ACTION NEEDED

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 76, Issue 299, 19 December 1933, Page 9

ACTION NEEDED

PLIGHT OF SHIPPING PLEA FOR FAIR CHANCE FOREIGN SUBSIDIES LONDON, November, 7. Mr. Alexander Shaw, chairman of tho P. and O. and British India Steam Navigation Companies, and a director of the Bank of England, speaking at Galashiels last night, referred to the plight of British shipping. Turning to tho present position of tho industry in Great Britain, Mr. Shaw said that in June, 1914, Great Britain owned nearly 44 per cent, of tho sea-going tonnage of the world. In Juno 1933, Britain’s proportion of world shipping had fallen to 29 per cent. No less than 2,500,000 gross tons of British shipping was laid up because the conditions of today made it impossible for those ships to remain in commission. So thcro was a glut of world tonnage coupled with a severe relative decline in British shipping, and a most serious problem of unemployment for our ships and sailors. The fact must be faced that even a groat improvement in trade would not under present conditions bring a corresponding improvement to British ( shipping. Improvement no doubt there would be, but not such an improvement as would ensure the safety of our maritime position. The reason for all this was clear. It was threefoldforeign subsidies for operating ships, foreign subsidies for building ships, and foreign restrictions on tho shipping of other hinds. Tho subsidies against which British shipping had to contend had now reached the enormous total of over £30,000,000 per Jannu m. Competition of Foreign Vessels The trade between Australia and New Zealand was purely British trade between two British Dominions. Tt had been built up by British Empire shipping. Now tho Empire ships which 'served that trade wore running in the (face of severe and continuous loss, ;simply because they were up against [the wholly unccononii*c competition of foreign vessels, highly subsidised by a foreign Government. Those subsidised ships were knocking out British shipping between these great British Dominions not because they were better manned or managed, but by virtue of the State aid they received. As a result it was impossible for the British companies concerned to lay down new ships and so R ,v e muchneeded employment. Doing nothing! That was the only official policy up to date —a policy of I allowing our Empire trade routes to Iho captured by foreign subsidised shipping. .It was a policy of apathy, negation and ncglcvt. Its logic was

logic of the lotus enters, and its end was the ruin of British shipping. History would reserve her lasting censure for those who idly allowed the links of Empire to bo broken up and by their blind apathy inflicted upon an Imperial people r humiliation worse than any defeat. Pampering Not Desired. It was not too late now if we acted in time. The British mercantile marino wanted no special favours. It had never asked for subsidies at the expense of the taxpayers. The men engaged in it asked merely to be given something like a fair chance to keep the Red Ensign of Britain flying on tho oceans of the world. Given that chan'ce, although battered now by adversity and weakened by loss, they were still capable of renewing their strength and of dedicating it to the service of tho Empire and the world. Ho hoped on a very early occasion to make a concrete suggestion for an active policy as a 'contribution to the discussion of tho problem of saving Empire shipping from foreign domination. Whatever policy was adopted to moot tho danger must have behind it the understanding and goodwill of British people all over tho Empire. It would be vain to put forward a policy of pampering British shipping. Personally, although he might be wrong, ho would not like to seo a policy by which shipping would become a charge upon British taxpayers, unless ias a fast desperate resort to save our [national position. But the policy of (giving a fair chance to those who were putting up a good fight for Britain against groat, odds should appeal to the, British sense of justice. “It is not too late now if we act in time,” Air. Shaw concluded. “British shipping, particularly in Hie inter-Empiro spheres, is still fighting a gallant rearguard action; but its resources of strength are ebbing away. British shipping does not need to be I pampered. It can weather tho blast |of economic •competition, but not tho (dynamite of foreign subsidies.” WELSH WORKERS LONDON, Dec. 17. ■ Fourteen hundred unemployed men in Garw Valley. Wales, mostly minors, formed a club and co-operatively bought a small colliery and plot or land which was worked ns allotments. They have started a boot repairing shop. Two hundred and fifty are now working in the a few hours a wook for which each receives of coal. Tho boot shop h repairing i members’ footwear at Is 6d a pair for 'men’s, Is 3d for women’s, and Is for l children’s.