23. Port and harbour dues are re- oresented to us as being exceptionally heavy in Australian ports, and it is apparent that in many cases the sums levied are in excess of the amounts necessary to provide the services, the valance being used as Commonwealth or State revenue. In our judgment such charges should be calculated to vield only sufficient amounts to cover working costs, including interest and sinking fund, and to provide out of ‘ncome reasonable reserves for depre- ciation and other continpencies, and for necessary improvements, including ‘he provision from time to time of all modern facilities for loading and un- loading, such as cranes, conveyors and ‘ravellers, unless the capital cost in- rolved is of material amount. 24. We think that the Government should not aim at deriving general revenue from such sources. New South Wales has already passed legis- lation to prevent this. It is true that, speaking generally, the shipowner is able to pass on such charges in freight, and that they therefore fall itimately upon the industries using shipping facilities, but this does not justify a charge which is in effect a concealed tax not equitably spread according to taxable capacity over the saxpaying public. 25. The coastal clauses of the Navigation Acts apply to all ships registered in Australia, and to all ships, whether registered there or not, which are engaged in the coastal trade »f Australia. They impose certain re- juirements as to living space for the 2rew, and prescribe that the wages fixed by arbitration in Australia shall Yo paid to the crews. It is admitted that the cost of the structural re- juirements under the Navigation Acts adds considerably to the cost of the vessel, and that the effect of the con- ditions imposed by these Acts makes it difficult for Australian ships to com- pete with other ships in the overseas trade, and that it is commercially im- possible for ships trading to and from Australia to engage in the coastal ‘rade. 26. The first of these effects is com- parable with the effect which is pro- duced bv wnprotection on the cost of rticles which have to be exported and old at the world’s price. The second flect means that if non-Australian hips are excluded from the coastal rade, which would otherwise natur- lly form a part of their activities, the reights which have to be paid for the 'emaining services are increased, and his, as we have already explained in espect of harbour dues and similar sharges, ultimately adds to the cost f the production of exported articles. 27. We have dealt elsewhere with she cost of labour. In so far as it is yxcessive it is a handicap to shipping, 1s to other industries. In the case of ressels engaged in the coastal trade it s offset by the virtual exclusion of vther vessels from that trade; but this loes not affect the fact that any vbnormal cost of labour is added, ‘hrough the medium of freights, to the ost of all goods landed at, or lifted rom, Australian ports. For these reasons we welcome, so ar as regards British ships, the wnnounced intention of the Common- vealth Government to repeal the roastal clauses of the Navigation Acts, nd to substitute a duty which we issume will not be prohibitive, recause, if it were, it would not really alter the existing state of things. 28. The State of Tasmania requires pecial consideration in connection with the Navigation Acts. The report if the Joint Committee of Public \ccounts of the Commonwealth for the year 1927 says: — ‘ Evidence placed before the Committee was emphatic and unanimous that the Navigation Act bad a detrimental effect on Tasmania by imposing a restraint on the free movement of passen- gers and cargoes.” The Committee, among their ohser- rations and recommendations, say:— “In approaching the question of what can be regarded as adequate communications between Tasmania and the mainland, it must be borne in mind that Tasmania, because of her compara- tive isolation and her separation by water from the mainland, is in a position entirely different from