AT ST STEPHENS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17096, 19 February 1916, Page 9

AT ST STEPHENS.

MERCHANT TONNAGE. QUESTION OF ECONOMICAL USE. CENTRAL EXPERT AUTHORITY SUGGESTED. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. LONDON, February 19. In the. House of Commons Mr B. Pc to (Unionist) moved an amendment to the Address-in-Reply regretting that measures were not taken to utilise merchant tonnage economically by placing it under the control of a central expert authority with power to requisition and direct the movements of vessels and limit the remuneration for transport services. Every ship in Britain’s merchant licet, ho said, should always make a full voyage out and home. The transport ot coal, wheat and ore, and the transport of munitions and troops should all bo under this control. Mr Balfour said the transport department. of the Admiralty had done the work with great skill. It would have been impossible to carry out many duties but for the assistance and advico of distinguished shipowenrs. If the proposed requisition of British shipping wevo adopted, neutral shipping would be able to continue to earn the open market rate. Ho could hardly imagine a more impossible, proposal There was now a perpetual conflict between the needs of tonnage and the needs of war. Mr R. P. Houston (Unionist) instanced the enormous freights earned liv neutral vessels while British ships bad to be content with the Blue Book

rate. Italy and Portugal were constantly applying for more tonnage. It was not exactly playing the game. Italy was using Austrian ships, but was not using the German vessels in Italian ports. If Italy asked for more tonnage she should be asked to utilise the .ships in her harbours. Mr ltunciman said that the reason Britain could not regard every ship as a controlled establishment like a .factory ashore was that shipping was.suojeet to competition. A neutral Government. had asked that the Blue Book rates should be taken as tho maximum rates. The Government had requisitioned 172 vessels for the- carriage of sugar, moat, etc.; not a single British vessel, with refrigerating space, was not working under those rates. Regarding the high rates for the carriage of coal to Italy, ho pointed out that the proportion of British vessels engaged was 51 against 209 foreign. An unfair impression had been given Italy that the British shipowners were attempting to suck the blood of the Italian coal consumer, although the. neutrals charged higher rates. “Me are dependent on them to a certain extent. The congestion in the ports is being relieved, and we are giving the Port Transit Committee greater powers and increasing the labour available.’ Hie merchant shipbuilding trade was being delayed because the Admiralty bad the first mortgage of tho shipbuilding yards, but about forty-five were merchantmen being hurriedly completed, and 140 others were being pushed on. Even now the Allies were clamouring for more tonnage. r l hey would not have, got any tonnage at all but tor the fact that nearly half the merchant service of the world was under the British flag. Not a single sailor had refused to sign on because of the perils of the sea. It would' he calamitous to take any step in war time which would limit the reproductive power of the merchant service or cripple Britain from adding to it. immediately tho war was over to enable her to compete u it-fi foreigners. It was mainly on the auxiliary fleet that the prosperity of the Empire depended. Dr Maenamara said that the Admiralty was doing its utmost not to hold up tonnage that was not wanted ior naval or military service. The amendment- was negatived.