TELEGRAMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 27 May 1920, Page 4

TELEGRAMS.

[pan PREHB ASSOCIATION.—COPYRIGHT.]

SMALL STEAMER ASHORE.

.WELLINGTON, May ‘M.

Advice was received in Wellington today that the small steamer Arorere is a total, wreck on the Raugitikei -Beach. No further particulars are to hand. The vessel was apparently bound for Blenheim and Wanganui and went ashore in the recent Heavy gale.

'RABBITSKIN MARKET.

DUNEDIN, May 24

There is no sign of a revival in the rabbitskin market—rather the reverse A cable message from London received this morning by a leading house in Dune, din stated that the next sales are postponed till June lbtli., when probably 1600 bales will be oho red and that a decline of at least 25 per cent is anticipated.

THE PRICE OE BUTTER

AUCKLAND, May 24,

The present price for butter to local consumers was referred to 'by Mr W. Good fellow, managing director of the New Zealand Co-operative Dairy Coy.

In the course of an interview, Mr Goodfellow said that Is 8d per lb was_an absurdly low figure; in fact it was just about 5d per lb less than the actual cost ol production. In Australia, where a Labour Government controlled prices, the public was paying 2sJ3d per lb. for an dnfojrior article. The retail price of locally produced butter in Britain was recently reported to he from 4s to os per lb. To give the farmer (3 per cent on his capital, plus the current rate of wages, the New Zealand price would have to be raised at least od per lb. This would bring the retail price to 2s Id., and the wholesale to! Is lOd. per lb. Ho had obtained returns from farmers and these showed that after paying wages and overhead charges, the farmers at present received only 3 per cent on tlreir invested capital. Tne thing was absolute nonsense.

COST OE LIVING

WELLINGTON, May 26,

A meeting was held here to-night of the members of the Pioneer Club and of representatives of the Women’s Societies to consider the cost of living.

The following resolutions were passed:—

(1) That this meeting pledges itself to co-operate .with and support the Women’s National Council and the Wellington Returned Soldiers’ Association in their efforts to reduce the cost of the necessities of life.

, (2) That tins meeting supports the Auckland and Dunedin Women’s Clubs in their declaration to refrain from the purchase of non-necessities until the cost of living is appreciably reduced. A list is to be opened at the club for signatures to the latter resolution, and all women’s* societies are to be asked to take the pledge.

WATERSIDERS’ TRO ÜBLE. WELLINGTON, May 20. •i The watersiders employed to discharge Newcastle coal from the Port Nicholson this morning demanded increased money as they considered the cargo dusty and disagreeable to work.

The men declined to refer the matter to the Disputes Committee as required by the agreement, and tlie employers decided not to engage further labour. Consequently those vessels which are at Wellington this morning are idle.

These include the Wahine and Pateena. It is doubtful if the former vessel will be able to proceed to Lyttelton to-night.

RAILWAYMEN CONFER. WELLINGTON, May 28.

The conference between the representatives of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants and the Railway Dpartment in reference to' wages and conditions is understood to be drawing to a close.

All but one or two important points are believed to have been settled. The conference did not sit this morning as certain matters were being considered in private by one of the parties.

RAILWAY COAL SUPPLY. ■WELLINGTON, May 2G,

A suggestion has been made that the Railway Department must now be in a a position to slacken its demands for coal, and thus enable larger supplies to be made available for domestic use. When asked about this matter to-day, the 'Prime Minsiter said that the Railway Department was not in a position to do this. Its supplies were not so good at present as a few months ago, and although the output from the mines had increased, it was not yet back to normal. The department, he added, had been giving supplies to quite a number of local bodies to help them over difficult periods.

ANTI-RETTING LAW.* WELLINGTON, .May 26

Under the new regulations governing the ‘transmission of telegrams dealing with racing, the question has arisen i f the legality of the publishing of figures before the names of horses showing the order in which they were backed on the totalisator. This point was referred to the Crown Law Office.

Its ruling lias now been received. It is to the effect that this practice has to do with betting, and therefore cannot bo allowed.

The Telegraph Department announces that in view of this opinion, these figures must be omitted from telegraphed race reports.