OTWAY COMMANDEERED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15766, 14 November 1914, Page 8

OTWAY COMMANDEERED.

TAKEN BY GOVERNMENT. NO MAIL TO AUSTRALIA. London. November 12. As the Government has commandeered the Orient Company's liner Otway, there will be no direct mail to Australia next week.

SAMOAN CANTEEN BATES LOWER THAN IN DOMINION. "WE'RE DOING ALL EIGHT." [by (ruiECßArii.— COItBESrOXDENT.] Wellington', Friday. In view of the allegations made by some members of the expeditionary force who have returned from Samoa as "to exorbitant canteen charges at the new, British possession, some correspondence received from Samoa by the latest mail is of particular interest.

Two Wellington citizens have received communications from members of the expeditionary force who appear to be well satisfied with the prices charged. It really seems r.s if the troops in Samoa are getting their tobacco, cigarettes, and

" soft" drinks a great deal cheaper than they could purchase them in New Zealand. One soldier writing to his brother hero says:—" We're doing all right. Cigarettes, 3d a packet {yellow and others); drinks, 3d a pint bottle, and that's just about all wo need." Another letter states that tobacco is sold at 4s per lb. Another soldier writing to his mother says :— We now have a canteen of our own, and can get Three Castle cigarettes at 3d a packet and Capstan cigarettes at 9d a tin. Anything in the clothing line is cheap. When we first came here they charged 6d for a bottle of lemonade, but we now get it for 3d. The same with everything else. The local storekeeper had a good thing on with us."

A member of the expeditionary force who relumed by the Navua this week pave an emphatic denial to the allegation that exorbitant charges are being made for luxuries awl necessities purchased at the canteen. In a number of instances cited, the informant stated that the prices charged were lower than those ruling here. For example, cigarettes were sold at 3d a packet and 2oz tins of tobacco for 9d ; blocks of writing paper sold .at Is ill tho . Dominion are procurable in ■Samoa for 9d. Lemonade was sold at 3d per bottle and in larger bottles than retailed here. . There were one or two lines of luxuries where the prices wero slightly higher than those ruling in the Dominion, but this was inevitable. The informant admitted that the canteen prices on the way to Samoa were "a it stiff," but as to the ruling prices ini Samoa, everyone was very well satisfied.

SYDNEY'S" FIRST BLpOB." NEW ZEALAND'S MESSAGE. RECEIVED WITH CHEERS.. [15V TOLEGBAI'U.PRESS ASSOCIATION.] Wellington", Friday, Too Prime Minister, Eight Hon. W. F. Massey, has received the following reply to tho message ot congratulation sent by him to the Prime .Minister of the Commonwealth in regard to the cruiser Sydney's victorious encounter with the German raiding snip Emden;— read your warm and hearty message congratulating Australia on the Sydney's success to Parliament, ami it was received with cheers."

PREPAID FREIGHTS. REASONS FOR NEW SYSTEM. Owing to the disorganisation caused by tlio war, stated Mr. B. Kent at th'o Chamber of Commerce meeting yesterday, the- prepayment of freights on exports was absolutely necessary. In order that the chamber might be apprised of the exact circumstances, ho had asked the NewZealand Shipping Company to supply him with a statement of the position, which was ,as follows: — The reason the shipping companies insisted on the prepayment of all Homeward freights was that the companies could not insure freight against war risks under the Imperial scheme, and they -were not prepared to take tho risk themselves. The companies only required a portion of the freight in New Zealand; all the main payments were made in England, where the ships were built, their provisions bought, crows paid off, etc. Hitherto a certain portion of the freights, namely, the dairy produce and frozen moat freights, were paid in New Zealand, and were sufficient for local disbursements. The general cargo freights, including wool, flax, tallow, etc., were payable at port of delivery, and immediately a steamer left the amount payable forward was cabled Home, and insured against all risks. This was not possible now, and shippers could tint expect the shipping companies to provide steamers and take the risk of loss without getting their freight. Tho inconvenience and expense to tho shipping companies of collecting the entire freight in: New. Zealand was very trreat, because the bulk of the money had to be remitted to London at high rates of exchange. The shipper was put to no cxnciiso for exchange from London to Now Zealand, and in some cases a premium could be obtained on : drafts from.London/ The shipping companies would not havo altered their former custom", unless it: were absolutely imperative to do so. .• -' ..