“MERELY POSTPONED”

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 229, 26 August 1938, Page 7

“MERELY POSTPONED”

CONSTRUCTION OF SHIPS.

FOR PACIFIC SERVICE

LORD CRAIGMYLE’S ASSERTION.

Received August 2G, 10.35 a.m. LONDON, Aug. 25. The chairman of the P. and O. Company and the British India Steam Navigation,Company (Lord Craigmyle) has reasserted that the construction of ships for the Australian and Canadian service has been merely postponed.

Lord Craigmyle added: “It is unfortunate that the high prices have come at a time when the negotiations had matured and agreement has been reached on the need for ships for the Pacific trade. It is encouraging to know that Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Britain are determined not to permit a vital British service to be swept away.”

In connection with the decision not to build Pacific liners, Sir Edward Beatty (chairman of Pacific Steamships, Ltd.) and Lord Craigmyle on July 23, in a joint statement, said that the plans and specifications of the two new ships were submitted to selected shipbuilders. Unfortunately shipbuilding: prices had reached an uneconomic peak, and accordingly the company had decided that construction at present was impracticable. The postponement was regretted, but the company, anticipated a resumption of the discussionsThe British and Dominion Governments, excepting Canada, earlier agreed to the scheme, when the construction could havp been achieved at £2,500,000, compared with the present estimate of £5,000,000. Canada finally acquiesced, but it was too late. SEAMEN - ALARMED. DECLINE .IN SHIPPING. Received August 26 , 9.55 a.m. LONDON, Aug. 25.. The National Union of Seamen is alarmed at the future of the mercantile marine and points out that there are 30,000 seamen and 2000 ships less than in 1914. Britain at present possesses 28 per cent, of the world’s tonnage compared with 48 per cent, in 1914. The union urges an adequate subsidy controlled by a committee representing the Government, the owners and the, seamen.