STATE-AIDED SHIPPING

Northern Advocate, 21 July 1933, Page 6

STATE-AIDED SHIPPING

DETRIMENT TO EMPIRE. ‘ TIME TO TAIvE COUNSEL. ? (Received 9 a.m.) ; LONDON, July 20. The “Daily Mail;” in expressing regret that the Econonlic Conference is .about to adjourn without agreements on the; subject of shipping subsidies, says: “Our shipping cannot hold its qwn when it is attacked by State-aid-ed enterprises of foreign countries. The Government should take counsel with the representatives of the dominions here. “It may be necessary in Empire ports which discriminate against us. This would be simply self-defence.”

FREIGHT LEVEL. OWNERS OPPOSE REDUCTION i. ■ (Received 11 a.m.) CANBERRA, This Day. A deputation from the Overseas Shipping Representatives' Association, outlining their case against the lowering of .overseas freight to the New Zealand level as desired by the exporters of refrigerated produce, informed the Prime Minister, Mr J, A. Lyons, that a .25 per cent, reduction in dairy produce trades was impossible and absurd.

However, a further conference with tlie shipowners on the subject would be arranged.

It is understood that the shippers are seeking the removal of the penalties under the Industries Preservation Act, 1930, for broaches of the agreement to ship only with the Conference lines in order to be able to reach the best terms possible with individual, shipowners. When the Prime Minister stated that it was the intention of the Commonwealth to push the chilled beef trade to the utmost, the shipowners' representatives intimated that they would be ready to provide space at short notice. They had also stated that a concession of l-16d per lb would be given wool exporters provided the contract system continued.

Generally, frozen beef exporters had been offered concessions amountin o, to £328,000 annually.