BARGAINING WEAPON

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18582, 17 December 1934, Page 5

BARGAINING WEAPON

SUBSIDY FOR SHIPPING DISCUSSION IX COMMONS LABOR NOT SATISFIED (British Official Wireless.) Rec. K) a.m. RUGBY, Dec. 15. When tlic second reading of the British Shipping Assistance Bill was moved in the House of Commons, Dr. T. 1,. Burgin, Parliamentary Secretary to thi' Board of Trade, described the conditions under which grunts from the proposed £2,000,000 subsidy would be made to tramp shipping.

The objects of the bill were, .firstly. to assist such vessels to meet the 'coinpetition of foreign subsidised craft; secondly, to help shipowners by means of loans on special terms to modernise and improve the mercantile ileet under conditions which would, a the same time, help reduce the urplus world tonnage; and. thirdly, five .some relief to the shipping indusIry iu respect of fees chargeable for services rendered by the Board of Trade.

lie said that every effort ought to be made to induce foreign countries to give up subsidies, lie used the analogy of tariffs to point out the impossibility of negotiating without having something with which to negotiate.

Dr. ('. Addison moved a resolution on behalf of the Labor Party recognising the necessity for Slate intervention on behalf of the mercantile marine, but deplored the absence of measures in the bill to ensure fair wages and working conditions, and the reinstatement of British domiciled seamen who had been displaced by cheap labor. Me urged that conditions should be laid down that a larger percentage of British sailors should be employed by an industry receiving Government help. The second reading was carried by 121 votes to 38.