Public interest is inclined to centre on what appears to be a freight war amongst the shipping along the\coast.. Svidence given before the Royal Commission ow the Navigation Act has shown, prima facie, that the clauses reserving the coastal trade coastal shipping have so far resulted in a great decrease in the local shipping facilities and a great increase. in the coastal shipping costs. In short the use of protection against foreign competitors is declared to have developed into a scandal, in which the public of course 's the chief sufferer. One firm, the Patrick s.s. Company, has taken its own course, and announced a reduction of 10 per cent. in freights. At first the big combination of coastal shipping companies scoffed, but now, though as a Federation it maintains an aloof and indifferent attitude, as individual ship-owners it is beginning to sit. up and take notice. Naturally the press publicity agents of the shipping lines are inspiring the idea. that the Patrick Company is recklessly sailing on to the financial rocks, but it is also admitted that where other companies find their steamers in direct and equal competition with the Patrick line they are lowering their freights. It is hoped that this is the beginning of some reform. It is certainly the only way to prevent the Commonwealth Parliament repealing the protective coastal shipping clauses of the Navigation Act.
To-day it' costs more to bring goods from North Queensland to the southern States, or from the eastern States to West Australia, than from Java to.the latter, or from the Pacific slope of America -or Great Britain to the Commonwealth generally: The State government, owning the railways from Perth in W. A. to Towns-of 4,000 miles, have been taught to regard their railways as a commercial proposition, and therefore will not do what they were designed to do—namely fight the shipping companies. There are those who hope that the freight war will develop, and further that the Patrick Company will make good its challenge against the combination which is at present bleeding every State.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.