Renewal of subsidies has almost come to be regarded as
part of Parliamentary routine, and it was a somewhat listless House which agreed on Monday to continue the shipping subsidy for a further 12 months. Dr. Burgin spoke with his usual air of one spreading light in dark places : "The fundamental difficulties of the shipping industry arise from the disequilibrium between the amount of tonnage available and the amount of cargo offered." After this revelation criticism was little more than formal. Mr. Shinwell and other Labour speakers made it clear that they had no particular objection to subsidies as such, though they objected to firms which were doing well receiving a share. The most informed speech came from Mr. Maclay, the Member for -Paisley, who spoke as a shipowner but who, characteristically, took no part in the division. He pointed out that one of the main reasons for the present temporary improve- ment in the tramp-shipping industry is that the dictators are frightened of the position of affairs owing to harvest failures in Europe, and that in consequence grain is pouring in from all parts of the world. He did not oppose the idea of a Means Test, nor ask for the indefinite perpetuation of the subsidy, but pleaded for this temporary renewal in order to complete the reorganisation of the industry.
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