No New Liners!

Trans-Pacific Plan May Be Affected by Far East Situation.

A GOOD deal of political and news paper snarling is going on over the fact that, apparently, the plan to build two ultra-modern 22,000-tons liners for the trans-Pacific service (to replace the “Niagara” and “Aorangi”) has been abandoned.

It was agreed that Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand should jointly find £3,000,000 to “maintain British shipping prestige in the Pacific”.

A well-known London writer says that the plan has broken down because the N.Z. Labour Government insists on im posing certain embarrassing labour conditions in connection with the ship ping service. The impeachment has been sharply and angrily denied by the New Zealand Prime Minister (Mr.

Savage). He says that the cause of the delay is the huge increase in ship building costs.

Meanwhile, it is indicated that the Matson Line may build new ships for the Pacific service.

It is beyond doubt that the position is dominated by certain international considerations relating to Japan. Ob viously it is far more important that there should be Anglo-American co operation in maintaining the status quo in the Pacific, rather than that British and American shipping interests should squabble over trans-Pacific tfanspor f and the “prestige” of either the Red Ensign or the Stars and Stripes.