PACIFIC SHIPPING

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXX, 22 June 1936, Page 10

PACIFIC SHIPPING

QUESTION OF SUBSIDISING GOVERNMENT HAS OPEN MIND PRIME MINISTER’S COMMENT (By Telegraph—Press Association) WELLINGTON, This Day. “The Government has an open mind on the question of subsidising Pacific shipping in association with the other Governments concerned,” said the Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage) in an interview, when his attention was drawn to a London message stating that Canadian-Pacific Steamships Ltd., was prepared to place two ships in the Pacific if the British and Dominions Governments reached an agreement regarding a subsidy. “So far we have received no request of a definite enough kind for us to be able to get a hold and do something,” Mr Savage said. “We have no intention, however, of going into the question with our eyes shut. The nature of the service must first be considered, then full consideration must be given to the conditions as affecting all parties. We must be assured of a suitable service in return for the assistance we are asked to give. For instance, we must be certain that we will get a service which can compete with other lines. Naturally the question of labour conditions on the ships used in the service must be considered and particularly the question of giving employment to New Zealanders. We want to be sure that the men employed on any service in which we are interested are working under conditions which are in accord with the New Zealand standard. Until a definite proposal has been submitted to the Government, it would be futile to discuss details, but the Government is prepared to consider concrete suggestions for the mantenance of an adequate British shipping service in the Pacific.”