MISCELLANEOUS.

Hokitika Guardian, 29 September 1919, Page 2

MISCELLANEOUS.

lUy Electric Telegraph—Copyright.; AUSTRALIAN dfc N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION

STRIKE EFFECT. LONDON, Sept. 26. Owing to the depletion of castings, due to iron foundrys’ strike, many engineering firms have notified the “imp” boys that their works will soon be closed.

PROFITEERING. LONDON, Sept. 26. Over a thousand Profiteering Committees have been installed. Many complain that their committees have no work to do, as the public are not notifying as they do not realise the possibilities of the act, or are too lazy to report cases of profiteering. Nevertheless prices, especially for boots and clothing are decreasing. The increase of six shillings in the price of coal, is affecting prices in many trades. Some gas companies are increasing . the charge to Is 6d per thousand feet. The South Metropolitan states that the 6s rise increased their coal bill by £340,000 annually.

FRENCH’S CHARGES. LONDON, Sept. 26. Hon H.' Asquith in a Tetter replying to the statement contained in Lord French’s preface of the latest edition of his book, says:—“The controvjrsy is not of my seeking, but when Lord French proceeded to falsify history, apparently in pursuit of a vendetta against a famous great soldier, to whom Lord French is under strong pressure and obligations, lam bound to intervene. The preface gives me no cause to seek to qualify my speech of June 3rd. My letters to Lord French proposals happily had been discarded, largely through Lord Kitchener’s inter.venement. The subsequent operations were concluded by Lord French with much sagacity and skill, but had I suspected what Lord French now avows that at date of letter, (May 1915) he was engaged behind the back of his chief, Lord Kiteener, and myself, ir. a mnnoeurve to upset, the Government, probably my communication would have been couched in different terms.” LONDON, Sept. 2." About three thousand firms have applied for permission to use sal h. noui, under the disabled soldiers’ sc’euio cabled on the 14th. ..

LONDON, Sept. 26. Mr Asquith added:—“With regard to ammunition, I believe that Lord Kitchener was incapable of inventing and palming off upon me a deliberate falsehood. If it becomes a question of conflict of memories, I think that Lord iKtchener’s written record of a conversation is better evidence than Lord Frenc’s diary, containing as he > ays, no reference whatever to the subject of ammunition.”*

Mr Asquith concludes by saying . “To have a had memory is a‘ misfortune, not a crime, but people with Dau memories , should" not attempt to write their own, or other peoples’ lives.”

PRICE OF SILVER. LONDON, Sept. 26.

The price of silver leads to expectation of the issue of five shilling notes, which are already printed.

A BIG DEAL. LONDON, Sept. 26. Furness Withy and Coy. cabled on the 18th has purchased Furness family’s interest for six million sterling. MADAME PATTI. LONDON, September 29. Obituary,—Madame Adelina Patti, the .greatest operatic prinia donna the world has ever seen. She lias reached her 76th year. She earned nearly /two million pounds during the course of her brilliant operatic career. Her last public appearance was at Covent Gardens in 1895.

GOING' BANKRUPT. LONDON, Sep. 27. Tho Paris paper “Lo Petit Parisen’s ” Vienna correspondent reports that owing to Austria’s disastrous food and fuel position, it is stated that Austria will declare herself bankrupt, and will place the government of the country in the hands of the Allied Missions now in Vienna.