Australia

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 195, 26 January 1915, Page 5

Australia

WITH THE COLONIALS IN EGYPT. WEEDING OUT UNDESIRABLES. MUCH ABOUT FOOD PRICES. Sydney, January 25. Discussing statements regarding the' Australasian troops in Egypt, Mr PeaTce stated that the weeding process was inevitable. Undesirables. would be sent home. Mr Pearce added that one of the reasons why the troops were sent to Egypt to undergo a period of training was to allow trying out so as to eliminate the undesirable element before the troops arrived at tne battlefield. It was regrettable that a few unruly spirits had got into the force. Every precaution is being taken against a repetition l of the trouble. Ho was confident that the bulk of the force would do Australasia credit. Regarding the suggestion that the men were receiving superflous cash, he said that the Defence Department was paying the same rate as was paid to British soldiers, the remainder being deferred pay or allocated to ine families of the men.

Referring to the wheat shortage, Mr. Ashford states that in no single instance was there any evidence of the intention of farmers to deleat the desires of the State Government. :The Commission has not altered the price of sugar, which remains at £BI per ton. The wholesale price of biscuits has been increasefi a farthing per pound. The Commissioner, in refusing the Colonial Sugar Company's application to increase the price of sugar, pointed out that the company produced 88,069 tons of sugar in New South Wales and Queensland and purchased 139,800 tons for refining purposes, and therefore it appeared that if there was any increase in i >° price of sugar produced in Queensland the company would reccite the whole increase with respect to nine twenty-seconds of the amount. Only a

sixth of tho cane-growers of Queensland would receive any benefit from the increaso in the selling, pric. The evidence tended to show that Queensland cane growers had not received a, lair share of the Perth, January 25. The Board has fixed the price of wheat at 7s 4d a bushel, and notifies that it intends purchasing all the wheat in Western Australia. The Government has purchased <su-j tons of Argentine maize, to meet fodder requirements. Melbourne, January 25. The price of the 21b loaf has been increased to 4y 2 d, and in the suburbs to sd. Mails from the battleship 'Australia are expected within a few days. These are the first communications lor three months. Brisbane, January 25. The master bakers have resolved to increase the price of oreayi by a halfpenny a loaf from January 1, subject to the approval of the "Control Board.

TEADE PROSPECTS BRIGHTER. WAGES BOARDS RESUME OPERATIONS. i STATE EMPLOYEES EXCLUDED. Received 25, 9.30 p.m. Sydney, January 25. Shortly after the outbreak of war Judge Heydon, president of the Industrial Court, announced that during the war conditions the court would in all but exceptional cases hold back increases of wages until the position improved. Today he reviewed the economical situation. He pointed out that the period of its effects had been reviewed and the prospects for the coming year discussed in the newspapers and elsewhere. Nearly all these reviews were hopeful. He commented on the power shown by the State to resist the pressure of war p.nd drought. Judge Heydon commented that unemployment was less than anticipated, and the wool outlook had much improved. In view of these considerations, he concluded, some relaxations of the rule should be made, and the Board may now consider claims for increases. Government employees, however, are not incdluded in the relavation, though they can Submit special claims.

"GERMANS BUYING .WOOL. EXCITEMENT AT THE SYDNEY SALES.. -A BROAD HINT" ACCEPTED. Received 25, 10.25 p.m. Sydney, January 25, At the recent wool sales a number of Germans bought freely for the American market. Other sections of the trade tf ok exception to this, and the sales todey Were postponed for half an hour owing to their refusal to bid. When the sales resumed the Germans persisted in bidding. . They declared that they had obtained proper authorisation from the customs and military authorities, but their bids were ignored. The excitement in the rooms was high at timns, but the Germans Anally' accepted the plain hint and desisted.