SUBSIDISED SHIPPING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22738, 26 November 1935, Page 4

SUBSIDISED SHIPPING

FOREIGN COMPETITION BRITISH OWNERS' ATTITUDE. Mr W. A. Maakajy senior partner in Australia of Messrs Macdonald, Hamilton, and Co., agents for the P. and 0. Steam Navigation Company, in an interview on his arrival in Sydney by the Stratlmaver on November 14, said that British shipping men were as far as ever from finding a solution of the problem or competing with foreign shipping, which was receiving tremendous Government subsidies In England, he added, some advocated Mibeidisation by the British Government. Others thought the shipowner should be left to work out his own salvation as best he could. Shipping owners generally disliked subsidies and would prefer some other way out of the difficulty, but they could not go on competing with subsidised shipping on the trade routes of the world The present outlook for British shipping, Mr Mackay said, was brighter than it had been for some years. It had improved considerably since his previous visit to England three years ago. The percentage of laid-up shipping had been greatly reduced, and there was much activity in the shipbuilding industry, hit in shipping generally there was still loom for 'considerable improvement before real stability was attained. Mr Mackay. commenting on recent statements that the volume of tourist traffic between England and Australia could be increased by cutting out several intermediate ports and thus reducing the travelling time by a considerable margin, said he did not agree with that contention. Apart from the purely economic need of calling at numerous ports to pick up and discharge cargo, it had been his experience that tourists enjoyed fairly frequent breaks in a long sea voyage, and appreciated the opportunity to see as many places of interest as possible in the course of a tour.