TOPICAL READING.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8315, 19 December 1906, Page 4

TOPICAL READING.

The following is from an article ou the Soap Combination in the financial supplement of the London Times:—'"No combination which aspires to become a real trust ever is so idiotic as to begin by advancing prices, or by reducing tho quantity sold at a fixed price, which is the same thing. The ultimate aim of those who contemplate a monopoly at high prices is kept extremely dark. An infant trust (a real one) begins by cutting prices, not by raising them, and it goes on catting until all its sompetitors rv<* crushed or drawn into the fold of the trust. Trusts, when they are fighting tor control of a trade, are extremely popular with the public; it is only when the battle is won and the public pays the bill, mid more than the bill, that tbey become detesled."

The sudden dissolution of tho Reiohstag is an event of momentous importance to Germany. The Ohanoellor of the Empire, who is, of course, the mouth plGoe of tho Kaiser, has appealed to the German Parliament to support a considerable increase in the ostimntee, chiefly in the direction of naval, military and colonial expenditure. The chief opposition to these proposals comes from the Centre or clerical party, whioh is stronger than any othec single section of the Keichstag, and has always made a point of protesting against au aggressive policy of colonial expansion. Ibe Kaiser has had more difficulty in persuading bis Parliament to support hia colonial policy than to vote money for army or navy; more especially hecause Germany's colonies so far have been auything but a financial suucess. Even tho Kaiser's most loyal subjects have grown tired of pouring money into schemes that seem foredoomed to failure; and. the war against the rebel Hottentots in Africa is the most unpopular of all tho Kaiser's over-sea enterprises. /

The Hon. 3. McNab, replying to a deputation representing Maniotoco County Council and Nase»iy Borough Council regarding the administra tion of charitable aid by tbe Dunedin benevoiont trustees, said be bad noticed (or sumo time throughout the oolony a movement in favour of separation from the town bodies, and if the results of *;he Duuedin administration, so far a$ Mauiotota was concerned wete samples of the charitable aid administration all over'the oolony he did not wonder that there was agitation for separation into small dis'rlcts. Unless an alteration was made iu tbe ad minis tratiun, t»» colony would ere long be divided into email districts, wnich would «t once mean a large increase in the ■ management expenses. The , -sutjeot uame within the jurisdiction of the Hon. Mr Powlds, to whom he, Mr McNab, would represent the circumstances.

in a consular roport issued from the Bureau of Manufacturers, Washington, it is stated that tho.produo Hun of coal in the United States is increasing wt a very rapid rate. The production in 1905 shows an increase of ovm- 11 per cent, in quantity, and 7 per cent, in value over that, of the previous year. The total production amounted to 392,919,311 tons, having a value at the mines of £95,351,393, and snrpnasiuy ull previous reoord-i. Mr Parker, of the United States Geological Survey, in his annual report, says that, a portion of the increase in production was due to the efforts of operataiug companies to provide a supply of fuel iu anticipation of a suspension of mining in April, 190G ; when the wage scale agreements came up for readjustment. In each deoade the output of the-United States ha 3 been praotioally doubled! The great inorease in the iron industry naturally oalled for an inorease in the production of coal. There ere 626,174 men and hoys employed in coal mines in the United Slates.