§ 63. Sir ASHTON LISTERasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Shipping Controller if he is aware that the conference lines are endeavouring to create a monopoly in the shipping trade between this country and Australia by eliminating competition; that to secure such monopoly they require those who ship cargo to undertake to confine all their shipments to the conference lines during the ensuing twelve months on penalty of forfeiting a promised rebate of 10 per cent. on the freights for the twelve months; whether these conditions have been declared illegal in Australia; whether the conference line monopoly places British manufacturers in a disadvantageous position as compared with Continental manufacturers, who have a choice of a number of shipping lines in free competition with one another; and is the formation of the con- 1030 ference line opposed to the free competition promised the country in the speech of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary to the Shipping Ministry on the 19th May?
The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the MINISTRY of SHIPPING (Colonel Wilson)The rebate system to which my hon. Friend refers is one of long standing, and I am not aware that any new methods have been recently introduced by the shipping lines in the Australian trade. The system was fully considered some years ago by a Royal Commission, which did not recommend its prohibition. I am aware that in this matter, as in others, the legislation in force in Australia differs from that of the United Kingdom, but I do not consider that the action of the steamship lines in maintaining their pre-war arrangements with their shippers is in any way at variance with anything I said on the 19th May, and I may add that during the War the liner conferences have proved of the greatest value in the maintenance of essential imports into this country.
§ Sir R. COOPERDoes that mean that the Government approve of this rebate system?
Colonel WILSONA Royal Commission inquired into the whole question and did not recommend its prohibition. I think it reported in 1909.