STRIKE EFFECTS

Northern Advocate, 7 February 1925, Page 5

STRIKE EFFECTS

VERY FAR-REACHING. AUTHORITATIVE OPINION. OF LORD MA CLAY. SYDNEY, This Day. Lord Maclay, one of the most notable magnates in the British shipping world, is spending a short holiday in Australia before proceeding to New Zealand cn route to America.

That industrial troubles in Aus- j tralia can liave far-rcaching effects * outside our own borders was. made i clear by Lord Maclay in the course of an interview. He did not feel disposed to speak of the waterfront trouble, but he said it was an unquestionable fact that many shipowners would not send their ships to Australia at all because of the fear of trouble. That, he said, applied especially to tramp steamers and not so much to liners which had to observe a schedule. j "Owners," he added, "are afraid ' of their vessels being detained here." He went on to say that labour troubles in the Commonwealth were having a harmful effect in that they were causing an increase in freights from Aus- j tralia. j Lord Maclay's firm has 110 line run- • ning to Australia at present, but it j traded hero very largely before the j war. i Questioned as to the outlook for shipping in the old country, he said it could only be described as depressing. Generally speaking trade was still much restricted, and the expenses of operating were very high. The cost of shipbuilding, Lord Maclay added, was probably about 75 per cent, higher than during the war. Apart from other factors British shipowners, he said, had to compete with the American and other Governments, who were running ships at '. heavy losses. j VISIT TO NEW ZEALAND. \ j PEIME MINISTER'S TRIBUTE. j Cabled reference to the arrival of j Lord Maclay in Australia, and to his [ forthcoming visit to New Zealand, re- '

j called to the mind of the Premier the ! work which Lord Maclay did for the Dominion during the war, when he i. held the responsible office of Shipping i Controller. j J In a statement made by Mr. Massey, he remarked that "in his ensuring for ' New Zealand a regular supply of ships 1 throughout the most trying period, the ! Dominion owes a special debt of gratiturde to Lord Maclay. It was only right to acknowledge, also, the valued I co-operation of Sir Kenneth Anderson | and Lord Inverforth. All three gentlemen h&d proved themselves good friends of New Zealand in those dark . days," and Mr. Massey hoped that | Lord Maclay's tour would be the forei runner of visits from each of the others. "I am sure there is no necessity for me to bespeak a very cordial welj come to Lord Maclay, and I hope he I will thoroughly enjoy his stay jn the | Dominion," said Mr. Massey. j Founder and head of the well-known shipping firm of Maclay, Mclntyre, , Lord Maclay was entrusted with some j of the vast responsibilities whose successful discharge was essential to victory and to the security of the Empire j during the war. He was one of the I powerful figures in British life to I whom the nation looked, and not in vain during the dark days of the European War. As a ntember of the historic War Cabinet of 1918, and as iShipping Controller from 1916 until ' 1921, but more especially in the lat-1 ter capacity, Lord Maclay performed i far-reaching national service. ( . j Lord Maclay, who was created a baron in 1922, was forinerly, a. baronet, an honour bestowed upon him in 1914. Two years later he was made a member of the Privy Council. Lord i Maclay has been a magistrate of Glas- 1 j gow and a Clyde trustee. He is one of I I the foremost citizens of Glasgow, Lord ' [ Maclay is a prominent member of the j United Free Church, and for many j i years he has been the hon. treasurer j of the Orphan Homes of Scotland. He | : is also greatly interested in missions and in temperance work, and latterly has been prominent in his advocacy ;of prohibition. His two eldest sons were killed in the war.