SHIPPING LAWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 14491, 4 October 1910, Page 6

SHIPPING LAWS.

AUSTRALIA'S NEW BILL. SEAMEN'S UNION ATTITUDE. , [BY TELEGRATH. —SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.] Wellington, Monday. Tub remarks of Mr. G. H. Scales upon the Commonwealth Navigation Bill, and also its applicability to vessels trading in the Tasman Sea generally, have been taken up by the Conference now sitting in Wellington, of the executive of the Australasian Federated Seamen's Union. Mr. W. Belcher, as secretary of the Conference, in a statement made to a newspaper representative, said the executive had noted Mr. Scales's remarks with reference to the possibility of trouble between the Federal Government and the Imperial authorities as to who is to control the trade across the Tasman Sea. "In its wisdom," Mr. Belcher began, "(lie Federal Government has found it highly necessary to legislate for the protection of its coastwise trade, which for many years past lias been exploited by foreign companies and by British companies whose vessels are manned by Lascars. The desideratum of cheapness may be a gfood thing from his point of view, but cheapness can bo bought at too big a price. Now, with regard to Mr. Scales's remarks as to the licensing of foreign vessels to trade in Australasian waters, let me say this, that the Imperial Shipping Conference in London unanimously held that course to be right and proper, the object being to give the Federal Government that right of excluding those vessels which it thought were, or would be, improperly trading on the coast of Australia. There is no departure from any fixed principle. As a matter of fact the New Zealand law of many years' standing, has debarred foreign vessels from trading between port and port in New Zealand to the detriment of local shipowners. Tho guiding principle is this. Local conditions must be complied with if such vessels desire to participate in the local trade. All that has been asked for in the Australian Bill is that the coast laws of Australasia shall include tho Tasman Sea and the waterways to and from the Pacific Islands. "As to the Orient line," Mr. Belcher continued, "it is possible that, by the terms of that company's contract with the Federal Government, it is permitted to carry both cargo and passengers coastwise. If that agreement has been made, then it cannot be repudiated. But that is no reason why the P. and 0., the German, and the French lines should have tho same privilege. Speaking as one who had the privilege of representing New Zealand at the Imperial shipping Conference, I could not help but noticing the decided opposition which was, and will always he, shown to the outlying portions of the Empire in making laws which might possibly conflict with Imperial sentiment. I believe," concluded Mr. Belcher, " that every shipowner operating in the intercolonial trade should be put upon tho same footing, and then lot the best service win."