BRITISH SHIPPING

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20862, 21 July 1939, Page 9

BRITISH SHIPPING

STATE ASSISTANCE AN URGENT MATTER UNFAIR COMPETITION United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright LONDON, July 19 In the House of Commons. Mr Oliver Stanley, President of the Board of Trade, in moving the Shipping Assistance Bill said that merchant shipping was vital in time of war, which may be within a measurable period. The diminution of shipping might cause us to revert overnight from an Empire to an island. Germany had regained her 1914 position after the extinction of the mercantile marine, and Italy and Japan had trebled theirs. The Government could not stand by and not attempt to assist the industry, which had to meet subsidised and unfair competition, often from noneconomic motives. The Government considered it urgent that the shipbuilding yards should immediately be filled, for which reason part of the proposals were of an-emergency character. Liner shipping was in a special category. The Government was constituting a committe of the chairman and two members of the Board of Trade to consider applications for assistance on i.heir merits. It was necessary to show, owing to foreign subsidised competition, that the line was endangered. Assistance would be limited to £lO,000.000 for an experimental period of two years. The Bill passed its second reading, an amendment by Mr E. Shinwell being defeated by 224 to 141 votes. Mr Shinwell’s amendment regretted that assistance was not accompanied by a measure of public control, the re-organisation of the industry, and the application of a national maritime board agreement with respect to wages and crews.