NEW ZEALAND NEWS

Taihape Daily Times, 15 July 1919, Page 5

NEW ZEALAND NEWS

FRIENDLY .SOCIETII-IS’ ACCOUNTS. , —-——o-- ' ! GOVERNMENT AUDITORS 1 APPOINTED —...r.. I WELLINGTON, this day" The Hon. J, A. Hanan. Minister in‘ Charge of Friendly societ3e§,"""states, in consequence of a number of re—l ports which reach him, indicaating that! in some friendly societies’ aeeountsl are kept’in a very loose marflikar, thei Cabinet has approved, on hisiifecom-1 mendation, of the appointmel:_l',t:.o‘f an? auditor to periodically exam.in£m the ac.unts of different i societies:‘”Kfiditors appointed by lodges often£.",i”held' oflice for only short—perio‘ds, and are‘ frequently 'not competent ‘topfiglt as; auditors. Mr. Hanan said he wished it to be known that the actidn he taking is not reflecting in‘ anywayi on the present secretaries“‘a‘lid atudi-l tors, many of whom had fe’fl?l'e'fefi cf-i ficient and sterling service. 4 PROFITS OF MERCHANTS. I COMPLAINT FROM LABOUR, REPLY BY SIR JAMES ALLEN. ; WELLINGTON, July =l2_Lj; What was alludedtr; as a. defectin} business imethods~.was. spoken’ of Mr .Na.sh,~?a..memb'er of the Labourfde-E IputZl.iiOn.'/to" Ministers’ of “ville-"‘ Cro'_wn,-__3}| this -'-week». --Mr‘: ‘Nash -‘said the" me»; -'.chants‘-‘. and‘ =.'Wholesale~ houses - Were; eharging? thesame percentage‘ on firsti: "costs for handling ‘goods as‘ when the goods cost much less. ~Thi?i“eant that where the-’ cost had -trebledv the: merchani’s handing cost‘ had alsoi trebled, though he did the ‘same work‘ as previously. This involved ail greatlyincreased chargeto the public. 1

§ir James Allen ‘said he was not‘ aware of What warehouses haid ions during the War. ' ' 'Mr. Monteith: They have made very ‘ large profits ‘ ‘ ‘Sir James Allen: I must confess thatl I believe they have made large ,«)ro~3 fits. He did not know whether the Government ‘had’ done all tha‘f”it could or ought to have done in the matter. Mr. Monteith: Some of them have made 30 ‘Or 40 per cent. ‘ Sir James Allen: That may be so. Itig a question for the» Board of __'l_‘rade to "investigate He pointed nut that the prices of soft goods had in__el'eased'very greatly in England. Foi‘e:ga"inple‘,_ a line of towels bought by. the Government before’ the war for £333, couldfinot new be puféfiased for less than £ISOO. In England they had tried to get at the position» by‘ legislation, but hadflmet with difl“lcuities. He had had two men in Ausr,l‘alie. for "two months gathering all the ‘available information They had lnow returned after; a thorough in--lvestigation which should be val-uabie. KOWHAI REFLOATED. , .____ _ l VVELLINGTON, this day. % The Secretary of the General Post iOfiiec received :1 message from the {Postmaster at Collingwood t?o .ef-"-£1"-ect that the Union Cmnpal_iy’s Ko--iwhai was refloated at foul'?._o,’_clock !this morning, and is pi-ocxejedling to ‘Nelson. , u 3 GANNING WORKS CLQSING i DOWN. A I . DUNEDIN, this day. The Cromwell Canning Compgany has I closed down temporarily, owing to in- ’ ability to transpor-tusupplies bi/;l'ail. A !large number of men will be n'erk‘less. 3‘ DEFENCE DEPARTMENT. A f-OPPORTUNITIES FOR RETURNED SOLDIERS. , _.__ Q WELLINGTON, J uly 14. ,3 The Defence Hea(lquar~t'ers being de- ! _qi‘l-ous of providing as many places as possible in the territoi-ia.l force for men with active service‘ experience,’ it is {proposed to suspend normal nominations for first appointments to commissions. This suspension is to be) ordered I at the dicret-ion of officers commandin-3 ‘districts, who will ascertain if an adequate supply of suitable ofi‘ieel‘s can ‘be obtained from amonfl returned men [and temporal'_v offiCol'S.