EMPIRE SHIPPING

Manawatu Standard, Volume LV, Issue 246, 14 September 1935, Page 7

EMPIRE SHIPPING

MENACED BY FOREIGN. CALL FOR STATE ACTION. A SERIOUS THREAT. (’United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright, i Received September 13, 9.45 a.m. LONDON, Sept. 13. “Unless some defence is afforded the British passenger and mail service between Australia and San Francisco it will be withdrawn in the next few months,” declared Hon. Alexander Shaw, chairman of the P. and 0. Company, at.a dinner aboard the liner Strathmore on the occasion of its speed trials. Ho added that there was no prospect of making ends inept under the present conditions. r lhe owners had abandoned hope of laving down new vessls.

“None blame the American shipowners for taking advantage of artificial economic conditions due to the action of the American Government and the inaction of ours, but the Empire cannot tolerate foreign luxury finery threatening the very existence of British lines whose survival is an economic and strategic necessity “British traffic between Australia and New Zealand will also be wiped out unless it is speedily assured of fairer conditions. It is unfair to the Empire to allow timidity to rule its counsels while our heritage of the sea is filched away. Foreigners cannot respect a sea-sundered Empire allowing its maritime interests to be kicked round the room without a protest.

“American competition also threatens the link between' Canada and Australia,” Mr Sliaw said. “Surely it is untninkable that the Dominions and British Governments will allow the snumng out or three lines, resulting in economic embarrassment in peace, and grave danger in war. “Against the dead weight of foreign subsidies British efficiency fights in vain. The continuation of Government inaction means unemployment in the ship-building and associated industries, involving a far greater expenditure than the comparatively small sum required to allow British lines to meet btatc-fed competition. Soma quarters think Britain is concerned only in one ocean. However, the Pacific is greater than the Atlantic, and our shipping interests there cannot ho neglected. We are anxious not to embarrass the Empire Governments, but perhaps we are wrong in not proclaiming the lacts to the public who are the ultimate arbitrators.

“Once active steps are taken to remedy the situation in the Pacific important orders Will he given to British yards. Designs already exist on paper. The Strathmore, which lias provided work for 3501) people for eighteen months, is not merely a necessary replacement, but an act of faith in the Governments and peoples of Britain and the Empire.”