THE SHIPPING PROBLEM

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVIII, Issue 17754, 13 April 1921, Page 7

THE SHIPPING PROBLEM

CONTROL BY PRODUCERS.

MOVEMENT IN FAVOUR.

! FARMERS' UNION DISCUSSION. j The question of the producers controlling the ships which carry their produce i to the markets 0 f the world, was discussed [•by the executive of the Auckland Provinj cial Farmers' Union last evening. j Mr. A. A. Ross stated that at the conI ference of producers held in Wellington I recently the opinion was expressed that ! farmers should have a line of ships to carry their produce, or, failing this, that some arrangement should be made by which they would have some say in the control of the ships trading to this country from the older countries. Mr. Ross said the shipping position had not turned out as they had anticipated, and this led to the decision of the recent conference that something practical should be done without delay. In view of the large number of ships lying idle in different parts of the world it had been thought ! there would be ample space available for j produce, and that the consequent competi- I tion would result in the reduction of Freights. What had happened, however, was that the greater portion of the ship- I ping was controlled by a few people, and was managed by a central committee in London. Mr. Ross said the problem had not been I solved, and the laying up of many vessels | made the position as bad as ever it was. Of course insulated ships were not as I ! plentiful as other ships, and necessarily ! j there was no likelihood of an immediate solution of the problem facing the producers. A pucposal had been placed before the conference at Wellington by Mr. j de Latour, of (Jisborne, to the effect that a ! Shipping Board be appointed with power I to deal with the whole question of shipj ping, either by purchasing ships or by ; arranging with shipping companies to j carry the produce. The idea was that { legislation should* be passed authorising I the Government to make a levy upon exI ports for the purpose of acquiring ships lin the control of which the producers would have'some say. There was a difference of opinion am6ng the delegates as i to which was the best course to pursue. j Mr. de Latour was of the opinion that a permanent arrangement should" be made ] between the Government and the producers, but othar delegates considered the farmers should arrange the whole matter themselves and raise the money needed for acquiring the necessary ships in the ordinary way. A further view agreed to by the conference was that the establishing of a line of New Zealand ships should be initiated jointly by the Government and the producers, the latter to find the money bv means of a levy, and that when the scheme was an accomplished fact, the Government should ultimately withdraw from it. Mr. Ross said he was satisfied that in the near future there would be a movement in this, direction. Mr. J. Boddie, in supplementing the rew marks made by Mr. Ross, said that Mr. , Massey made it clear at the conference that all the Government required was the support of the producers, and it would be prepared to give every possible assist- ' ance in providing shipping facilities for 1 produce. 1 The general discussion that followed ) entirely favoured acquiring a fleet of ships , which would be controlled by the producers.