SHIPPING QUESTIONS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3403, 4 June 1919, Page 21

SHIPPING QUESTIONS.

PARLIAMENTARY REFERENCE* (By Cable.) LONDON, May 19." Speaking in regard to the Ministry ship* ping vote, Captain Leslie Wilson said thai some control of shipping was necessary fof demobilisation and repatriation. The Min» ister handed over building contracts tot 159 ships to British owners who had suffered losses in war. The Ministry sold 68 ships to British owners, and 57 to foreigners. Altogether the Ministry, had received £19,500,000 for ships which cost £16,500,000. British ships of over 500 tons at the pre-war time aggregated 18,500,000 tons. This was reduced to 15,300,000 at the beginning of 1919. Tho United States pre-war tonnage was 1,700,000} it was now 6,400,000. Great'-. .. Britain had constructed 551,629 tons sinco -■ : . the armistice. Sir Eric Geddes in the House of Commans warmly defended the policy of tho building of destroyers at the expense of . merchantmen, otherwise the sea, so far as merchantmen were concerned, would havo been our%veakest front, and would necessitate the withdrawing of men from tho army. The Government's action enabled the transport of American troops. Submarine sinkings had created one of tho gravest situations of the war. The Government did the right thing in establishing national shipyards. It> would have been guilty of criminal neglect if it had not made every effort to supply ships. PASSENGER SERVICE TO AUSTRALIA. '. ; LONDON, May. 26. Tho steamship companies hope to resumo modified but regular passenger services to Australia in September. NEW ZEALAND'S NEEDS. LONDON, May 30. ♦Official: The shipping position respecting New Zealand's needs is still fairly satisfactory, having regard to all the circumstances. "Mr Massey, while in Dbndon for tho - past eight days, saw the Controller with a view to making certain that everything! possible was being done to meet the dominion's requirements. He ascertained that there wore at least nine insulated ships set down for July sailings for New Zealand ports, -with a chance of more, that • delays and difficulties owing to strikes and labour troubles had not yet been overcome. Though the position has somewhat • improved there had been much congestion in the repair shipping yards, and as many as 900 merchant ships were awaiting repair a short time ago in Britain. In add!* tion, there were in two ports no fewel . than 180 ships idle for want of labour* which may seem an extraordinary, fact m view of the serious unemployment lri Britain. Shipbuilding is proceeding satia* factorily in several yards. Speaking on unemployment at a lutv< cheon Mr 'Mas3ey, as The guest of tho Empire producers, urged the necessity fo*. the development of the shipping services between -.the overseas dominions and Britain. Something had already beeis done, but more must be done to explore the possibilities of the movement toward* increasing inter-Empire trade. It be necessary to subsidise suitable ships. : but whatever happened it would be in tho interests of citizens throughout the Em* pire that everything possible should b* done to improve our shipping facilities. . OFFER TO PURCHASE. NEW YORK, May 20 (delayed). The president of the International Mert cantile Marine Company has announced that .a British syndicate has offered tai buy the British boats owned by the Mercantile Company. A syndicate, made a similar offer in 1918. The price now Offered is believed to'be about 230,000,000 dollars. The deal is under consideration^.