DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 12 February 1925, Page 1

DOMINION ITEMS.

■(.BY TELEGRAPH PER PRESS ASSOCIATION. ELECTRICAL GOODS. ALLEGED COMBINATION OF MANUFACTURERS. WELLINGTON, February 10. It is understood that a combination of manufacturers at Home, either alone or in association with manufacturers in New Zealand, is fixing prices in New Zealad upon certain lines of electrical goods, notably cable and lamps. With regard to the latter a noticeable increase in price has taken place durig the last two months. It is gathered from the trade that the matter of fixation of price is one entirely beyond their control, ft also was ascertained from certain power hoards that there is an increase in prices of cable, which is materially affecting present house wiring contracts. Interviewed with regard to the alleged fixing of prices of electrical goods, and in reply to the above statement Sir Francis Bell, Attorney-Gen-eral said, “You may take it as absolutely definite that if a combination of manufacturers and traders in electrical appliances were entered into to unduly; and unfairly raise prices to the public by eliminating competition, and, even if such combination were traders only, without manufacturers, the Government of New Zealand, would use every legal means to defeat such combination. In the first placo they would prosecute under the Commercial Trusts Act every person in New Zealand who became a party to such combination, and in the second place would by every means in their power induce, and encourage the various power boards to undertake to supply to the public within their respective districts.

“If a combination of manufacturers in England raised prices unduly to power hoards it would then he necessary to find other sources of supply. The Government has itself undertaken and has encouraged and induced the creation of huge works for hydraulic supply of electric current and cannot allow that expenditure to create a field for unfair exploitation of the public, who have thus become enforced customers of the suppliers’ appliances.” TWO-WAY WIRELESS. ACROSS PACIFIC ON FIVE WATTS. ASHBURTON, February 10. Mr A. M. Dawson, station SAL, on .Monday night got into two-way communication with TJ6AWT, San Francisco. It is understood lie is the first Australian or New Zealand amateur to communicate with America using a five-watt valve with normal power input. He used only 13.45 watts (330 volts on plate, 39 milliumps). Static interference increased as the evening advanced. Calls were sent out on S 8 metres, a reply being received at 8.42 p.m. Owing to heavy static is was impracticable to prceed with the 40 metre tests and conditions in the States were also bad, so communications were discontinued aftei hall’-an-hour. U6AWT reported that he was receiving Mr Dawson well, hut that static was had. Later a. Californian station was heard calling, hut static and power interference from a power leak made it impossible to copy messages. Mr Dawson is about to .conduct, under special Government permission, test s on 30 metres with the United States.

Mr Dawson although authorised to use higher powers, states that he is determined to see what can ho done on the smaller powers. The Government recently has granted him the use of a wave-hand of 38-42 metres oil which to carry out tests, and furthei long-distance work is expected when the shorter wave-lengths are brought into operation.

THU NEW AIK'H BISHOP. DUNEDIN, February 11. The High Rev. Alfred Walter Avcrill. Hi shop ol' Auckland, lias by vote of ib'e Anglican Ooiiera! Synod been appointed Archbishop of New Zealand m succession to Archbishop Julius, whose resignation will take effect on April 20th. . „ _ , Bishop Averill was born in Stafford. Kiedand, and was ordained deacon in \m, and priest in ISS9 in the diocese of London. He held office as vicar of St. Alichael’s, Christchurch, where he was consecrated Bishop of Waipu on January 10th, 1010. Ho was trailsfor rod to Auckland in 1914. Bishop Averill holds the degrees of ALA., and D.D. at Oxford University. The task of selecting the new primate in succession to Archbishop Julius, who has resigned from that office, was fulfilled at this afternoon’s session of the Anglican Oeiioral Synod.

PRESBYTERIAN MINISTER CHRISTCHURCH, February 11. The Presbyterian population at l.eeslon lias not been satisfied with the teaching of its Minister, and therefore it Inis done nil in its power o have him removed from the district. At to-day’s meeting of the Christchurch Presbytery,' a. letter was received from the Rev W. U. V. AlcKenssio tendering his resignation of the l.eeston charge, he believing that bis teaching was 1.0 longer acceptable to the church. The resignation was accopied.