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THE SHIPPING
INDUSTRY.
PROSPECTS IN AUSTRALIA.
The operations of the Adelaide Steam
ship Company during the six months ended
December 31 'were explained at the ordi
nary general meeting of shareholders,
which was held at the firm's offices, Currie
street, on Tuesday morning. The Chairman
of Directors (Mr. M. G. Anderson) pre
sided over a good attendance. In reviewing
the activities of the company, 'Mr. Ander
son remarked that the returns for the six
months ended December 31 last were of a
satisfactory nature, and a dividend of 9d.
per share had been declared. The Wan
dilla had been sold, and was handed over
to her new owners in New York on Febru
ary 16. The expenses in connection 'with
running a vessel of her class, and the com
petition for the coastwise trade by large
oversea passenger ships and the rails-ays,
had made her unattractive any further
as a profit-earning proposition. The com
pany had purchased and renamed five
steamers, namely, J the Aldinga and
Aroona, each of o',000 tons deadweight; the
Harunga, 7,200 tons deadweight (a sister
ship to the Baldina); and the Merriwa and
Milluna, each 8,000 tons deadweight. They
were all ncrw in Australian waters with
the exception of the Barunga, which was
at present in New Zealand, and would be
delivered to the company shortly at Syd
ney. Those vessels would be of great ser
vice in maintaining and developing their
trade. With the object of extending their
coal business, the directors decided, after
making a full enquiry, to take an interest
in the East Greta Coalmining Company,
which company had acquired an option
over eome valuable coal lands situated in
the Aellalong portion of the Maitland coal
field, New South Wales. The acquisition
should provide additional work for the
company's steamers, in addition to afford
ing dispatch in loading. The company had
purchased from the underwriters the huli
of the steamer Carroo, which was- barnt
last year, and they hoped to have her re
conditioned for the forthcoming sugar
season. Tie Ferret, which had had such an
adventurous career, was wrecked on No
vember 14 last, near Cape Spencer, and had
been abandoned as a total doss. Since the
last meeting the final report of the Select
Committee on Australian Overseas and
Interstate Sea Carriage had been pre
sented to the Commonwealth Parliament.
Every assistance had been rendered by
the company to members of the committee,
and complete statements furnished in con
nection with the industry. The report as
presented by the committee was an able
and exhaustive one.
—Future Prospects.—
In December last a strike of marine
stewards had begun, throwing idle. a great
number of vessels at a time calculated to
cause the greatest inconvenience to the
travelling public. After its termination
the owners decided that before recommis
eioning the shipe some better understand
ing with the Seamen's Union should be ar
rived at to ensure the industry being car
ried on satisfactorily. Some time elapsed
before that could be accomplished, but
eventually the Deputy-President of the. Ar
bitration Court intervened, and in due
course an agreement was arrived at, which
it was hoped would result in the uninter
rupted running of the ships in their various
trades with beneficial results to all con
cerned. During the interval, while their
ships were lying idle, some thousands of
pounds were diverted from the Common
wealth ia freight and passage money to
vessels owned overseas, so that not only
had there been a great loss of wages and
trade to the Commonwealth, but a large
amount of cash actually left Australia in
consequence of the strike. The outlook for
shipping and trade generally, in the world
at present was not encouraging, but in the
Commonwealth the prospects were better
than elsewhere. They were a producing
country, and other countries wanted their
produce, but Australia could not maintain
itself in a sound position if continually
harassed by labour disturbances. Provided,
however, the neople were prepared to work
and the seasons were good, the future was
promising, although it should necessarily
take some time before conditions again
become normal.
Mr. Anderson moved the adoption of the
report. Mr. J. McDowall seconded.
Carried.
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