A SHIPPING COMBINE.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 6326, 28 September 1907, Page 7

A SHIPPING COMBINE.

STRONG COMMENT STATE-OWNED STEAMSHIP LINE. SUBSIDISED VESSELS CONCERNED IN THE. TRUST. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received September 28, 0.31 a.m.) MELBOURNE, September 27. Mr Sinclair moved the adjournment of the House of Representatives today, in order to discuss the shipping combine. He stated that one of tho lines interested in the combine was subsidised by the Federal Government to carry mails to England and elsewhere. Under the recently made contract for tho carriage of butter shippers were compelled to ship tho whole of their butter by the mail boats, and this left exporters in tho hands of companies running these steamers. Mr Sinclair urged the Government, when accepting any new mail contract, to impose such conditions as would prevent a recurrence of this sort of thing. Mr Watson, leader of the Labour party, declared that developments of late in the direction of concentration and greater combination seemed to bo made with a view to attracting improper prices and freights from the public. He doubted tho effectiveness of tho Anti-Trust Bill to deal with this matter, since it could not deal with over-sea lines. Tlie people of the Commonwealth would soon be driven to ths expedient of constructing boats of their own.

Mr Joseph Cook contended that it was the duty of the Government to see that it did not subsidise any company which treated Commonwealth citizens unequally. Several other members wore of the opinion that the only way to deal with the combine was by the establishment of a line of State-owned steamers. Mr G. H. Reid, leader of the Opposition, said that if a good line of steamers were established it would have to stand the battle of competition with all the ships of the world. It would be one of the most desperate attempts the Commonwealth could take on. If Socialism was to be tried it would be better to start, on the land. They were not masters of the sea yet. The men who denounced a combine of ship-owners must also denounce a combine of trades unions: there was no difference in principle, / If, Mr Reid continued, any trust used its power for the purpose of, crushing honest competition he would treat it as he would treat a sneak thief.

Later on Sir William Lyne, Treasurer, said Mr Deakin, when dealing with the new mail contract, would doubtless bake action regarding the alleged shipping combine. If any “vend” or combine was doing serious injury to the public the Government would take action. Mr Keid and other Opposition members promised to support the Government on that point. SYDNEY SHIPPING OPINION. (Received September 28, 1 a.m.) SYDNEY, September 27. Shipping agents interviewed here strongly reiterated that the coal combine will have a serious effect on the New Zealand timber trade, the result being that vessels will be unable to load back with coal. They predict an increase in New Zealand • timber freight up to 50 per cent., and express the hope that the New Zealand and Pederral Governments will probe the alleged combine to the bottom.