VARIOUS CABLED ITEMS

Hokitika Guardian, 25 June 1921, Page 3

VARIOUS CABLED ITEMS

BT TELEGRAPH—PRESS ASSN., COPYRIGHT. CURTAILING SHIPPING SERVICES. SYDNEY, June 24. Owing to the falling off in trade and increasing expenditure it is stated important changes are pending in the New Zeftland-Hobnrt steamship service. Of Sydney service, though nothing definite, is announced, it is rumoured tho LTnion Coy and Huddart Parker Coy. are arranging for a ten day, instead of weekly service, Sydney to Wellington, Sydney to Auckland and Sydney to Hobart, beginning next month. It' is also stated Wellington boats will make Sydney the terminal port and not proceed to Hobart in consequence of the new Navigation Act which will operate on all boats running in the Inter-state trade. MELBOURNE, June 24. Referring to proposed reductions in shipping services, Mr Appleton, of the Inter-state Shipowners’ Federation, stated the increased expenditure involved in conforming to the Navigation Act made it impossible for shipowners to maintain the same services at their present strength. A reduction in services between Sydney and New Zealand and other ports was inevitable.

TARIFF ON WHITE PINE. MELBOURNE, June 23. In the House of Representatives during the tariff debate, a strong fight was made against increasing duties on imported timbers. The Minister for Customs proposed an increase in the present duty of Is to 34 or 4s per hundred super feet. Eventually the Minister’s proposal was adopted, regarding certain classes of timber, including New Zealand white pine undressed, not elsewhere included for use in the manufacture of butter boxes. OPOSSUM SKINS. ALBURY N.S.W., June 14. i Owing to- the very strong demand from America for opossum skins these • to-day realise by far the highest price j ever known, being ever more valuable ' than the much larger and more at- | tractive fox-skins. The best varieties I of mountain opossums are worth now 16s. to 175., each and ordinary varieties with fair fur realise from 7s. to Bs. each. The vagaries of the market were shown the other day when a father and his son brought a bullock bide and an opossum skin to a dealer. The boy received more for the opossum skin I than the father got for the bullock hide.