CABLEGRAMS AND WIRELESS

Greymouth Evening Star, 18 June 1936, Page 8

CABLEGRAMS AND WIRELESS

QUARTZ CRYSTALS /PRESS assn. —COPYRIGHT.) RUGBY, June 16. The discovery within the British Empire of quartz crystals of sufficiently line quality to be used for maintaining the frequency of radio transmitters, is reported by the Imperial institute. The new source of supply is in Uganda, in a district where alluvial gold is being washed. Commercial tests are stated to have proved satisfactory. Hitherto Brazil and Madagascar have been the two chief sources of these crystals. Besides being used in normal radio transmission, quartz crystals are in demand for apparatus required in depth-sounding at sea. SHIPBUILDING REVIVAL RUGBY, June 16. The Chamber of Shipping’s index of freight rates for May, shows an increase of 3.09 per cent, compared with April, and 15.45 per cent, compared with a year ago. Another indication of the recent improvement in the shipping outlook is given by the orders for six highspeed cargo liners, just placed by the Ellerman line. Two twin screw turbine liners each of 10,600 tons deadweight for the South African services of Ellerman and Rucknail and Hall lines, are to be built by Cammell Laird at Birkenhead. Two turbine cargo liners, 9,800 tons deadweight for the Indian services of the City and Hall lines by Barclay Curie on the Clyde, and two cargo liners, 4300 tons deadweight for the Mediterranean and Levant services of' Ellerman and Papayanni, and Westcott and Leurance lines by Gray and Co., at West Hartlepool. These orders are in addition to the cargo liner for the Indian trade, and the fast passenger liner for the Bombay service, both under construction on the Clyde for the Ellerman lines.

EGYPTIAN WHEAT. ALEXANDRIA June 17. In order to avert a slump in the wheat market, the Egyptian Government is guaranteeing the banks giving advances on wheat. It is officially stated that it is not intended to raise prices artificially, but merely to stop panic, consequent on the arrival of the new crop before the old crop is disposed of. S. AFRICAN PROTECTORATES. . RUGBY, June 17. The position of the Routh African protectorates was the subject of a Parliamentary reply by the Undersecretary for the Dominions (Lord Harlington). He recalled the aide memoire published after the conversations between the Dominions’ Secretary and the Prime Minister of the Union last year, which stated that the policy of both the United Kinugdom and the Union Governments for the next few years should be directed to bringing about a situation in which if transfer were to become a matter of practical politics, it could be effected with the full acquiescence of the populations concerned. He added: “This still represents the policy of the Government here, and I have nothing to add to that statement.”

CURRENCY FLUCTUATIONS. RUGBY, June 17. Recalling that the French Government had stated it was not their policy to de-value the franc, and refusing therefore, to reply to a Commons question on the hypothesis, the Chancellor of the Exchequer took the opportunity to deal with what he described as a “misapprehension” current in some quarters. Mr. Chamberlain said: “Our monetary policy has never been governed by any desire to obtain competitive trade advantages. The Exchange Equalisation Account plays the part only of smootihng out unnecessary fluctuations.”