iN

Ing tables relating to overseas and interstate
 shipping, respectively: —

Australian Oversea Trade.

Year ended
30th June.

Oversea Cargo.

Discharged,


Shipped.

1917
1918
1919
1920
1921
1922
1923
1924
1925 _— wes
1926 ve. ee
1927 xo oe.

Tons.
2,765,233
2,012,387
2,312,288
2,238,298
3,201,215
2,419,977
3,718,795
1,377,171
1,606,112
5,342,621
ROR 219

Tous.
3,982,826
2,613,561
3,813,651
1,984,946
5,925,133
5,816,174
4,064,196
1,981,521
5,498,098
5,169,407
3.946.141

(927 —
British Vessels
Foreign Vessels

4,317,856
1 637.356

3,567,889
1.678.252

Total ...

5,955,212

5.246 141

Australian Interstate Cargoes
Shipped.

Year ended |
30th Jnne.

Interstate Cargoes
Shipped.

1917
(918
(919
1920
(921
1922 ren
923 ver
1924 is
{925 or
[926 ais
| 9977 oo

Tons
1,868,014
1,833,428
4,495,258
4,415,909
1,993,678
5,633,716
5,137,651
6,358,191
6,413,975
5,735,973
6.796.156

»

20. From Chambers of Commerce,
from manufacturers, and from many
of the private individuals with whom
we have been brought into contact we
have received representations as to the
high rates of freight charged for seaborne
 transport, both round the coast
of Aunstralia and overseas We think

shat those complaints are justified, and
‘hat the existence of these high rates
of freight militates against Australian
orosperity. If freights are unduly
large they handicap . Australian exports,
 whether of primary products or
manufactured goods. They handicap
them in two ways, first because if the
freight on the goods themselves is
large, the c.i.f. price must needs be
increased accordingly, and, secondly,
because if the freight or articles which
are ultimately used or consumed in
the production of exported goods is
large, this must be reflected in the cost
»f production of those exported goods.
21. We do not lay the blame for extessive
 freight on the shipowners,
because our inquiries do not tend to
show that shipping, whether coastal
or overseas, yields an unduly high
rate. of commercial profit. For instance,
 we have seen the accounts of a
‘eading Australian shipping company,
vhich show that last year only 7 per
sent. dividend was paid, and in the
srevious year only 8 per cent.—not a
aigh rate of return on capital for a
shipping company. Not only was the
whole of the profit made last year
absorbed in paying the dividend, but
some amount of previous profits was
sed for that purpose. The reserve
fund to cover replacement in the case
of this company is not an excessive
amount. Similar information is available
 in regard to oversea shipping.
22. If the shipping companies are
well managed, and are not making
more than a proper return on the
capital employed by charging the present
 freights, they cannot be expected
to reduce those freights while their expenses
 remain on the present level. It
is, therefore, necessary to consider
what abnormal causes affect the exsenses
 of shipping; they are: (1) High
ates for light, port and harbour
lues (these affect all shipping); (2) the
Navigation Acts, which primarily
fect coastal shipping and indirectly
ffect overseas shipping; (8) the
pecial conditions and high cost of
abour in Australia, which, so far as it
s incurred in connection with loading
or unloading, affects all shipping, and
so far as it is incurred for seamen’s
vaces. affects Australian shipping.