SHIPPING PROSPECTS

Greymouth Evening Star, 17 September 1945, Page 2

SHIPPING PROSPECTS

GOVT. CONTROL OUTLOOK.

AUCKLAND, September. 17. “Before Japan was defeated, it was considered control of British shipping by the Ministry of War Transport would last another two years,” said Mr. E. V. Bevan, New Zealand manager of the Shaw, Savill and Albion Company, who' returned by the Akaroa from a business trip to England. .“That forecast is probably still correct. There are so many troops, and so much war material to be shifted and things to be done in cleaning up the war that the lifting of control and the re-establishment of regular passenger services should take about two years.” Mr. Bevan announced that his company is building two new cargo ships similar to the Waiwera for New Zealand, and both are turbine-driven. They are due for delivery towards the end of next year. Referring again to the pressure on limited shipping services at present available, Mr. Bevan said that while the companies were only too anxious to resume normal trade and re-establish pleasure voyages, they had to put first things first, and not the least of these was the transport of thousands of tons of food and clothing to Europe for UNRRA. Asked whether there were any fear of nationalisation of British shipping, Mr. Bevan said the new Government had enough on its hands already. It had terrific reconstruction tasks, and he thought it would concentrate on them before 9, undertaking experiments. In any case, the Government at present had full control of shipl Mr. Bevan is accompanied by his son, Lance-Corporal J. V. Bevan, who joined him in England on repatriation from a prisoner of war camp, having been wounded and taken prisoner at El Alamein. . AKAROA’S ARRIVAL AUCKLAND, September 17. Carrying 194 passengers, including 70 wives and about 40 children of New Zealand sei’vicemen, the Shaw Sayil Albion liner Akaroa arrived at Auckland from Liverpool this morning.' .Throughout the war, the Akaroa was on the regular fun between London and New Zealand,'and at no stage encountered enemy action. She served as a troop carrier for a time, but was mainly engaged in transport of general cargo, war material and passengers vital to the war effort. The vessel touched at Pitcairn on the voyage and there, the pre-war custom of natives meeting the ship in canoes and going aboard to sell wares was revived. A number of passengers comprised businessmen and others who had made arrangements to visit the Dominion before the war or during it, and had been prevented in so doing till now. Mr. A". Tarlton, London manager of the National Mortgage and Agency Company, questioned ■whether New Zealand had an assured market in Britain for primary products in future, said the Dominion need not fear. Britain would now renay the debt owed to the Dominions. He thought Empire reciprocal trade a certainty. Another passenger, Major J. P. Hudson, is to take up an appointment with the Horticultural Division of the Department of Agriculture. A veteran of Dunkirk, he was for the last four years of war attached to the bomb disposal group in the heart of London, and was formerly a horticultural instructor in East Sussex.

SOLDIER, PASSENGER. A New Zealander who served on Marshal Wavell’s staff, when he. was Commander-in-Chief in the Middle East, Major-General R. E. Barker, of Geraldine, returned by the Akaroa, this morning. He has had a long service in the British Regular Army. He left New Zealand in Wil, and held a commission in the South Lancashire Regiment, later transferring to the Royal Signal Corps at the outbreak of the war just concluded. He was on the general staff of the Northern Command and went from there to become Marshal Wavell’s signals officer in chief. The scope of the Middle East Command was then much wider than it was later,'and Barker’s duties took him to Greece, Crete, Abyssinia, Syria, and Iraq campaigns. In each of these countries he fought under Wavell’s Supreme Command. From the Middle East, Barker returned to the United Kingdom where he was appointed to the staff of Genera] Sir Andrew Thorne, G.O.C. Scottish Command, and later served as G.O.C. of Home Forces. Giving the opinion that Lord Wavell is one of the greatest generals Britain ever had, Major-General Barker said thaFliistory would class him as a great man and one of the best commanders of this war. Major-General Barker is accompanied by his wife, one son, and one daughter. He has a second son a captain in the Royal Artillery and a third Lieutenant of the Royal Signal Corps. Major-General Barker, is now on the retired list and intends to remain in the Dominion, permanently.