SHIPPING CONTROL.

Otago Witness, Issue 3396, 16 April 1919, Page 26

SHIPPING CONTROL.

(By Cable.) Sir J. G. Ward when in London approached the Shipping Controller, strongly urging him to divert portion of the Argentine shipping to New Zealand. Sir J. G. Ward pointed out that New Zealand ships had been diverted to the Argentine for war purposes, and it was only fair now to give facilities for the shipment of Empire meat. The British Government had provided" enough shipping for the repatriation of New Zealand troops/ Sir Joseph will return to Paris on .Tuesday. Sir J. Maclay, Minister of Shipping, replying to Sir J. G. Ward's representations for a transfer of the River Plate steamers to New Zealand, says that the Ministry of Shipping, Board of Trade, and the Ministry of Food have discussed the matter, and have fully decided that it is impracticable at the present time, owing to the meat situation in Britain and Europe.

A Shipping Conference is arranging for steamers to call at Antwerp and take cargoes to Australia as soon as sufficient is offering, thus filling the place of German steamers before the war. Mr J. E. Hurley, in a speech at New York, said that during the past 18 months the Shipping Board has. constructed 3,640.406 dead-weight tons of shipping. The United States in 1920 would have 16,732,700 tons of ocean-going steel ships, of which the Government would own 70 per cent. The United States' shipping in 1920 would be equivalent to almost half of the world's merchant tonnage. He added : "I advocate that Governmentowned ships be sold and operated' by American citizens under no restrictions other than fixing maximum freight rates." "It is understood that the refusal of the Ministry of Shipping to find tonnage for New Zealand apples is due to the fact that New Zealand was not shipping apples to England before the war. Mr Hughes is indignant at the state-

ment by Mr Burton (South African Minister) that the Australian Government is guilty of profiteering and has charged double freight on wheat in other than British ships. Mr Hughes's reply is that the statement is without foundation. The commonwealth line's rate is slightly over half the neutral rates, and identical with the rates on requisitioned liners. The commonwealth line further benefited producers, including South Africa, by keeping the general rate considerably below the world's parity.