knows that New Zealand is tho most enterprising of Britain's Dominions Overseas. The N.Z.U.S.S. fleet is the best organised service in tho Seven. Seas and the N.Z.S.S. Co has a splendid lot of liners The control of the latter has already been secured by the P. and O. Co. Why not the Union Co. ? The Government should watch this very closely—the farmer should watch it closer.still. For if there is anything in our contention at all, it means that if the P. and O. Co. can see a more profitable market elsewhere, tho New Zealand ships will cease to ply to and from New Zealand. It would be wiser for our Government to acquire both the N.Z. Shipping Co. and the U.S.S. Co. rather than risk the loss of the. ships,