DYESTUFFS.

Hokitika Guardian, 7 January 1926, Page 3

DYESTUFFS.

BRITISH ENTERPRISE. LONDON, November 2li. The new ‘•Monomarks” company lias published its prospectus and invited application for shares. Monomarks are .siinplo combinations of letters, or letters and figures, each of which will go uiuluplicated throughout the world, and act as name and address. The General Post Office has agreed provisionally that any letter addressed merely by means of a monomark, with the addition "London, W.C.1,” no matter in what part of tlie world it is posted, shall he delivered to Monomark House, whence it is to lie forwarded by the company, unopened in a newlystamped envelope, to the registered subscriber. The company has available more than 21,(100,000 individual monomarks. each consisting of not more than live characters, excluding the prefix, wmle that there is substance in

the contention that the scheme is one capable of world-wide utility is evident from the intention to form subsidiaries in other countries; one lias been formed already in the Pnitcd States and will pay 10 per cent, of its distributable profits to British Monomarks. The authorised eapilal is £2-50.000, of which £230,000 is ordinary, with (.'30.000 issued, and £20,000 founders’ shares, all issued. The latter take onetenth of the distributable prolits, the remaining nine-tenths going to the ordinary. The present issue consists of 150,000 ordinary shares at par. of which 21.000 have been applied for already.

SEGAR 11FFT IN ENGLAND. Mr Edward E. L. Wood. M.P.. Viceroy Designate of India, in reply to a letter of congratulation from the British Sugar licet Society, says that when lie assumed office as Minister of Agriculture the British Sugar (Subsidy Act) was not vet. oil the Statute Book, lie adds: "There were three factories in the country producing about 21,000 tons of sugar during tho season’s campaign. This winter, thank to the stimulus of a not ungenerous subsidy, there will he leu factories, and next winter there will probably be eighteen or more, with a combined oirtput of something like 105.000 tons of sugar. The end is an industry, which, nourished from birth and tor a decade by the generosity of the State, is able thence forward to face the world with enthusiasm, confidence and independence.” BRITISH DYESTUFFS. Although no public announcement has yet been made, it is understood that the negotiations between the British Dyestuffs Corporation and the Government have lieett concluded. At the meeting of shareholders, which has been arranged for November 25th, the position will be fully explained, hut, briefly, it is understood that the Government has agreed to part with its holdings to the Corporation for a sum which is stated to he in the neighbourhood of £(100.000. That is, roughly one-third of the nominal value of the stock, since the Government holds 850.000 preference and 850.000 preferred ordinary shares. The conclusion

of these arrangements will enable the company to adopt a reconstruction scheme, a course which has long been under consideration. There are big cash resources at the disposal ol the company, and it is satisfactory to find that those in a good position to judge do not take a gloomy view of the prospects. although it is recognised that the difficulties 1o he overcome are of a serious nature, for while the Dvestulls Corporation is to-day more efficient than formerly, it has more comeptition to meet, not only from, abroad, but also from rival enterprises established in

these islands. The measure of protection enjoyed by the dyestuffs industry in this country does not depend upon the Safeguarding of Industries Act; it was provided by

a separate measure, and the regulation of the trade under it has been in turn approved by the Coalition. Labour, and Conservative Governments. CO I,OXIR ED CONCRETE. Concrete houses in a variety ol pleasing colours, similar to those ol brick and natural stone, are to be built by the London County Council. This announcement was made by Mr 0. Tonlinm. Forrest, architect to the L.C.C., in a lecture at the L.C.C. School of Building. “In the future development of the L.C.C. housing estates. particularly Becontree,” he said, “greater use will he mode of concrete. Tn the past objection has been raised to concrete houses on the ground that there is something very monotonous in a long series of dingy grey concrete houses. In America they have overcome this objection bv introducing coloured material into the concrete, and

n similar method is to be adopted on the Council’s estates. "With Portland cement manufactured in various colours. it is practicable to introduce variety into the appearance of the roughest houses. Colours which approximate to those of red, and stock bricks offer an opportunity for experiment which promises to he successful. “White Portland cement is also procurable and. by the inter-mixture of houses faced with white, buff, brown and red. an agreeable effect can be obtained. By this method the cost of periodically recolouring the external walls is avoided.