THE METALS SCANDAL

North Otago Times, Volume CI, Issue 13327, 29 July 1915, Page 1

THE METALS SCANDAL

BROKM HILL OOttpA&Tm ■' 1 , ; , -DEFENCE. .. '--' i- § , ALLEGATIONS MAINLY "C I V.- '• :v - : ' , EEPUTED(::;: ;^:.^| (Per Oible,—Presß Association.—tOopyrightK 1 "' . MELBOURNE, | The -.Broken-. Hill Associated. Smelt-' § ers, in reply to' ; Hr Hughes! statement/ B say that tlio-Company,was formed only,, ;S this year with a capital of £750,000,' g (subscribed- by the, North and : , South V Proprietary Broken Hill Companies x and the Zinc Corporation,- tho .object; ,'o .being to. sniclt and.refine the" whole' Q output of Broken Hill. Under the arti- ■ ft clos of: association, foreign sharehold-, Q ers are prohibited aud no alien is g allowed, to participate, in the uiajiiige-. n ment. An indcpeiulcnt; agency.- Jiiis ;5 been established in London' to sell .X direct to consumers. The board on;, a 5 number,of occasions havcjrcfused'busi- V jicss with certain 'London of which are apparently approved -ofli- 0 daily! The;,company claimsvthtit, all :x its operations are free from-Gentian Q influence and control. On Junc'2jid'it y repeated to the British Government, an X offer- to, sell its "whole output at • such, .0 'prices and. at such 'a period as. Jthe ; -6 British .Go vera ineni;\' ilesi red, Negotia-;' g tions. arc proceeding,'it jstood that the company pffcred to/ac- 'B cept -substantially lower prices than § the ruling market. , ' : § The note adds that Mr Hughes ap-. \ parently ( believes' 'tliat the. Broken Hill Proprietary aud the Assoeia.tpd: Smelters'. Proprietary are really 'the'<. S same company, but it' is a. mistake His; assertions are so grotesque tliat no re-: | ply is necessary. /< ■ . . . " . '. J