GENERAL CABLES.

Hokitika Guardian, 18 July 1927, Page 2

GENERAL CABLES.

(By Telegraph—Per Press Association.) HON. A MERY’S PURPOSE. LONDON. July 15. The object of my visit to the colonies is very simple. It is the continuing of the personal intercourse and mutual understanding which proved oiie of the essential elements of Imperial co-operation, said Hon. Ainery when he received press reporters at the Dominion Office. He added :- Our Commonwealth is unique, sustained not by control, but by contact. He wished it were practicable to bold an annual Imperial Conference in each Dominion in rotation, llien Imperial co-operation would solve itself, ft is England’s as well as the Dominions interest that we should be in personal, not merely paper, touch with overseas. 1-ondon is no longer the huh of the Empire, each half w hereof joins each other without a common centre. I have no ambition to discuss domestic affairs or enter into party politics, still less to air my own parly’s views during the tour.

WHISKY TRADE. LONDON, July 15. I he Distillers Coy has explained its decision to co-operate with Australian whisky buyers in the erection of a distillery at Geelong, Australia. The Distillers Coy point out their object is to take advantage of Australia’s tarill preference for her own domestic produce, which policy has strongly impressed the Associated Distillers. T liev could never hope to make Scotch whisky in Australia, but they believed that there would still he a demand for Scotch whisky from those who are prepared to pay. It is felt, however, that the preference of nine shillings per gallon in Australia would be too big a temptation to the average whisky drinker to ignore. Therefore, the distillers are prepared to meet the possible development of that demand. ‘

SMALLEST RAILWAY. LONDON. July 15. The world’s smallest public railway will be opened this afternoon, over a nine miles route between Hytlie and New Romney. Although toylike in its - dimensions, it includes a fifteen-inch guage railway, which cost fifty thousand sterling to construct. It is the outcome of the boyhood dream of Captain Howev, the racing motorist, who superintended construction. Ho expects to make a profit out of it, despite the fact that it is possible to charter a special train for fifteen shillings. The porters can lift the goods’ wagons off the line.

The engines are of the latest design, with a speed of thirty miles an hour, although a coal scuttle and a shovel suffice to stoke the fuel.