EARLIER MESSAGES.

Colonist, Volume LVII, Issue 13737, 27 March 1915, Page 6

EARLIER MESSAGES.

LIMITATION OF PROFITS

WAR MATERIALS BY HOSPITAL

SHIPS

A GERMAN RUSE

London, March 24

City men are discussing the prospect of the Government limitation of profits on war contracts.

It is pointed out that there would be difficulty to carry out the Labour suggestion that all profits in excess of ten per cent, should go to the State. While patriotic employers are ready to adopt the principle not to make extravagant profits, it is difficult to formulate a cut-and-dried scheme. Many contractors have laid out new capital, enlarging their works, to carry out abnormal orders, and they would thus have a loss after the war unless j a sinking fund were established for the reduction of the emergency capital ex-; penditure. A message from Berlin states that Germans recently in Portsmouth report; j that two hospital ships sail for Prance daily deep-laden, and return unloaded, probably carrying war materials, under the safety of the Red Cross. The hotelkeepers of Britain have announced that they will not oppose licensing restrictions, and will endeavour to assist the authorities to remedy excessive drinking in the centres of industry.