MERCANTILE MARINE.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 12200, 16 July 1910, Page 6

MERCANTILE MARINE.

(Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. At the annual meeting of the Institute of Marine Engineers at Wellington the report contained the following : "The question of the (Commonwealth Shipping Act is being considered by the -Parliament m Australia, and w© trust that the outcome will bo 'satisfactory to all concerned, and tliat the reforms sought will be on all fours with the legislation of New Zealand ;. also that there should be some greater measure of protection for our Australian and New Zealand shipowners. It should be made impossible for vessels to trade on cither the coast of the Commonwealth or New Zealand unless they subscribed to the conditions imposed on our own shipowners. Further, this legislation should extend to vessels plying between Australia and Ne.w Zealand, and companies like the Union Steam Ship Company and the Huddart Parker Company, who run an inter-State service so well, should have protection against those who enter into unfair competition. It is unfair that the P; and O. (or other steamers) should with cheap labor be permitted to exploit our territories, and we are prepared to work m with the Institute m Australia to do our .best to have carried out the intentions of the British Navigation Conference Of 1907, which are clearly m the direction of protecting- our shipping against unfair competition. Australia and New Zealand Parliaments should come together with a similar set of conditions, and a protective treaty for vessels trading joetween the two countries. Whilst we have «. duty to perform to our members, we also have the rights of # the employers to consider and m considering them we are undoubtedly considering the interests of the Institute. Let us act up to our motto, and all pull together on this very vital question, and the sooner we start, the better it will be for all concerned. . Meanwhile the wish and hope of this district is tliat the legislation being considered m Australia will be such that the same conditions mny obtain as with us, and thus avoid the difficulties which from time to time arise owintr to the provisions of the different Actb."