NOTHING YET DECIDED

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19070, 18 July 1936, Page 7

NOTHING YET DECIDED

AID TO PACIFIC SHIPPING MR. SAVAUF/S COMMENT GOVERNMENT'S ATTITUDE {Fer Press Association.) WELLINGTuX, last night. The question.of subsidies for British shipping-.in the Pacific was again reiferred to l.v the Prime Minister, the lit. Hon. M.'.J', Savage, in an interview to-day. Mr Savage was askeil specifically to comment on the cabled report from Sv'dney that the British Government is planning to support shipping in the Pacific to meet American competition by a form 'of capital assistance from Britain in the 'building of ships, and an annual subsidy with co-Operation from the Dominions concerned. "The statement of the Prime Minister of Australia, Mr. J. A. Lyons, that nothing is likely to be done until any possible derisions are placed before tin Governments-concerned seems to sum up the position fairly,'' Mr. Savage said. ''For our part, we have no knowledge of any final proposals for British shipping subsidies and, until these proposals arc received and examined, we can hardly carry the matter any further." The Prime Minister added that some form of assistance appeared desirable, 'but the Governme.it would be concerned with ensuring that the terms and .conditions on which that assistance was granted were accept able. "As.i have stated previously," Mr. Savage said, "we do not want to grant subsidies if the conditions of work on ships operating under those subsidies are not satisfactory. It would also be necessary to ensure that, with the granting of the subsidies, the British steamship lines involved would be able to provide a service and facilities at least equal to those offered by their competitors."