SUBSIDISED SHIPPING

Greymouth Evening Star, 9 December 1933, Page 7

SUBSIDISED SHIPPING

BRITISH PROPOSALS. [BY CABLE —PRESS ASSN. —COPYRIGHT.] LONDON, December 8. The biggest meeting of the Chamber of Shipping Council ever held adopted, with only three dissentients a report seeking Government subsidies for tramp shipping. The Committee states that unless its world trade is restored, the prospects of British tramp shipping are well nigh desperate. Owners without substantial reserves apart from shipping are virtually faced with bankruptcy. [official wireless.] RUGBY, December 8. The Council of the Chamber of Shipping passed by 85 to 3 resolutions recommending “the Government be advised that when any section of the British mercantile marine can show that a temporary subsidy is necessary, and will ensure its preservation for a time, the Government should favourably consider granting such temporary subsidy. That the Government be asked to intensify the efforts to promote the trade group of nations willing to trade on a reciprocal basis of equality of treatment, and with this object, unilateral or multilateral, trade agreements, be made with as many nations as possible. One of the terms should be that they no longer discriminate against British ships, either directly or by grant, of an uneconomic subsidy. That in calculating the trade balance, the services of British ships shall be remembered as an important national export, and .that the buying power of the United Kingdom be consistently and firmly used wherever possible to defend British. shipping against uneconomic shipping practices. That the Government be urged to take immediate steps to ensure the recognition in every part of the Empire of the gravity of the situation and the jeopardy in which thentrade and communications will be placed if the present tendencies continue.” , „ The Council drew the attention of the Government that the. subsidy recommended by the Shipping Committee is one of ten shillings per gross ton per annum, on a pro rata basis per day, for every voyage with cargo, or in ballast. A laying up subsidy at half the rate is recommended for a minimum period. The cost of these are about £3,000,000 a year.

CONFERENCE SUCCESS. LONDON, December 8. At the conclusion of a conference of representatives of various British, Continental and United States Shipping Lines, it was announced that a complete agreement had. been reached regarding the classification of ships, and consequently of rate adjustments that had occupied the attention of the Lines for several months past. . New rates will become effective for sailings after January 1, 1934, and will he communicated to the public in Europe and America on December 23, 1933. ■ All other outstanding matters were satisfactorily disposed of.