Western Star AND WALLACE COUNTY GAZETTE PUBLISHED Every Tuesday and Friday. TUESDAY, MARCH 6, 1917. THE SHIPPING QUESTION.

Western Star, 6 March 1917, Page 2

Western Star AND WALLACE COUNTY GAZETTE PUBLISHED Every Tuesday and Friday. TUESDAY, MARCH 6, 1917. THE SHIPPING QUESTION.

A cable received on Saturday gave a precis of the Dominions Commission's report on Canada. Inter alia it stated that British shipping companies in Canada sometimes charged lower freights on foreign goods than in British goods on the same ships for longer distances. This is how British ships have been helping the Empire 1 If was notorious that British railway companies were guilty of the same bad practice, and after this war it will be the bounden duty of all British Governments to change the relationships that it present exist between these companies and the State. The high cost of living in New Zealand has been attributed to the enormous increase in freights, and those .on exports were recently increased to the extent of exacting another million out of the producing interests. A proposal has been made in the North Island to start a producers’ shipping company with a capital of five millions, and this has been heartily supported in many quarters, reasonable freights being absolutely necessary if our produce is to be sold at a fair price after the war when the demand may not be so great. Notwithstanding the huge fortunes that have been made by shipping companies out of the exploitation of the public purse and the publio itself, nothing really practical has been done by the Government to check the rapacity of ship-owners whose patriotism is largely profit. For the carriage of scheelite to Germany before the war the charge was 30/- per ton, and to England during the war 120/per ton. Scheelite is valuable for hardening steel for munitions. Freight, therefore, sent up the cost of these. Freight on wool for soldiers’ uniforms also went up enormously, rising from fd before the war to 2§d the rate ruling at the present time. The companies were thus making nearly 400 per cent,, in taking wool home. This is a most glaring case of making money out of the war. For one year the profits of the New Zea* land shipping companies amounted to £1,500,000. This huge profit, however, sinks into insignificance when compared with the fortunes which are being made in the Old Country. The profit made by the Oceanic Steattn Navigation Company ini 1914 was £887,549; in 1915, it was £1,908,285, an increase of £1,080,736. This and other companies being limited liability companies are compelled by law to disclose their balance sheets. There is reason to believe that the biggest profits w!ere 'made by private firing which are under no such obligation. One new company of Cardiff shipowners has made a profit of £117,000 on a capital of £IOO,OOO. Even the sale of ships has resulted in great profits. Towards! the end of 1914 aj Cardiff owner offered a nine-year-old steamer of 8000 tons at £36,000, and failed to find a purchaser. In February, 1915, he obtained £44,000. Eight months later the same vessel changed hands at £72,000 after earning freight nearly the same amount. Before the war Germany whs making a big bid to get hold of the British mercantile marine, and had already got, its head 1 in so to speak by means of the International Mercantile Marine Co., of New Jersey, U.S.A., and after the war it will spare no pains to succeed in its efforts. Forewarned is forearmed. Nationalisation would save the British Empire both, from the intrigues of the Huns and the rapacity of the shipping companies.