The Alaska daily empire., 1921-04-07
SHIPPING BOARD
 IS DEFENDED BY GOVERNOR RIGGS
Appears Before Territorial Senate Against Repeal :.
 Of 1919 Act.

At II 0 ClOCh LulS loi CllOOh li' 1 Territorial Senate went into th' Committee of the Whole, and witt | Senator Britt in the chair, thor oughly discussed the bill before th' Senate for the repeal of the Terri torial Shipping Board.
 By request, Gov. Riggs appeared before the Senators and in a shori talk strongly defended the Boardi work and the need for the BoarC l to be retained.
 Gov Riggs went into the matter which caused the enactment of the | 1919 Legislature laws providing fol 1 the Shipping Board He declared that the results attained have beer most beneficial, that statistics were secured which had never before beer duplicated.
 The Shipping Board prevented the announced raise in tariffs, pro posed by the steamship companies, said Gov. Riggs, saved the ship ping on the Yukon River, and believe the Board should be retained and their services extended. The transportation problem o1 Alaska is one of the most difficult questions that confront us. The Shipping Board should be continued to appear at hearings before Con gress, etc. The Shipping Board mel obstacles when it came to carrying out the laws by establishing steam ship lines to Alaska"
 Gov. Riggs went into various dc tails of what the Shipping Board had accomplished, having with him the exhaustive reports submitted, by which to answer any and all ques- tions propounded.
 Senator Collins said: What was the Board to do as required by the act? Did the Board do this? No they got statistics and then says what might have been done"
 Collins Opposes Board. | Senator Collins insisted that the approprtion of $300,000 still con. tinued and could be used. There was only one constructive thine recommended by the Shiping Board. said Senator Collins, and this wa: as regards license tax of s3 pel net ton on registered tonnage com ing into the Territory. Of practically $26,0 900 expended by the Committee $1S,000 covers the work of secur- ing the statistics. Let's wipe the Board Act off the statutes, and give ! a1,th hnrity tn a hearings, etc"
 Senator Frawley suggested that the duties of the Shipping Boart might be imposed upon the Attorne, General under instructions of tht Governor of the Territory. Gov. Riggs said this might be ont solution but some one should have authority to make a demand to- re coive information from carriers.
 Gov. Riggs also stated that ht believed the appropriation of $500, 900 died at the end of the fisca year.
 Hess Also Opposed. Senator Hess stated he wa against the Shipping Board Act, tha it ought to be repealed as the Ship | ping Board did not accomplish wha it was supposed to have done, tn cata blishment of a steamship line Senator Price said the measur l had benefited the Territory far il excess of anything previously at l tempted and he was loath to nav the bill repealed until some ney and constructive measure had take its place.
 Senator Frawley again stated h had not seen where the Board ha accomplished the objects for whicl the bill was enacted, that the state ments presented by the Shippin Board showed that it had not func toned.
 When the whistles blew and tn bells rang denoting that it was tim for luncheon, Senator Collins move that the committee arise and repor to the Senate progress had bee made. His was carried, Senate Britt thanked Gov Riggs for attend ing the session and adjournmen was taken until o'clock thi afternoon.
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