SUBSIDISED SHIPPING

Greymouth Evening Star, 8 December 1933, Page 2

SUBSIDISED SHIPPING

BRITISH. PROPOSALS.

[by CABLE —PEESS ASSN. —COPYRIGHT.]

LONDON, December 7

The “Daily Mail” discloses that the Tramp Shipping Committees report recommends that every British tramp ship in international trade be subsidised to the extent of 10/- per ton annually, besides being given a lay-ing-up subsidy of 5/- per ton gross, these costing the State £3,000,000. Goods receiving imperial preference, the Committee urge, should be imported in British ships and the British coastal trade should be confined to British vessels, failing which foreign ships should be charged discriminatory port dues and their cargoes should be taxed. The “Daily Herald” says: rhe Treasury and the Board of Trade are giving serious consideration to a pioposal of financially assisting British shipping.” The “Daily Express” reports that the negotiations for a merger between the White Star and Cunard Lines have successfully concluded. A new company controlling both lines is to oe formed to operate their North Allantic services. On other routes they are continuing to operate independently. The British Government will thus be enabled to assist in the completing of two giant Cunarders at Clydebank. It is likely that the Mauretania and other older ships will be swapped.

OVERSEAS AT FAULT? (Received December 8, 8 a.m.) LONDON, December 7. Commenting on Mr Shaw’s P. and O. speech, the “Telegraph” says: We cannot shut our eyes _ to the restrictions placed upon British ships by certain Dominions, or to the encouragement given to foreign ships by South Africa. The union of policy will not be reached quickly, in such circumstances. The “Financial News” says: Mr Shaw gave all the illustrative detail anybody would require regarding the grotesque hardships imposed on British shipping by the policies of other nations. There should be no great difficulty in agreeing with the Domin>ions on the appropriate course.

U.S.A. GRAFT.

WASHINGTON, December 6

The re-opening of the Senate’s investigation into ocean mail contracts revealed further laxities. One company received over 1,500,000 dollars for carrying mails to the West Indies, which, on a pound basis, would cost 1903 dollars. It was disclosed that. Shipping Board vessels sold to private concerns during the - last few weeks of the Hoover Administration, had been held up by President Roosevelt, and that, furthermore, no deliveries will be made of these until the shipping situation has been thoroughly investigated. Something of a sensation developed when testimony indicated that some of the same type of political and financial “pressure” brought to bear on the officials of the Hoover Administration had been exerted on the Post Office Department since the Democrats came into power. In one case efforts were made to advance a Post Office official to be Under-Secretary to Mr Farley because he was sympathetic to ocean mail bounties.