AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIV, Issue 4532, 26 February 1923, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL.

OPENING IN RUSSIA. HOPE FOR INVESTORS. Latest advices from Russia, show that, the Soviet Government is adopting a more moderate attitude towards foreign trading and commercial enterprises. Last year Russo-Asiatic Consolidated, Ltd., a huge British corporation, with a capital of £12,000,000, controlling copper, platinum, zinc, silver, and coal mines in the Altai and other districts of Siberia, entered into an .agreement with the Soviet Government for a resumption off work, and the conditions, it is stated 1 , are such that the interests of those with capital invested in the enterprise are adequately safeguarded. GETTING TO WORK. In liew of this new position the Malaya, Tin Corporation, Limited, which is'controlled from Sydney, has informed Australian • shareholders that its Siberian interests may be on“e more regarded as a likely asset. Recently Mr Piper, the corporation’s Siberian representative, who has been resident in Harbin since the revolution in Russia, advised that teh Soviet Government was returning to their owners various mining properties under agreements which are being registered ip Moscow. Mr Piper considers that the time has arrived for a I’e.newal of activities in Siberia. 1 His advice is that after securing .the as'sent of the Government, which he how regards as more or less of a formality, the Severnik properties be visited, the shafts cleaned out, foodstuffs for workmen sent up, and everything made ready for inspection by experts in April or May. No difficulty as to obtaining labour was expected. From this it is evident that conditions have materially changed, and that the country is in a far more settled state. This being so, the eyes of the mining world are turning to Siberia, and as soon as the way is clear there, keen competition among the big English and American corporations to secure promising properties is anticipated.