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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 29, 1978
BREMRIDGE WARNS OF COST-CUTTING TACTICS OF RUSSIAN
SHIPPING
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UNOFFICIAL LEGISLATIVE COUNCILLOR, THE HON. JOHN BREMRIDGE, TODAY WARNED OF THE THREAT POSED ON OUR ECONOMY BY THE COST-CUTTING TACTICS OF RUSSIAN LINER SHIPPING.
SPEAKING AT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL'S BUDGET DEBATE,
MR. BREMRIDGE SAID THESE TACTICS MUST BE WELCOME TO SOME EXTENT BY MERCHANTS, EUT IT IS FOOLISH TO LET THIS GET OUT OF HAND.
+ THE REASONS ARE CLEAR. THEY COULD AT ANY TIME WITHDRAW IN AN EFFORT TO PUT VARIOUS TYPES OF PRESSURE UPON US, AND THEY CERTAINLY WOULD WITHDRAW IN ANY SORT OF MAJOR EMERGENCY, AND NO DOUBT TAKING CUR CARGO WITH THEM+
HE SAID COMPETITION
ACTUAL OR THREATENED -- MUST EXIST, AND SHOULD BE WELCOME TO THE EXTENT THAT IT IS FAIR AND DOES NOT RESULT IN SHIPPING TARIFFS BECOMING COMPLETELY UNCERTAIN AS A RESULT OF ANARCHY.
BUT THE RUSSIANS CHARACTERISTICALLY DO NOT COMPETE FAIRLY. +THERE IS CLEARLY ALSO THE OVER-RIDING CONSIDERATION THAT THERE IS A POINT BEYOND WHICH NO COMMUNITY CAN ALLOW A VITAL INTEREST TO BE HEAVILY INFLUENCED BY THOSE IT DOES NOT TRUST,+ HE SAID.
RUSSIAN SHIPPING OPERATES WITH CREWS THAT ARE PAID WELL BELOW NORMAL STANDARDS, AT ABOUT 450 MONTHLY, COMPARED WITH OVER $2.000 FOR A HONG KONG SEAMAN. THEIR SHIPS GENERALLY SPEAKING ARE REPAIRED AND DRY-DOCKED IN PUSSIA, ARE VICTUALLED WITH RUSSIAN FOOD, ARE BUNKERED WITH RUSSIAN FUEL TO A CONSIDERABLE EXTENT, AND THEIR DEPRECIATION POLICY IS QUITE ENIGMATIC, AS ARE CALCULATIONS OF BUILDING COST AND OVERALL PROFIT, HE SAID.
THEY CAN CARRY A FAIR SHARE OF THEIR OWN IMPORTS AND EXPORTS, HE CONTINUED, BUT IN CROSS TRADES THESE BUILT-IN FACTORS MUST SURELY REQUIRE AN IMPOSED DISCIPLINE.
+UNLESS WISDOM PREVAILS WHICH SEEMS UNLIKELY OR UNLESS OTHERWISE CHECKED THE RUSSIANS COULD IN THEORY CONTINUE TO EXPAND ALMOST TO THE EXTINCTION OF WESTERN SHIPPING EY THEIR PRESENT POLICY OF UNDERCUTTING TARIFFS DY ABOUT 25 PER CENT,+
MR. BREMRIDGE QUOTED LAST YEAR'S FIGURES ON HONG KONG'S MAJOR AND VITAL EXPORT ROUTES TO EUROPE AND WEST COAST U.S.A. WHICH, TO HIM, SEEMED TO BE HUDE ING ON THE TOLERABLE LIMITS.
TO EUROPE VIA THE TRANS-31ZERIAN RAILWAY. THE RUSSIANS LIFTED ABOUT 134,000 TONS OR AICUT 7.6 PER CENT OF THE TOTAL MOVEMENT AND TO THE WEST COAST OF THE U.3.A. THEY LIFTED 104,000 TONS CR ABOUT 0.2 PER CENT OF THE TOTAL.
+WHILE THERE 13 AS YET NO CAUSE FOR UNDUE ALARM I MUST SUGGEST THAT GOVERNMENT SHOULD NOW EECI TO CONSIDER ADMINISTRATIVE MEASURES TO ENSURE THAT THE RUSSIANS DE TOT INCREASE THEIR CARRYINGS,+ HE SAID.
REFERRING TO