MISCELLANEOUS.

Hokitika Guardian, 10 February 1920, Page 1

MISCELLANEOUS.

(By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) THE WOOL scandals THE HUGE PROFITS. LONDON, February 8. The report of the Profiteering Act Committee on the wool .spinners’ profits issued by the Board of Trade, shows the enormous profits have been made by the spinners. In one instance the excess per rentage of profits on the profits officially allowed works out at no loss than 3000

per cent. In not one case is the excess of profit per centage less than fully 250 per cent above that, allowed by the War Office schedule of fair prices. Th o profits (above those allowed) thus vary from 250 to 3000 per cent.

The Investigating Committee say that at least half of the 40 types of yarn .investigated show a profit of not less than 52 pence per lb. The spinners objected to • figures on which these calculations were based as misleading and supplied tlieir own figures, which .showed profits hanging

from 240 to 2-50 per cent. The Committee finds no facts disclosed, however, to support the view that spinners were inadequately remunerated by the War Office during the

war. . It proves that the Profiteering Act has had no apparent effect on the prices of worsted and yarns, or the pio. fits rising therefrom.

JOBURG MINERS STRIKE. JOHANNESBURG, February 8. All the Unionist miners have ballottcd for a general strike, .starting next Saturday night, to secure a wages increase and 44 bout's week. 4hcy agree to allow a week to the mine magnates to negotiate. The threatened strike involves wel aver twenty thousand mine workers, beside others. There is a considerable gulf to be bridged between the parties during the coming week if a strike is lo be averted.

PAISLEY BYE ELECTION. LONDON, Feb. 8. The Paisley Bye-Election continues to excite interest. Mr Asquith is insisting that Liberalism is reviving.

Replying to Lord Haldane’s opinion that the Liberal Party is passing, and that its future lies with Labour, Mr Asquith is reported to have replied: “What nonsense! The Liberal lai } has never been so vigorous since war ended as it is now.” Lady Bonham Carter, Mr Asquitli s daughter, continues to lie one of liei father’s best assets. _ She told a woman’s meeting tha without Liberalism they would be “between the Coalition devil and the Labour Deep Sea.”

tndi \n frontier TROUBLE. I DELHI, Feb. 7. Thursday’s report states the Mahsud position now continues to change rapid, v Tiie arrival of tribal reinforcem;nts is responsible. These mclude \Vana-Wazirs and Lashlcars, six e n hundred strong ,and two Afghan g™ under the adventurer Shah Diela. Xrn the The I.aslikars have increased to torn thousand. n i The British Derajet column in advancing met small opposition. Their aeroplanes and guns got good targets and killed twenty and wounded fi . ""ashkars then scattered About Divatoi. «■ rumours of the advance. Iheic ueie , Afghans being among the tiibesm n, but these are not believed.

GENERAL MONASH’S BOOK PRESS CRITICISM.

LONDON, Feb. 7. The “Manchester Guariian” m " lender « G».rnl t a warm tribute to Genera Lmeo hrilliant .»*«»»■>. b “ mildly protests against in I tko Ihitlsh Tim'd A™y. Co' J ol) . fantry failme to «»ch £“ * „» icetive, which he indirectly sugges due'to faulty staff co-ordination faulty local leadership. , tbe The correct explanation t y )e | Third Army Corps northward L of J Somme had the f d fi"cognition of ever. The absence of a _iecog this difference is an mstEl^ e rs by I li. v friiar are so supreme 1 tory . +iiof they coulu I other martial quality « * ITCncrn to practice complete „ I well iUiOici J , c comosity in their judgment of their I rades.

■kspbess train accident. (Received This Day at 8 a.m.) ( PARIS, F ebruary 9. Tin! espre.. tram *&'«***££ , stationary P-M—J-JSU was travelling at nity d j or da'noor signals. Ho passing the dangu sfa tiie signal was clear.

ANOTHER. DISASTER(Received this day at 8 a.m.) HALIFAX, FtebruaO • Tiie Oxonian sent a wireless mes . «=, that she had picokd up 23 member* of the crow of the Brndboyno, which is l el lioved to have foundered in mid-Atlan-tic The Monmouth also sent a me- - sa g o that she had picked up two of the I crew.