GENERAL CABLES.

Taranaki Daily News, 2 June 1919, Page 5

GENERAL CABLES.

CONTROL OF SHIPPING. By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. London, May 19. Speaking on the Ministry of Shipping vote, Colonel Leslie Wilson said some control of shipping was necessary for demobilisation and repatriation. The Ministry had handed over building contracts for 159 ships to British owners who suffered losses. The War Ministry had sold 08 slii]>- to British owners and 57 t,o foreigners. Altogether the Ministry had received lf)J million pounds for ships which cost 181 mllonis. British ships over 500 tons before the war aggregated lS'/ 2 milliou tons. This was reduced to 15,300,000 at the beginning of 1919. The United States pre-war tonnage was 1,700,000 and wis now 6,400,000. Great Britain had constructed 551,029 tons since the armistice. v TYPHUS EPIDEMIC PREDICTED. London, May 19. Sir Arthur Stanley presided at the inaugural meeting of the Russian Red Cross Fund, of which Queen Alexandra is patron. He predicted a vast epidemic of typhus in Eastern Europe during the autumn.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. A DENIAL BY LORD FRENCH. ' London, May 19. Lord French declines to discuss the shell dispute, referred to by Mr Asquith, but denies Lord' Kitchener's version of the position in April, 1915. — Aui-N.Z. Cable Assn. POLICE AND STRIKERS. London, May 19. 'Sir Eric Gedde?, in the House of Commons, warmly defended the policy of building destrovers at the expense of merchantmen; otherwise the sea, so far as merchantmen were concerned, would have been our weakest front and would have necessitated withdrawing men from the army. The Government's action enabled the transport of American troops. Submarine sinkings created one of the gravest situations of the war. The Government did the right thing in establishing national shipyards. It would have been guilty of criminal neglect if it had not made every effort to supply ships.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. JAMAICA EXCLUDING ALIENS.

New York, May 18.

The correspondent of the New York Times at Kingston, Jamaica, states that the' Legislative Council passed a law prohibiting the immigration of undesirable illiterate aliens.—Aus. and N.Z. Cable AssnBELGIAN SPELTER COMPANIES. London, May 19. An Association of Belgian spelter manufacturers has been formed at Liege comprising seven larjfe companies with a producing capacitv of nearly' 120,000 tons of spelter. Other zinc-producing companies are expected to join shortly. THE PRICE OF MAiRGERINE. Received June 1, 5.5 p.m. London, May 31. The retail price of margerine has been raised fourpence.—Aus. N.Z, Cable Assoc. BOARD OF TRADE DECISION QUASHED. Received June 1, 5.5 p.m. London, May 30. Tho King's Bench has decided against the Board of Trade for refusing a license to Henry Gardner, formerly chairman of Merion's, to trade in non-ferrous metals. The Chief Justice declared that since the outbreak of war Mr. Gardner had done everything possible to divest himself of German associations. —Aus. N.Z. Cable Association. A NEW ENGINE. Received June 1, 11.5 p.m. London, May 31. The Werry Engine Syndicate, with a capital of £IO,OOO, has agreed to form a company with a minimum capital of £300,000. The syndicate is arranging to construct a big steamship engine, also express locomotive, aeroplane, motor car, marine motor and motor cycle engines. BRITISH TROOP TRAIN ACCIDENT. Received June 1, 11.5 p.m. London, May 31.

A British troop train was derailed at through a signalling error. Seven were killed and 24 seriously injured. Many suffered slight hurts. It is unknown if there were any Australasian casualties. —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. EXAGGERATED REPORTS. Received June I, 11.5 p.m. London, May 20. Sir Joseph Ward, in a speech, deprecated press correspondents in New Zealand cabling to the British Press exaggerated stories of the drought, and trifling or bogus earthquakes, tending to injure the Dominion's prospects.—Aus. and N.Z. jCable Asioe,