DOMINION NEWS

Grey River Argus, 17 September 1934, Page 8

DOMINION NEWS

CHEAPER STATE COAL. (Per Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, September 15. An anomaly is reported under which the State Coal Depot in Christchurch, which retails coal at 5s a bag, can be undercut by a city retailer who pur- ' chases wholesale. Mr T. Quinlivan, manager of the State Coal Office, stated he regards the activities of his rival as a phase of undercutting that will not last. If the State depot in the last six months had shown a profit of only £lOO at 5s a bag, he did not see how a price ranging from 4s 6d to 4s 9d could last. “Any man can start up in business and sell for less than we can,” said Mr Quinlivan, “but it is a question as to how long he will keep going. Coal merchants are complaining that he is taking their business away.” Selling lhe coal at 4s 6d a bag, the hawker would make a profit of less than 10s a ton, provided that all the coal was screened coal. There was, however, a certain amount wasted throirgh slack, and as the man was operating at the rate of about only six tons a week there was not a great deal in ifr. His own labour had to be taken into account, and also the risk of bad debts. The State Office retailed, on an aver age, about 30 tons of coal a day and from such competition would suffer the loss of a certain number of customers, along with the other dealers. The rival retailer purchases wholesale from the State depot. The man concerned is said to have bought a second-hand truck and hawked the coal about, the streets. He is charged the same wholesale rate as any other merchants. It is the opinion of merchants that he is able to cut in such a drastic manner owing to the fact that he has few overhead expenses t.) meet.

LABOUR CANDIDATES. (Per Press' Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, September 15. The L.R.C. will confer with the Rangiora branch of the Labour Party on September 26 with a view to making a recommendation to the central executive of the Labour Party as to whether Labour should run a candidate at next election in the Hurunui electorate in opposition to the Prime Minister. If it is decided that Labour should have Hurunui the head office of the Labour Party will select the candidate after consultation with the L.R.C. and the Rangiora branch. The question of running a candidate for Mid-Canterbury will be decided by the Ashburton branch. The Labour Party, it is stated, has decided that it will regard Douglas Social Credit candidates as independent aspirants for political honours, and that there will be no “understandings” between the Douglas Social Credit organisation and the Labour Party. P. & T. REVENUE. WELLINGTON, September 15. A slight drop is shown in the revenue of the Post and Telegraph Department for the year ended March 31 last, according to the annual report, The sum received for the year was £3,200,414, compared w’ith £3,293,932 for the previous year, 1932-33, a decrease of £93,518. The receipts showed an improvement toward the end of the year. Payments for the year in respect of working expenses (including interest on capital liability amounting to £553,000 and a sum of £36,739 provided out of the depreciation fund) totalled £2,(148,600. The excess of receipts over payments was £551,814. A sum of £154,388 was paid to the Consolidated Fund during the year. AUCKLAND, September 14.

One of the cleverest safe-breaking jobs in Auckland in recent years, was discovered to-day, at the premises of Hughes and Cos Mer, wine and spirit merchiants. The burglar scaled a downpipe, beflore. entering the warehouse through a skylight. He then broke open 'the strongroom, and with dynamite blew the safe open, so skilfully that the door could be -closed afterwards. He obtained aboult £llThe question of the right to hold meetings in streets and o*ther public places without first obtaining a permit was again discussed by the City Council, which decided to retain its right •bo grant permits. Although members of the Municipal Band had decided it would not be desirable at present for them to apply for a restoration of cuts in salaries, the Citly CQuircili decided to grant five per cent, restoraltion a-s from April 1. The Bandmaster, Mr George Buckley, hiad reported he had been under the impression the Band was not in the same category as the ether departments, inasmuch as members fu'filled their duties in their spare time. The Band had agreed almost unanimously in view of '.the fewer engagements at present, it would not be desirable to apply for a restoration of the cut. GLSBORNE,, September 14. A Maori _b°y, Claude Dennis aged nine years, at Manutuke, was sitruck by .a passing motor-car, this morning, and received injuries from which he died after removal to the Cook Hospital OAMARU, September 14. The police were notified yesterday that a ’cycle and hat, belonging to John Fallon, 37, Oamaru, no occupation, was found on the edge of the old reservoir. The man has been mis.iing since September 2. lie had been in the habit of going away by himself’ -on various occasions, therefore his absence caused no alarm until the cycle was found. Apparently when he left the bicycle, Fallon had been repairing it, as the tool bag was open and 'the tube of a tyre exposed The police and Ithe Borough Council employees- are dragging the reservoir to-day. HAMILTON, September 14. An anomalous position concerning the supply of doctors was referred to by Mr J. Banks, of Rotorua, at a meeting of the Waikato Hospital Board to-day. He said s-tudents were not being accepted for the Medical School

at Dunedin because the authorities claimed that there were too many trained doctors in New Zealand for the work available. On Ithe ether hand hospital boards were finding it difficult to secure the services of doctors. For sixty-eight positions offered recently, only thirty appKeations were for!he..-ming. The chairman (Mr J. J. Ruburn) said no doubt the board had difficulty in obtaining doctors. At present one was wanted for the Waikato Hospital and Another for Rotorua. CHRISTCHURCH, September 14.

Replying to a question at a meeting of the Canterbury branch of the Economics Society, as to whether the Government should export the £4 500. 000 gold reserve Ipld by the Central Reserve Bank,. Professor Tocker said there could be no possible need for the gold within New Zealand, where as if exported, it could be sold at a useful profit. The funds wab’.sed ii/ this way could be held i’n London, and added on to the reserves there. The gold hvould be changed into sterling form, in which we needed it, and would be available in London for overseas payments.