THOUGHTS FOR THE TIMES.

Hokitika Guardian, 14 March 1923, Page 2

THOUGHTS FOR THE TIMES.

TeLKI’HONK CIIAHCKS.

\Ve consider, on the information available to us, that it should be quite practicable for the Department, while paying interest on capital and providing against depreciation, to profitably carry on its telephone business on its revenue based on the already substantial! v increased charges of the last livo years 1 , without asking more front telephone subscribers as a whole than they at present pay.—Canterbury Progress League’s Report.

BRITISH ARMY. LONDON. March 12. Tho Army Estimates have Iteeti tabled in parliament. They total £52.000000. The Estimates include at £28,000.000 vote for tho standing army. This makes provision for 170.000 men excluding the army of India. The number includes 10,000 men in the MiddleEast at present . The Estimates for the territorial army reserves total £7.000,000 saving a million on the previous year. There are to he considerable savings on the War Office staff, educational establishments hospitals and depots. The - aggregate reductions, compared with fast year are £10.800,000. FRANCO-BELGO conference. BRUSSELS. March 12. The official Conference lias terminated. It- took the necessary steps to accelerate the delivery of c-oal and coke to France. The Governments reached an agreement- as to the measures of repression and sanctions to be applied, m tho event of further attacks on troops. It was decided only to evacuate Ruhr gradually in accordance with the rate of German payments. The Conference nbo discussed a new coinage and question of exports.