LATE MESSAGES

Greymouth Evening Star, 20 February 1940, Page 11

LATE MESSAGES

NAVAL ENTERPRISE ; PARIS, February 19. Thoßourse responded vigorously to the British naval enterprise in the Altmarck incident. There were frequent cries ef “Vive Churchill!” ARTILLERY ACTIVITY PARIS, February 19. A French communique stated that French guns shelled the Perl courthouse, containing Germans, and reduced it to rubble, in retaliation for the German shelling of Apach. The Germans are more active, trying to rush' the French defences, but an attack east of the Moselle failed.

ENGINEERS’ CONFERENCE.

WELLINGTON, February 20.

Well over a hundred engineers from all parts'of New Zealand are attending the four days’ conference of the Institution, which opened to-day. The delegates received a Mayoral welcome, and a welcome was also extended by the chairman of the Board of Governors at the Technical College, where they are assembled.

DUNEDIN CENTENNIAL. DUNEDIN, February 20. Centennial School Day, part of 'Dunedin’s week of celebration, occurred this morning in bright sunshine, when the remarkable feat was accomplished of. transporting 10,000 /children to‘the Wjngatui Racecourse, the scene of the festivities, in 90 •minutes, without the slightest confusion,, ten trains, at intervals of ten

minutes, providing transport. For! each child a luncheon carton, giving, one full meal, was provided, in addi-l tibn to lighter refreshments on the 1 ground. Probably as many adults fol-| lowed in a later series of specialj trains, and the scene on the racecourse was memorable.

BRITAIN’S TRADE.

LONDON, February 19

Principal British trade increases in January compared with January last year: Imports, grain and flour £3;235,000, meat £2,614,000, dairy produce £3,320,000, other food £3,254,000, non-ferrous ores scrap £2,638,000, raw cotton £3’568,000, wool raw waste £2,546,000, non-ferrous metals manumactures £942,000. Exports, and cocoa preparations £825,000, coal j £579,000, chemicals, drugs, and dyes £1,029,000. 'Decreases: Imports, tobacCo £l;600,000, wood and timber £1,090,000, hides and skins £564,000. Exports: Wool raw waste £403,000, machinery £73l,ooo,'vehicles £1,762,000.

‘ . WHAKATANE MILLS.

WELLINGTON, February -20.

.At the'. Whakatane Raper Mills inquiry, 'tp'-day',. Professor; Corbin, technical forestry adviser to the. company, said it would be more costly to bring

timber from Pukahunui block to the mill than from Matakana Island. In any case,'the timber at Pukahupui was being reserved, not fox' production of cardboard, but ultimately for newsprint. At the completion of the evidence, Dr. Fodexx outlined the. nature of the evidence from the Crown, whose answer to the company’s'application, he said, would-be that'a case had nOt yet been satisfactorily‘established for the new' prices sought. The history of the mill seemed' to be what might be called a serial story of erroneous estimates. The picture had changed'with kaleidoscopic rapidity during the few' years* of the mill’s existence. The Crown would endeavour to. satisfy the Tribunal that this factory which, it was submitted, had pr6ved uneconomic, > shbitld not'be turned into an economic concern at public expense. John Bernard Prendergast, an officer of the Industries and Commerce Department, who carried out the investigation at the factory, said the information he d'esired went furthei’ than the books of the company Provided. He was of the opinion the books did not go as far as they should have done in stating the company s exact position. He made it clear, however, that the officers of the company did their best to satisfy him bn the. noints raised, and he was not compelled ■ to produce special authority from the Minister demanding further information, which the Minister was empowered to issue under the existing legislation. Witnes: discussed items in the balance-sheet

and said that from his inquiries he gathered the Company’s financial position was not top good. The Company was working upon low stocks of raw materials, which would, be likely to embarrass the continuity in the event of a holdup in supplies owing to the w r ar or other factors. Hp formed the opinion that’the transport costs, Which amounted to more than 20 per cent., were extraordinarily high ini production of articles like cardboard. He understood the directors .wished to. increase their stock of raw materials, but that the financial position lot the company made this impossible.. of co-ordination and organisation had made it difficult for the Department s. officers to secure- accurate details of the cost of production at the mill. There was no suggestion that the Government’s officers had gone to Whakatane to discuss prices, the company was to receive for products, and the subject was not mentioned while he was at Whakatane. (Proceeding).