MARINE WAR RISKS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15684, 11 August 1914, Page 9

MARINE WAR RISKS.

THE IMPERIAL SCHEME. PROBABLE EXTENSION. NEW ZEALAND SHIPPING. [BY TELEGRAPH.— CORRESPONDENT] Wellington, Monday. An announcement in regard to marine insurance risks was made in the House this afternoon by the Hon- F. M. B. Fisher. He said that a cablegram had been received from the Imperial ivemment stating that the war risks v Id bo extended to New Zealand and t t the underwriters were now considering the position. Ho hoped to be able to make an announcement later on that a decision had been come to which would enable shipping business to be carried on in the usual way.

Sir Joseph Ward expressed satisfaction at tho announcement. He mentioned a case in which on exporter was ready to export £5000 worth of produce, but who had to stop the shipment owing to a war risk being unobtainable.

The Prime Minister stated that he believed a (satisfactory arrangement with the Imperial Government in regard to marine insurances was in course of being made, but the matter had not been definitely settled. LOYALTY OF WORKERS. POSITION UNDERSTOOD. . SACRIFICES NECESSARY. SUGGESTIONS FOR RELIEF. The position of tho workers in regard to tho v,-ar was referred to by the Mayor, Mr. C. J. Parr, C.M.G., at the meeting of citizens held in the Town Hall yesterday.

The Mayor stated that he had conferred with some 27 trades union secretaries that day and had discussed with them tho position that had arisen as a result of the war. " The secretaries realise," said tho Mayor, "that there is going to be some unemployment, and they desire that I should express to you as employers their hope that work would bo spread over as wide a field as passible. They much prefer 6hort time work rather than that existing awards should bo interfered with to any great extent. I am glad to say the workers of tho community are as patriotic and loyal as any. (Hear, hear.) They are bound up in tho glorious British Empire. All will be pleased to know that this is the state of mind of the working people of Auckland. (Hear,

Continuing, the Mayor said tho union secretaries had asked him to suggest to the meeting and the public that the landlords should "go easy." The paying of the rent was now a pressing problem to the working man, and it was suggested that sacrifices in this direction should bo made. The Mayor said ho was willing to make that appeal, and he had told the secretaries that all classes must be prepared to make somo sacrifices. They had assured him that working people were willing to go more than halfway in regard to the making of ecrifices.

Proceeding, the Major said that the secretaries had also suggested that a central employment bureau should be organised ™th the idea of spreading the work out aa much as possible. They urged that under the system proposed married men should be given four days' work as against two days for single men. The various suggestions made by the Mayor met with the approval of other speakers, and four of the trades union secretaries were appointed to the general committee subsequently selected. PKICE OF FLOUR. RUSH FOR STOCKS. AGAINST PUBLIC'S) INTERESTS. [BT TEMGRAI'H. —SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.] I Wellington, Monday.' The rush for stocks of flour has been out of all proportion to immediate needs and this is given as the cause of the. rise of £1 per ton in the price of New Zealand flour. One Southern miller, writing to a Wellington merchant, puts the case in a nutshell. " The general public," he writes, "are demanding from throe to twelve months' stock of flour and anyone who knows the milling trade is aware that this cannot be supplied at once. At the present time we have enough orders on hand overdue and for immediate delivery to keep running three shifts a day for the next month. If you can assist us by explaining this to the public we shall be obligod. We have just received a telegram from on Auckland firm giving its requirements by next boat as 112 tons. This order is equal to one month' 6 supply for the samo firm. We are only sending them 30 tons."

The merchant added that it was simply beyond the capacity of the mills to supply the enormous demand that was being made upon them all at once, and if the public continued rushing tho existing stocks they and not the millers were putting up the price. It was quite natural, if regrettable, for the price of any commodity to go up when there was a sudden abnormal demand and the fact that it had only risen £1 per ton since war was declared was the best of proof that neither holders oi wheat nor millers desired to push up the price. SCARCITY OF HORSES. [BY TEI.EGRAPn — correspondent ] Wellington, Monday. More than 3000 horses of different kind? are required (or (he purposes of the ex peditionnry force, and according to those who have an expert knowledge of 'he position some little difficulty will he experienced in getting then). The advent of the motor-car has meant a serious falling off in the number of horses suitable fov military purposes.