The Stratford Evening Post With which is Incorporated “THE EGMONT SETTLER.” (Established 1890.) THURSDAY, AUGUST 18, 1932 Shipping Competition

Stratford Evening Post, Volume II, Issue 22, 18 August 1932, Page 4

The Stratford Evening Post With which is Incorporated “THE EGMONT SETTLER.” (Established 1890.) THURSDAY, AUGUST 18, 1932 Shipping Competition

A SHIPPING Committee has been set up by the Ottawa Conference, and its chairmanship has been entrusted to the Right Hon. J. G. Coates. Iho problem has a pronounced political side, as well as an economic side. Ihe volume of cargoes has been all too .small for the vessels offering. Many of them are laid up, and there is fierce competition among those still in commission. But, whilst the shrinkage of world trade is the chief cause of the trouble, the appalling state to which shipping has been reduced is attributed fry the report of the Chamber of Shipping of the United Kingdom mainly to the direct and indirect action of Governments in bringing ships into existence for political and not commercial reasons, and in running them at a heavy loss at the cost of the taxpayers, while at the same time imposing restrict ions on the volume of the cargoes passing through their ports. Like "dumped goods," State-aided ships, it is asserted, have no place in trade. It may be recalled that the Imperial Economic Conference of 192 3, affirming the policy of no discrimination at British ports, declared that the Governments of the Empire would consult together if in the future a foreign country attempted to discriminate against the British Fin?-;. ; his is precisely what has been done in the Pacific. Al- • -ready the Ottawa Committee is discussing America's methods in the San Francisco-New Zealand-Australian service. These have already been so familiarised hy previous discussion that there is no need to recapitulate them. It is, however, reassuring to know that the British Chamber of Commerce is fully seized of the facts and that its weight is behind the decision to induce 'he Ottawa Conference to make some counter-move on the lines of declared British sea policy. This may be stated thus: "Freedom to the traders to use the most effective and efficient carrying power that is available is essential to the prosperity of international commerce. The British shipping industry, in the interests of this country, and of the Empire, should adhere to the policy of freedom of the seas, on a footing of equality for nil ships, under all flags, in all ports, in all international and in all inter-Empire trades, and in so doing it will serve the best interests not only of British trade and shipping but of the trade mid shipping oi the world,"