TO BUILD SHIPS IN AUSTRALIA.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 4757, 3 January 1918, Page 6

TO BUILD SHIPS IN AUSTRALIA.

SYDNEY, Dec. 13. Not so much has been heard for some time of the shipbuilding scheme of the Commonwealth Government, but an announcement made during the week by the Prime Minister shows that tlie somewhat ambitious idea has not been abandoned. It may j be remembered that Mr. Hughes got j the State Premiers and then the various Labour leaders together in Melbourne. and asked for their co-opera-j tion. The Premiers promised it read- j ily enough, hut the union men quibbled, and were very much more con- , cc-.’-ned with the ultimate effect on thei’. unions rather with the ultimate effect on Australia. Finally, however, | most of them came into line. Then the big strike occurred, and the whole matter for a time, was completely lost sight of. I Mr. Hughes now announces that the Federal _ Government is going to push on rapidly with the scheme, and proposes shortly—the expert engaged by the Commonwealth Government arrived in Melbourne this .week; —to j commence actual building operations. “Sites selected by the various State | Governments are now being inspect- ' ed,” lie said. “Material is _ being pudehased. and the whole preliminary work connected with the enterprise is now being undertaken. The. State Governments are now completing all their preliminary work ; and iA is hoped that shortly'busy yards will be in full swing throughout the Commonwealth. . I “Private firms will have every opportunity to co-operate_ by building main and auxiliary engines, and all the machinery needed. The proposals ; submitted to'the unions will apply to all the work done, either by the Government or private firms. The need for ships is vital, and! it is intended to work two or even three shifts, and 1 , therefore a very large number of men will be employedi.” ' | Mr. Huglies added that in the event of conscription being agreed to, i those employed in the ship-building industry would be exempt from milltary service. If the conscription pro- 1 ( posal was defeated, the present Government would not attempt to govern, and lio could not say what would be the policy of any other Government with regard to tlie shipbuilding proposals. The recent action of Mr. Hughes, in ordering fourteen wooden ships of 1 from 2000 to 3000 tons from Ameri- ! ca has been subjected to a great deal j of criticism lately. There are three, main objections to Mr. Hughes ac- J tion. First, they say, it is absurd to send this work to America when it might be done in Australia; second, ships must be found to carry the nee- , 1 essary hardwood from Australia to America; and, third, the majority of experts consider that sfecl ships can be built almost as readily as tlie ! < wooden article, and! steel ships can 1 ( be used after-the war, when wooden ' ships’ will probably be scrap- ! ped. Mr. Hughes’s only re- ! 5 ply is that these ships are urgently ; wanted, in addition to all the. ships ' that Australia is capable of building in tho next year or two.