No Shipping—Wrathful

Planter Speaks Out

Letter to the Editor THE ineffectual use of the large Gov ernment fleet of inter-Island vessels is responsible for the shipping shambles in the Solomons. As a result, large quantities of copra have rotted or been lost in the last year.

Bought and paid for by the British taxpayer to do a job of work, far too many of these valuable vessels are either too dashed dainty to lift copra, or else are wastefully employed carrying part cargoes, or on sheer gallivanting cruises of doubtful importance.

The Ministry of Food would not stand for a bar of this nonsense, if it knew the position. It would not permit precious copra to rot while Government* ships raced in endless gyrations around the Group doing any and every job but that of lifting produce for Britain. (The happenings in regard to the use of Gov ernment shipping here are parallelled by the wasteful use of official cars by Can berra civil servants). After all, it is the British taxpayers who go hungry when produce is lost; and, as they are paying the piper, they will call the tune.

In this matter, all Government ship ping is referred to, not that of the Trade Scheme only. In this period of economic crisis, as in war, it is essential that every ton of shipping in the Group be used to the utmost. There are enough ships to handle the business, and they could handle it, if they were only allowed to get on with the job and not messed about. j anii e £ C

Leslie F. Gill.

Munda, BSI.