NEWS AND NOTES.

Hokitika Guardian, 10 February 1920, Page 4

NEWS AND NOTES.

Writing from America, “A New Zealander” states that sugar supplies are short in the United States, and that the price is from 8d to lOd per lb, with a probable early advance to Is 3d a lb. The prices of other groceries are also high. Butter sells at 3s a lb, cheese at 2s, and ham. at ss. A grilled steal: costs from 5s to 8s 6d.

Captain P. H. Hall-Thompson, C.M.G., late naval adviser to the New Zealand Government, has been appointed to the command of the battleship Erin, of the third battle squadron, Home Fleet. The Erin, a battleship of 23,000 tons displacement, was built for the Turkish navy in the Vickers yards, and was appropriated for the British Navy at the outbreak of war.

Accommodation is so overtaxed in Wellington at the present time that it is nearly impossible to get lodgings at any of the leading hotels and very difficult at all other places. At the time of the Wellington races the town was so overcrowded that many people walked the streets, sat up in chairs, slept on couches, used shakedowns and so on. Hotel-keepers, public and private, say that the position is becoming acute, and that they are frequently compelled to inform people that their houses are already full.

The ‘‘statements of the affairs” of many mining companies as published in the cold, official columns of the ‘‘Gazette” are usually dispiriting narratives of many calls, dividends that neve' materialise, substantial liabilities and shadowy assets. But there are exceptions, and one appears in the New Zealand “Gazette” of January 29th. It is the statement of affairs of the Now Big River Gold Mining Company, Ltd., and it is really a remarkable announcement, indicating success beyond the expectations of the most sanguine. The amount of capital actually paid up in cash was £6OO, the amount paid per share on the 24,000 shares in the company was 6d, and the total amount of dividends paid amounted to £103,200.

A man who in his time played many parts was Mr Fred Stringer, who died at Wanganui a few days ago at the ngr of 80. After trying his luck on the Otago and West Coast goldfields, he set up as a waterman at Greyniouth, and then took to the sea again, trading between the Coast, Nelson, and Wellington, eventually settling in Wanganui. In his younger days he was a fine oarsman, and was a member of the famous Wakatu (Nelson) crew, and even more famous Dolly Varden crew, which put up a great record in the early ’eighties. Whilst he was in Nelson lie rowed in a race for a prize of £IOO, hi» crew finishing second. This was one of the greatest events in the history of sport in New Zealand, and the race, which provided a most exciting contest, attracted a lot of interest all over New Zealand. The late Mr Stringer was also a keen yachts man, and took an interest in all other sports and in fire brigade work.

TIMBER FROM PACIFIC COAST. A remarkable feature of the list of sailing vessels expected at Sydney is the number of American sailers under charter to load timber on the Pacific Coast of America. Of the 51 names in the list no less than 38 are coming from timber ports. At an average of 600,000 feet the vessels concerned will bring approximately 22,800,000 teet of timber for Sydney, which goes to show what a tremendous trade is done is New South Wales with American timber. But it is not only Sydney that is getting timber from America, as both Melbourne and South Australia are importing. For Melbourne there are windjammers expected with cargoes which should approximate. 5,000,000 feet of more, while for Adelaide there are eight sailers with about 4,000,000 feet. The difference between the consignments for the three States will be readily understood when it is taken into consideration that Victoria and South Australia get more Baltic timber than American, but notwithstanding this fact the shipments from America have showed an appreciable increase for the two southern States.

MARINE ENGINEERS’ STRIKE. Advice received from Melbourne by a recent Australian mail states that the present strike of marine engineers has disorganised the Australian interstate and coastal shipping services to such an extent that the paralysis of trade is almost as complete as was the case during the recent seamen’s strike. All the regular Tasmanian steamers controlled by the larger companies have been lying idle at their Yarra berths for the past five weeks, and the Bass Straits services are being maintained by the smaller craft known as the “mosquito fleet,” which, owing to their very limited passenger-carrying capacity, cannot cope with the business offering. Altogether interstate vessels aggregating over 50,000 tons are lying idle in Melbourne, including three or four units of the Commonwealth Government fleet. The passenger and cargo services between Melbourne and Sydney and Queensland, and also to Adelaide and Western Australia, have been suspended, with the exception of isolated trips made by one or two cargo steamers between Newcastle and Melbourne.