AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 218, 1 June 1915, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

% AUSTRALIAN ENTERPRISE* i. .a. f • 11 ‘ jSMBDEN TO BE SALVED. PROVSIOINS OF CONTRACT.

“Press Association. —Copyright, j MELBOURNE, This Day;

Tfte Defence Department is inviting tended tor salving the Emden, which provides for the' handing over to the navy of all war material, money, and confidential documents found aboard. The Government is to have first claim to purchase the' salved hull.

-v FAMINE. PRICES. •. « -■ ‘ : ALMOST A PANIC. v- w • SYDNEY, May 31. Fainihe conditions'prevail in the food stuffs market.' 1 Excited scrambling to obtain butter and sugar almost created a panic’in Sussex St. ■ Wholesalers are unable to meet the demands. CONSCRIPTION. NOTHING SURER NOW.

NEW CABINET A GREAT HELP,

SYDNEY, May 3L

. Major Hunt, M.P., has'cabled the Secretary of the British Immigration League that the majority of the people Britain are slowly realising what the war means,:' Compulsory 'training Is absolutely certain now. The new Government. will be a great help in accomplishing this. . AUSTRALIA’S SUGAR SHORTAGE. THE COLONIAL COMPANY’S METHODS. .* MELBOURNE May 31. ‘ The Hon W. M. Hughes, in a lengthy statement to the Press -covering the sugar 'position stated that arrangements have been made by the Colonial Sugar Co. to import sufficient to cover the shortage. This is to he sold at £25 per ton. The import duty; of £6 per ton has been suspended during the Import period.

Summing up the position he delates that the Colonial Sugar Co has secured control of the market, prevented all effective competition made huge profits and built up great assets which have been hidden from pjublic scrutiny by means of ingenious methods to swal low the lion’s share of the; great Australian industry. The company has treated the grower, distributor and eon sSbier with contemptuous indifference of the impending shortage, though no one else did, or could have known. It neither took steps to meet it nor to disclose information untill the price had risen, and the opportunities for freight became still more restricted. Then, when the community was, as it was, helpless, it spoke with an assum ed air of great concern, and offered to come to the relief of the pople, provided it could be assured of its profits. Had the public been notified, arrangements could have been made for meeting the shortage on much more advantageous terms. He alleges that six days before it notified the Hon. W. A. Holman of the shortage the company exported 3000 tons to Canada. Mr. Knox, manager of the company promises to reply to Mr. Hughes’ statemeSii.