MARINE SERVICE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIX, Issue 100, 28 March 1939, Page 9

MARINE SERVICE

IMPORTANCE TO DOMINION. DUTY Oh' CO-OPERATION. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, March 27. The important purt placed by her seaborne trails in Lhe national and economic life of New Zealand was stressed by the Minister of Marine (Hon. P. Fraser), speaking at a luncheon reception held to-day on hoard the luxury liner Dominion Monarch. Ilis hearers, numbering some 7)00. included port and shipping officials, mcmlicrs of Parliament and prominent Wellington citizens and businessmen.

Anybody associated with the trade and industry of New Zealand must feel deeply indebted to all who had pioneered the great shipping lines, said Mr Fraser, and in particular to those. who had inaugurated the lines peculiarly associated with New Zealand. The whole history of the development of the Shaw. iSavili and Albion Company from its first humble .sailing ship to the present great and magnificent liner was a wonderful example of commercial enterprise. The Minister congratulated Captain W. H. Hartman oil his command. Captain Hartman was partly, at any rate, a citizen of Wellington, and his friends here had been very sorry when he had decided to go to sea again, but now that ho had returned m this fine ship he was doubly welcome.

Industry in New Zealand depended to a great extent upon efficient loading and handling of cargoes, continued Mr Eraser. So long as shipping was efficient and up-to-date, as this liner proved it to he, and so long as the services could he carried on as expeditiously as was possible the future prosperity of the Dominion would bo assured. Such enterprise deserved the reciprocation of all concerned.

The Government of the country had set out, as far as was possible within tlie means of the country, to see that everyone of useful service to the country received an adequate living. That could not he achieved, however, unless everybody in the country, whether in the workshop, farm, or office, was willing to give of his best. Unless this were done it would not be possible to attain that standard of living that every civilised country should have, and when the means of transport was at hand to convey the country’s produce it was a betrayal for anybody not to give of his best. Mr Fraser said it was never more necessary than at present for the voice of British solidarity to ring straight and true. He repeated the message of the Prime Minister (Hon. M. ,T. Savage) when he said at Auckland that, whatever difficulties Britain might net into New Zealand would be with her.