EMPIRE SHIPPING

Southland Times, Issue 19122, 14 December 1923, Page 5

EMPIRE SHIPPING

RESTRICTIONS CAUSE LOSSES. STATE ENTERPRISE CONDEMNED. (By Telegraph—Press Assn. —Copyright.) (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) LONDON, December 12. Lord Inch ape, at the P. and O. meeting, said he regretted that with few exceptions the earnings of every voyage of P. and O. steamers during the past twelve months were below disbursements. The Company would be reluctantly compelled to reduce the wages of the staffs. Further reduction might be necessary to keep the ships at sea and cover working charges. He suggested that unemployment might be remedied if trade unions suspended the regulations in regard to minimum rates of wages, restrictions of hours of labour and output, and gave economic conditions free play for a year or two so that costs of production might decrease and world markets be found for the increased output of British manufacturers.

Imperial Conferences were undoubtedly valuable to the Empire, but a somewhat disturbing influence in domestic affairs. He hoped when the next Imperial Conference was arranged it would be one of the conditions that any mention of Imperial Preference or tariffs be rigidly excluded from discussion. He would not rule out Free Trade within the Empire, but as most dominions depended largely on revenue from high tariffs, he was afraid that for many years this would not be a practical proposition. He believed the different units of the Empire would work together better if each were left free to carry on in the way which apparently was best suited to its own conditions.

Lord Inchape said they were faced with Government competition in shipping. He did not want to boast. He realised hard times were ahead. Besides the United States Government shipping there was a legacy left by Mr Hughes, former Premier of Australia, whose Government Shipping Department had cost Australia millions it would never see again. Lord Inchape thought the taxpayer would get tired of a business conducted on unsound principles, and the supplementing of deficits from the pockets of the taxpayers. Lord Inchape said he was confident all these visions of Government commercial enterprise would fade in due time and the British Mercantile Marine enable Britannia to continue to rule the waves.