BRITISH SHIPPING

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21358, 6 December 1932, Page 9

BRITISH SHIPPING

SUBSIDISED COMPETITION HINT OF RETALIATION GIVEN LONDON, Dec. i The Chamber of Shipping has adopted the report of a committee advocating the abolition of all trade barriers and flag discriminations. The report mentions that inter-Empire tratio normally employs only one-third of British tonnage, therefore there is no future for the British mercantile marine unless foreign trade is re-established.

The World Economic Conference should deal with national shipping discriminations as among the most mischievous of trade barriers. ]f foreign nations persist in subsidies, it will be necessary for Britain to resort to them. Tho committee is confidently placing before the Government suggestions for retaliatory measures.

The Times states that the chartering of another Italian vessel, presumably subsidised by the Italian Government, to load Australian wheat has aroused comment and has lent point to the remarks by Mr. Baldwin at Sunderland, that the British owners had a serious problem in the competition of subsidised foreign ships, and his hint, that " we cannot allow our shipping to suffer from that kind of competition."

Referring to the launching of the 75.000 ton French liner Normandie on October 29, the Shipping World stated in a recent issue that some months ago the financial condition of the French L:no led the French Government to intervene, and that the company was to be reorganised with an annual initial Government subsidy of 150,000,000 francs (about £2,000,000 at the existing rate of exchange), which would be reduced later. " The French Line," the Shipping World continues, "in spite lof its financial troubles, is to bo kept in being at the expense of the taxpayers of France. Under these favourable conditions the Normandie. and the other vessels of Hip line arc to compete with the liners of the British companies, which are conducted on commercial principles without, any sort of subvention from the State. This is not fair competition, and it, may bo hoped that passengers and tradel's generally will appreciate the injustice which is being done to the British shipping industry. Of course, the French Line is ojily one of many concerns, for it. is estimated that about £30,000,000 annually is being paid by foreign Governments in order to save their shipping companies from ruin. But the widespread character of the trouble cannot bo pleaded as its justification."