CRITICISM.

Feilding Star, Volume XIII, Issue 3276, 26 June 1917, Page 4

CRITICISM.

ON THE SHIPPING MERGER

OUTSPOKEN MR. RUSSELL

[t'KR PBEBB ASSOCIATION. J Wellington, June 25. " I have carefully perused tho state-j inents made by Sir James Mills and tho President of tho Bank of New Zealand regarding the shipping fusion," Kni<l tho lion. G. W. Russell, Minister for Marine, during the course of an interview " and sco no reason to change my opinion that it will bo a disaster for this country if the control of our shipping passes from us. Sir James Mills states that Hie shipping services will probably l>o increased , as tho result, and that no change dn tho management will take place. He does not—for he cannot — givo any guarantee that our freights and fares will not l>o increased, and tho poople of tho Dominion —producers, merchants, and consumers—thus compelled to pay toll to a leviathan trust in London. What has been tho experience of the during tho war? I understand tho P. nnd (). dividends have risen from 5 por cont. lioforo the war to 18 per oent. Does this read liko patriotism? Let Hint fact stand as tho foundation of my -■rgumont that trusts nnd combinations are out for dividends at a time when tho Empire is ongaged in a life-and-death struggle. Would their methods 1)0 less financial after tho war? That remains to bo soon, if the fusion takes place. , '