THE SHIPPING PROBLEM

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21716, 3 February 1934, Page 10

THE SHIPPING PROBLEM

In a speech on the plight of British shipping, v Sir Robert Home said the industry that in 1920 provided Great Britain with £340,000,000 in invisible exports was to-day in a deplorable condition. Tramp ships were only 50 per cent of what thoy were in 1913, and those of other nations had increased by 33 per cent. Two million tons of tramp ships were laid up, and 40,000 men were in need of employment. There was a definite trend toward declension of the industry on which Britain's whole lifo depended. It must lead to the greatest apprehension among those who looked after tho affairs of the country. The shipowners had always felt so strong in their own skill and power that they had been reluctant to believe that a condition of things could arise in which they must have aid from tho State. Two or three years ago they rejected with contumely adventitious aids, which thoy now said they could not do without. Tramp shipping had come to so low a pass to-day that a proposition was being put to the Government, on behalf of that stout-hearted body of men, for at least temporary aid in tho way of subsidy, otherwise what remained of their ships would be wiped out. Although subsidies were a doubtful resort in any permanent sense, nevertheless they had been learning something in the last two years with regard to tho effect of tariffs, and how they had proved tho greatest weapons in securing reductions of other tariffs. "There are certainly traffics in this world to-day where the voyages are subsidised so heavily by other nations," .Sir Robert * Home -added, "that I should not be disinclined to say to them: 'while you may have subsidies we shall have them, too, and when it comes to a question of subsidies we think that we have as long a purse or oven longer than you have, and if you are going to continue your subsidies we will run your ships off tho sea.' What we demand is fair play. I think some very definite action ought to be taken in this way. We can also make stipulations in trade treaties in favour of a certain amount of traffic being carried in British ships, as we have made treaties already in favour of British • coal."-