NEWS BY MAIL.

Hokitika Guardian, 1 July 1924, Page 4

NEWS BY MAIL.

BETTER TRADE. LONDON, April 2(5,

Exettyt'for the unc-ertaiiiity about the Government's intentions with regard to the '.McKenna duties on some imported manufactured goods there is a hopeful feeling in industry that better times are coming.

In the iron and steel industry it is hoped that with labour troubles out of the way orders which have been held up for some time will be released. Ortiers are being received from the Continent, but the home trade is stated to be onlv moderate.

The export of hoots and shoes is improving and Germany is a hig buyer of leather, liritish manufacturers in the hardware and cutlery industry are finding Germany a very strong competitor in the world’s markets, hut from Sheffield a steady Dominion demand for cutlery is reported. In tile Potteries there is an increased demand for goods for the home market and export trade is also improving.

Motor-car manufacturers are very busy and matiy of them have orders which will take mouths to fulfil.

LONDON SHOPS REST. LONDON, April 26

The women of all nations now visiting London are agreed that London is the place for shopping. The little Chinese bride on a world lour honeymoon says: “I love

your English silks”; the Knglisli woman from Bombay tells how every well-dressed woman who can afford it sends to London for her clothes; the Australian woman looks proudly down mi her English shoes and shows a. gown for which she paid 13D in Loudon, hut which would have cost CIO to Cld in Melbourne; the New York woman, who has just been in Paris lor three mouths, says:

London lias the ipiality in the goods sold. Prices may he lower in Paris, lint for the little difference American women prefer the London goods, i.ondon shopkeepers nave a pride in keeping up their name and they have a standard for their tilings. London, too, is so lair. II a man tells you that a trunk is leather in Loudon you can believe him, but on tlie Continent you have to keep your eyes open. There is nothing like I'.nghsh cloth.

A gown that-would cost about fJ7O made by the first dressmaker in Now York would cost only about —l>o in Loudon.

A woman who lias just returned from the south of fra nee said that everything except gloves, shoes, and stockings is cheaper in London. A hat costing L‘3 .‘ls in Frame could be equalled in London for 22 2s.

WHO WAS MISS MAP 110 CORELLI?

A VILLAGE STORY.

LONDON, April 27

The dentil last week of Miss Marie Corelli, the novelist, lias brought to light the fact that mystery surrounds her parentage.

11l the beautiful old-world village of Mickleliam, in Surrey, near which she was brought ii>> under the care of the late Mr Charles Maekn.v, the song writer, the question is being much discussed.

According to a picturesque report she was a foundling—left as a baby in a basket outside Mr Maekay's cottage at the foot of Box Hill. Ibis story was supported yesterday by an SQ-years-old Mickleliam resident wln> knew Mr Maekn.v. and who says that he heard iL I ruin Mr M.nckay himsell.

“The parentage of Mi-s Corelli was never known." lie said. To other old residents, however, the report, hat. '*olllo as a surprise. “I remember Minnie Maekav, as she was called, as a •'ill,” said Mr (.2forgo Hose, a member of an old Micklohain family. “I thought I lion that she was Mr Maekay's daughter. She was a slim *j.i 1 ! with a mass of lair hair. She va,. 1 rained as a singer, and I heard her sing at a concert myself. She had an attractive voice. 1 am almost sure she used Hose Trevor as her professional name.”

Mr Kilward Davies, who has lived at Mieklcliam for ID years and knew both Mis s Corelli and Mrs Warcliaiu, Mr .Maekay’s servant and her nurse, said:

I understod that .Miss Corelli was a step-daughter of .Mr .Maekn.v. her mother being a widow who married the

song-write r. In ‘•Wlki’s Wild” Miss Corelli is described its being "or mingled Itnliiin mill Scotch (Fligldand) parentage mid connection*" mid ns having been :nld|itdil in infancy by Mr Charles .Mackny. h is nflifinlly announced llml tin* whole of tlid lnlc .Miss Mario Corelli's possessions him' lii’ii bequeathed to .Miss liertlta VyviT. her lifelong friend mul companion. lor I■ it*.

A I Lit I is.* r ili’iith limy nn* In I:o ilividdil i>ill> n number of legacies fur lln* Inld novelist's stnfl'. Solid* nntidiml trusts nn* nlsu lo lid founded. These will In* :inHimnc-iil win-11 ilid will is proved. Till’ vnlili* of tin* estate lots not been nmioHiieetl.

"COXCII KTK" Wild.l AMS." I.OXIHIX, April I>S (■'rent pleasure Inis been fell by nil those eoiieerneii with Ihe eolistruetidii of the llritish Empire Exhibit inn ;t l the knighthood given to the prineipnl engineer, Mr ]•: .0. Willinms. "Concrete” Williams, ns he was generally liinnvn, is idle of the groat figures of ilie exhibit ion. For nil his comparative youth—he is only :U—and his inoilesi and unassuming aid. lie has proved himself a giant. An almost passionate believer in the possibilities of concrete, lie lias successfully constructed the huge Stadium, the vast palaces of Engineering and industry, the llritish (hivornmcnt Pavilion, and the Civic Hall—in other words, the main part of flu* exhibition —in tin* material. An exhibit ion official said yesterday:

“In constructing these great concrete buildings lie has to overcome some diliicult problems. Concrete ami sieel both expand and contract.. Theoretics'l l.v llie Stadium is larger in the summer than in the winfer, as it expands with the heat.

Williams lots had to meet the problem or ereeling these buildings in such a. way thut the expansion and contract Lion of the material will not cause their collapse. The experience gained here has shown how concrete can be mixed without weeping by a proper mixing of materials.

The new knight thinks that the concreit* buildings at Wembley will last for -00 years. PX.MAIi KF.D HOOD*. I.OXDOX, April HO. The attendance of trade buyers at the llritish Industries Fair yesterday at the White City, Shepherd's Push. W.. exceeded by far the total of the first day. which numbered SOS English and 111 foreign.

Buyers who visitetTUio Leipzig Fair in March of this year wore emphatic in their opinion that British goods are of a quality incomparable with those made in Germany, and also that in many lines they are now cheaper than the inferior foreign ones. it is noticeably that while many manufacturers "at the fair label all goods with their registered trade mark and with "Made in England” as well, others seem reluctant lo follow this course for wares to be sold in England. “If von have a really article to sell, no matter in what part of the globe, it pays to put on the registered British trade mark,” one of the largest British toymakers stated yesterday. The chief of a large Sheffield cutlery firm said:

In my trade there is no definite standard of quality, but by marking onr wares with the trade mark, and

“Made in England.” the knives or forks are recognised all over the world :;s British and thus taken as the best quality available at the price.