A SHIPPING PROBLEM—THE MATSON LINE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIV, Issue 305, 22 November 1934, Page 6

A SHIPPING PROBLEM—THE MATSON LINE.

(To the Editor.) Sir, —Your first leader, in your issue of to-day, deals with a problem which threatens the well-being and independence of New Zealand. The wonder to every one who has studied the question is that the Government of the Dominion has not taken action long ago. The facts of the case are:— (1) The shipping you refer to was specially intended, and is so specially set forth in the preamble to the Act which established it, to be us. cl as auxiliary ships in times of emergency, such as war.

(2) The ships, which were built exactly as you have stated, on the

easiest of terms, are allowed to trade in British waters on conditions wlucn are sternly refused to British ships in American waters. They are. (a) Tli y trade from port to port ill British waters, and carry passengers and merchandise. British slaps are not’allowed to do so in American waters, it should, be known by every British subject in the Dominion that British and other foreign vessels ore prohibited carrying between U.S.A. ports, including Hawaii, and can only carry passengers subject to a heavy fine of -UV dollars a passenger. This is not only unfair and unjust, it is most humiliating to our country. It amounts to this: U.S.A. shipping says to New Zealand, we shall take all the benefits and privileges which belong to your shipping, but we shall take good care you must not expect, and you must not take any such benefits or privileges when you come to our. country, (b) The subsidies these American ships receive are enormous. On the outward voyage Los Angeles to Sydney is 7618 miles, and the subsidy is 10 dollars a mile which is equal to 1 0,180 dollars a voyage, or, say, £15,600. They make' thirteen voyages a year. It is easy to compute how enormous is the subsidy to each vessel every year. The loan for each vessel (Mariposa’ and Monterey) was 5,850,000 dollars, understood to be at 11 per cent. The saving in interest as against say 6 per cent, in the open niarket is equal to 263,250 dollars or £54,090 a year for each vessel.' The seriousness of these facts te New Zealand can hardly be overstated, because such competition makes competition inipossible, and in time will destroy our shipping, and thereby destroy as well our independence as a free country. But this is not all, by a long way. The American shipping referred to pays less to its men than either the Australian or New Zealand ships do. The following are the figures, showing the difference in pay:— WAGES.

In addition to the large difference in wages, New Zealand and Australian hands receive holiday pay and overtime. American vessels pay no holiday pay and practically no overtime. One lias only to read these facts to feel how intolerable the position is, and yet, while under the Statute of Westminster, the Australian and New Zealand Government could have taken action, they have done nothing. Time after time I have brought the facts before the Rt. Hon. Mr Forbes, Prime Minister, and his replies always showed either that he had not studied the problem or that he was not seized of its enormous importance to the Dominion. Of one thing I am certain—that had we a Prime Minister of the courage aud ability of the late Mr R. J. Seddon this national humiliation would not be permitted to continue for-three months. Mr Seddon would say: You will trade with us on equal terms and conditions, and if you decline to do that, we shall insist upon them. Equal conditions and fair play we demand, and these we must have. —I am, etc., WM. THOMSON. Nov. 21, 1934.

N.Z d Australian £ s d American New N.R.A. : code. £ a d ... 15 3 6 14 5 9 12 6 7 ... 15 3 6 14 5 9 10 5 9 .. 13 3 6 12 9 9 7 14 li Sailors ... ... 13 3 fa 12 9 9 10 5 6