COMMONWEALTH SHIPS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19500, 8 June 1925, Page 7

COMMONWEALTH SHIPS

FLEET NOT TO BE SOLD. ANNOUNCEMENT BY MB BBUCE. Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. MELBOURNE, June 6. Speaking at' Ballarat, Mr Bruce announced tiiat the Commonwealth Lane of steamers would not be sold. He said that only one oiler lor the ships had been received, , and this had been refused. The line would be continued, as at present, under the control of the Shipping Board. in order' to eliminate labour troubles with the seamen’s unions and to ensure the prompt observance of awards, the Government proposed to tighten up tno industrial legislation Mr Bruce said. During 1924 there had been more than 20 serious hold-ups, and innumerable minor ones, by the Australian unions, of iho vessels of the Commonwealth Line involving d direct loss of many thousands of pounds. During the thirteen months ended September 30, 1924, the expenses in wages and victualling ships for the crews' had amounted to £475,250, whereas if the ships had been on the British register the figure would have been £244,446. Mr Bruce said that a vigorous building programme would be formulated, and alf efficient tonnage sold and replaced by new vessels.