GERMAN PROSPERITY

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 72, 18 December 1920, Page 11

GERMAN PROSPERITY

Mr. George llenwick gives some interesting particulars in the London "Daily Chronicle" of the prosperity of public companies in Germany. In the courso of his article he says:— _ From the two chief German commercial newspapers—the "Berliner Bo'erslintfeitung" and the ""Berliner BoersuiiCoui'ier"—l have taken all the company reports published during the month, uf September. I did not pick and choose, •but took into consideration all tlip reports I could obtain—from those of Great Upper Silesian coal conccrns to thqsci of small tramway companies of provincialtowns; tho textile industry, tils papermaking . trade, breweries, tho iron-' and steel industry,, glass and porcelain manu-, fachire, electrical engineering, machiiio • building, and a host of representative small companies engaged in all kinds><of business, from candle-making to hotelkeeping, liavo been carefully passed in review.

In that way I examined 260 company reports. The results can only be described as amazing;, when it is considered how this country i!s declared to bo hampered by the scarcity and the dearuess of raw material, labour troubles, low valuta, and the high costs of production generaliy. Of the 260 companies: 17S ]inid increased dividends as with tlio previous, year. 59 paid the same dividends, 13 paid decreased dividends, arid 19 paid no dividends. I found that 273 companies have called, or are about to call; for the vast sum of 1,690,659,750 marks in tho shape of now capital. Fifty-one companies ask for 10,050,0(10 marks or more «ncli, I'.nd 25 for more than 20,000,000 marks each. The livn biggest calls make :< total of 261,000,000 marks, and are: Siemens and llalslce, 00,000,000 'marks; Kattowitz Coal-mining and Iron Co., 52,000,000 marks; Rhineland Coal and Briquette Co., 50,000,000 mark's; Hirsch Copper and Brass Works, 50,000,000 marks; Bnrmun Banking Co., 49,741,000 marks. Tho now money asked for during tho six weeks which I have had under review is nearly equal to that for the whole of tho last'quartor of 1919, _ ■ I only came across two instances during the month of September in which the required capital was not iorthcomi\v. During tho month, too, 13 ninnies palities floated loans totalling 352,000,Cw marks.

The cost of education in Britain 'hna increased b.v 219 per cent, since 1913-14, according to the latest, financial memorandum issued-by tho Board of Education. Teachers' salaries, which m 191,1-1* amounted to J1G,416.000. arc estimated for 1920-21 at .£39,110,000, an mcreaso of 138 per cent.