BRITISH NEWS.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 January 1920, Page 6

BRITISH NEWS.

CONCRETE SHIPS. By Telejraph.—Press Assn—Copyright. London, Jan. 5. The Select Committee of the House of Commons on national expenditure commends the general efficiency of the Ministry of Shipping, but considers the national shipyard venture should be subjected to stricter financial control, though the scheme was justifiable in a time of emergency. The total expenditure was £fi, 120,000. The committee approves the Ministry's l decision to sell the yards and says concrete shipbuilding is not a success. Steel barges would cost less than concrete barges. The venture resulted in a loss of £2,743,000. —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

CONGESTION AT LONDON PORT. London, Jan. 5. The Australian liner Euripides landed all her passengers at Plymouth, and will remain there a fortnight awaiting a discharging berth in London. The captain reports that he received a succession of S.O.S. signals from three different vessels on Saturday and Sunday. He believed one foundered. The Tartar Prince responded to signals from the second, ■while the last was 100 miles off in the Atlantic. —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. NEW COMPANIES' IN 1919. London, Jan. (i.

The companies registered in London during the past six months reached the unprecedented total of 5415, with a capital of £25*2,000,000, of which textile and clothing represent £30,000.000, mines £24,000,000, shipping £22,000,000. banks and financial companies £22,000.000, oil £20,000.000, motors £18,000,000, food £14,000.000. insurance £10,000.000, and cinemas £6,000,000. Forty-eight of the companies have an aggregate capital of £90,000,000. In 1013 onlv 21,0(10 companies had over a million s.vorr.se capital: in 1919 there were 45,000. A number of companies are based on profit sharing and co-partnery.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. and Renter.