Untitled

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 236, 3 October 1916, Page 4

Mr D. C. Bates' weather forecast for 24 hours from 9 ajn. this day is as follows: "The indications are for variable and, moderate breezes, but easterly moderate to strong prevailing. There Is a prospect of fair to cloudy weather. The. night will probably be very cold. Barometer little movement. Tides high, sea moderate."

Probate of the will of the late Mr. E. C. E. Mills, of Wellington, whose death in London wae recently cabled, has been granted by the Supreme Court, Wellington. The estate has been provisionally sworn at £60,000. The deceased leaves bequests to St. Paul's Church, Wellington, and the Port Nicholson Yacht Club, and bequeaths the whole of the estate subject to such bequests to be divided equally among hie sisters, Mrs. B. Holmwood and Mrs. C. Russell, of Lpndon : Mrs. A. Anderson, Christchurch, Mrs. W. J. Napier, Auckland, and Mrs. W. Grey, Wellington, and his surviving brother, Mr. J. F. Mills, Wellington.

Complaints having been made that New Zealand prisoners of war in Turkey are not receiving any money the Minister of Defence cabled to the High Commissioner. In Teply, Sir Thomas Mackenzie details the steps he took to provide for the wants of New Zealand prisoners of war. His message concludes: "Since receipt of your cablegram the Foreign Office has .been interviewed, and has cabled the American Ambassador at Constantinople regarding the complaints. I will "telegraph again when a reply is received."

Sir George Clifford, chairman of the Canterbury Frozen Meat Company, writes as follows to the Press: "Information received from our agents in London indicates that there is a probability, amounting nearly to an assurance, that the Government's price for meat shipped; on the Government's account from the Dominion will he increased for the coming season. I deem it a duty to make public this intimation for what it is worth, in view of our wish to protect all the interests affected."

Discussing the position oi the money, market, the "Trade Review" mentions that the exports of New Zealand continue to exhibit an increase and chow a very big surplus over imports, although the latter are increasing, also owing to enhanced prices. For the two years ended August Slat, the aggregate excess of exports over imports was 20$ millions, says the "Review," and "after allowing for payment of .our outside obligations there is still some 16 millions left, so after the raising of the loan there should still be ample funds for all ordinary business requirements for some time to come. Our export season is about to staTt now, and the prospects appear very favourable; the demand for all our staple products is still keen and prices appear likely to keep high. Practically the only serious trouble is ihe question of sufficient shipping to take the produce Laway."

A gas-explosion oecurfed r 'tSe-pre- : inmises occupied by J. B. Stables, in Lome Street, this morning. Gas leaking from one of the pipes Had apparently accumulated between the floor boards, and, •becoming ignited, caused an explosion that did slight damage to the extent of moving some of the floor-boards. The City Brigade turned out, but their services were not necessary.

Patrick Hefferon, a seaman on the Shaw, Savill liner lonic, was injured yesterday afternoon by being caught and crushed between two derricks on the ship. He was taken to the Hospital, being admitted at 4.45 p-m. Hefferon, who is a middle-aged man, has been employed on the lonic for 11 years. It is feared that he may have suffered internal injury.

There is an improvement of work on the waterfront, there being a large number of ships now in port. Last evening, there were ve33els, including coastal traders in this port, representing about 50,000 tons register. The largest of the ships left this morning for an oversea port. At one time there were two vessels of over 12,200 tons, one of 5,900, and one of 6,444 tons. The others included seven coastal traders. This revival is welcome after several quiet days.

Following an Auckland Institute lecture, which touched on the relation of land values to the prices ruling for produce, the Hon. Geo. Fowlds said last night that years and years ago, when some of our churches were raising protests in condemnation of the evil of gambling, he pointed out to them that soma of their leading people were engaged in another form of gambling in their speculations in land. What he had heard in the course of Dr. McHraith's lecture had confirmed that opinion.

Away back in 1895, when trade prices in Now Zealand were at their lowest ebb, the machinery which made possible the frozen meat trade was introduced. In commenting at a meeting of the Auckland Institute last night on the wonderful benefits conferred by this industry, Mr. J. H. Upton mentioned that whereas the current price for mutton was nearly 1/- per lb, it was possible in those earlier and darker days to buy a whole leg of mutton for that small sum.

The hope was expressed by the Hon. George Fowlds at the end of an economic lecture last night that the time was not far distant when all the civilised nations would adopt some standard of value which would be regulated by other things than the production of gold. There was, he said, no reason why some system should be introduced which would give proper consideration to all of tbe main items influencing production. Prices should not hinge upon the plenitude or scarcity of gold.

An application by G. T. EHinac (Mr. McConnell) to have J. Beazley, of Houhora, adjudged bankrupt was granted by his Honor Mr. Justice Hosking at the Supreme Court to-day. When the appli-, cation was made his Honor asked why| the name had not been stated in full; "J" might stand either for James, Joseph or John. Counsel for the application etated that the original summons had ■been issued from the Magistrate's Court in that way. "How on earth," replied | his Honor, "did they allow a .judgment 'in the Magistrate's Court to go through like that? It is. most dangerous to assume anything on an initial, and might ! easily lead to a serious libel case."

One of the most interesting impressions with which Mr. Robert Burns has returned from England is the part that the women are taking in industrial life, particularly in the manufacture of munitions. So successful have they proved that some manufacturers do hot look forward to the'return of the male members of their staffs, having"formedthe'opinion that women arc-quite as eood as men in every way, having" less broken time and paying more attention to instructions. Women are also figuring more prominently in professional and clerical life. As far as he can judge,_ Mr. Burns does not think that Great Britain is doing much to prepare for the return of soldiers to their usual (Occupations, which is "a great problem to be faced after the war. Mr. Burns says that the new munitions factories are huge affairs,, and that unrestricted supplies are being sent to the front.

During September the Auckland Farmers' Freezing Company shipped from Auckland 2,867,7911b of frozen meat, and 19,151 boxes of hutter. No cheese was sent away. The various classes of meat were represented as follows: Mutton,----543,6241b; beef, 2,202,2081b, lamb, 34931b; veal, 118,4661b; boned meat, nil. The total shows a decrease of 1,592,5661b as compared with the fighresfor September, 1915, but a similar comparison for the past three months shows a rise of 5,279,2391b, the total export being 11,921,1571b. The September butter has fallen only 1164 boxes. The drop in meat is solely due to a shortage of ships, which partly accounts for the fact that there are about 40,000 'boxes of. butter at present in cool storage.

The difficulty with which Great Britain was faced after the outbreak of war in connection with the shortage of analine dyes was referred to by Mr J. H. Upton at a meeting of the .Auckland Institute last night during consideration of the dumping question. He explained that some years ago Dr. Perkins was producing analinc dyes in England, hut owing to dumping by German manufacturers he had to close his factory. After war broke out the somewhat disconcerting discovery was made that the industrial factories most adapted for the production of high explosives were the dye factories. Germany, therefore, scored at the expense of Great Britain. Happily our Mother Country had now overtaken the enemy—as she invariably did —but not before the expenditure had been made of great treasure in lives and money. After some delay the British Government had agreed to give their dye makers a reasonable export duty to enable them to fight the Germans after the war. Professor Segar (in the chair) observed that the great advantage secured by Germany in this connection was the outcome of the attention given to research work in that country. Where one chemist had been employed in research work in England, a hundred had been employed in Germany.

In conversation with the son of a wellI known Dutchman, Mr. Robert Burns was i informed while in England that in Hamburg it has been a usual sight since the 'outbreak, of war to see picked German I troops practising embarking and disembarking, with guns of all calibres. Th* I strong impression is that these troops have been_ held in readiness to invade England—if they ever can.

Joseph Coutts, a visitor, from Taranaki. was admitted to the Hospital at 7.50 p.m. yesterday, suffering from cuts about the face and head, the result of a fall from a tramcar. The injured man attempted to alight from the tram in Khyber Pass Boad while -it - was still travelling, and was thrown on to the road. He walked to the Hospital for treatment.

The Victoria League,.at a meeting held yesterday afternoon, voted a donation of £10 10/- to the British and Foreign; Sailors' Society, London, in response to an appeal by Lady Beatty, forwarded through Mr. W. J. Napier.