Dominion News

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXX, Issue 14, 3 September 1914, Page 6

Dominion News

PRICE OF FOODSTUFFS.;

IPUB PeHSI ASSOCIATION.] Oamaru, September 3. l

The following resolution has been forwarded to tlie Premier by the Executive of the Oamaru Patriotic Committee: "That "i view of thecontinued tendency to increase the cost of the necessities of life, a burden which must fall on those least able to bear it ; the Government be requested to take immediate steps to prevent further increase, pending the finding of the Commission appointed under the Regulation of Trade and Commerce Act."

GERMANY IN THE PACIFIC. The most important coaling station owned by Germany in the Pacific is Tsingtau (in Kiao Chau, China), and, after that, Samoa. In both of, these there is a German resident colonial population of five hundred or more. Yap, in the Caroline Islands,; ; just north of the -Equator,, and Itabaul, near German New Guinea,. are ; also I>ossil)le resorts. There may be about 350 Germans at Rabaul, 150 in New Guinea, and a sprinkling in the Carolines. But Tsingtau of late has been turned into a regular naval centre. A large ironworks, according to the Sydney Morning Herald, is due to be opened about the present moment. About a mile and a-half north of the town is the dockyards which the Germans have been building for fourteen years. It contains a floating dock, able to lift ships of 16,000 tons, a 150-ton crane, and complete plant for repairs of every sort. The flagship, Scharnhorsfc, was reboilered and overhauled there lately, and, although she was badly shaken up by stranding in the River Elbe when she was a new ship, she is said to be now a very fast and reliable steamer. The Tsingtau dockyard would certainly build small vessels nowadays, and is possibly doing so. The fortifications are said by some German critics not to be strong enough to resist a determined attack either from land or sea, but there is very good reason for supposing that this is incorrect. At any rate, the garrison includes four companies of seamen artillerists — which is actually one more than are stationed at Heligoland—and unless this means the presence of very strong defences, it is difficult to understand. There are also four companies of marines, one mounted company, one field battery,, and a company of engineers, and the fortress and arsenal are known to have a special system of mine defences. Altogether, Tsingtau seems a very strong place.