Ships That Ply the Pacific

Manawatu Times, Volume 62, Issue 55, 6 March 1937, Page 5

Ships That Ply the Pacific

AMERICAN REVIEW OF SHIPPING SITUATION. United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright. Received Friday, 11.15 p.m. NEW YORK, March 5. The official American position concerning the shipping situation can bo said to be as follows. It is surprised that competition supplied by United States lines in the Pacific is considered unfair and holds that British shipping has always been heavily subsidised. It feels that American lines have developed the Australian and New Zealand passenger traffic enormously from 150 passengers a mouth a few years ago to five hundred now, of whom 250 are tourists. There is traffic enough for British lines also and these are welcomed. There is concern over the Tasman laws but hopes that these will not be instrumented and it will not be necessary to deprive American lines of a share in the Tasman revenue which annually approximates £50,000, particularly now that two British vessels will .also be subsidised. Associated Press learns authoritatively that only after protracted discussions between British and American officials has there arisen a real appreciation of the true merits of tho British position concerning Pacific shaping. The British viewpoint, which has been made clear to the State department, is that a genuine difference exists between subsidies of such a moderate naturo tfiiat they aid lines which legitimately scfve a worthy national purpose and suLvidies of such an unrestricted nature that they become instruments for driving competition from seas or use the taxpayers money to enable favoured private interests to accumulate large profits. This viewpoint can be said to have made a definite impression on the American official mind and there is some reason to believe that certain influential quarters view with satisfaction the impending revision of American subsidies and allowances, particularly if they are downward.