The Waikato Argus [PUBLISHED DAILY.] TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 1901.

Waikato Argus, Volume XI, Issue 1050, 17 September 1901, Page 2

The Waikato Argus [PUBLISHED DAILY.] TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 1901.

Trusts and Combines are naturally looked upon with suspicion, their object being mainly to create artificial prices either by an undertaking as to the rate at which sales shall be made or by restriction of output. It is stated that a Millers’ Trust has been formed in this colony, which embraces all the millers in the South Island and with a few exceptions all those in the North. The manager of this Trust has stated that in consequence of its existence the farmer has been paid an additional 3|d per bushel. This equals 17s 6d per ton, and as the price of flour has only been advanced 15s the rise is a loss rather than a gain to the Trust, and he added : ‘ The miller is worse off now than he was ten years ago.’ With regard to this point we shall have something to say presently which will show that the additional price paid was due to other causes than keen interest in the welfare of the producer on the part of the Trust. There can be no question but that up to a certain point a Trust embracing all the millers in the colony can regulate the price of wheat as well as that of flour.

We have been at some pains to ascertain the pros, and cons, of this question, and have been in correspondence with friends in the South well versed in the trade, and we havd gathered the following facts It has been recognised for some years that there are too many flour mills in the colony, and that the consequent keen competition and the loss of the export trade to Sydney, which a few years ago was very large, and led to the erection of many New Zealand mills, proved disastrous to the trade. New South Wals has been rapidly increasing her wheat production, and has now a large surplus for export, and our export trade in flour with that colony no longer exists. The mills in New Zealand therefore are able to turn out a much larger quantity of flour than meets local consumption, one correspondent says, probably double the quantity. All our correspondents agree that there is at the present time no market to which any surplus flour can be profitably exported. To meet this difficulty the Trust has been avowedly formed, the idea being to limit the output pro rata to the capacity of the mills, or on the average output for the past two or three years; and thus, by limiting production, avoid cutting prices which leave no margin of profit. The question which we have to consider is how far this combination might be able to push prices beyond what gives a fair margin of profit, considering the price paid to the farmer for his wheat.

It is generally accepted as fact that wheat can be grown cheaper in Australia, and of stronger quality. Against this there has to be placed the import duty of £1 2s 6d per ton and the cost of freight and charges consequent on importation. It mayo therefore be taken for granted that the New Zealand millers, with their organisation, will only be able to best the consumers to the extent of the freight duty and charges. The Trust, we learn, does not apply to the purchase of wheat, each member as now acting independently or as much so as previous to its formation. It controls only the output of flour and the price. The price paid to the farmer for his wheat is entirely controlled by the London market. The farmer, if not satisfied with the millers’ price, can ship to London at a freight at the present time ot 6d per bushel; a reduction to this figure only took place about three months since, and notwithstanding that there has since been no rise on the London market, wheat has risen 3d per bushel. Then again, it is argued on behalf of thd Trust that if millers improve their position by combination they can afford to give thd fanner the full market value for his wheat.

This is a many-sided question. The millers can hardly bo blamed for taking action to protect themselves from the detriment to their interests, which the existence of more mills Gian are required entails. As we pointed out above, their power for evil to the consumer is limited to the extent of the cost of importing Australian flour, and the price they must pay the farmer for bis wheat is fixed by the value of grain in London. These are very wholesome, and it appears to us insurmountable restrictions on unfair dealing. Nevertheless the word " Trust ” has a very nasty t«r»ng about it.

The Rev. F. A. Bennett will give an address in oonocctiou with the Muon Girls, School, in the Town Hall,- 1 To on Thursday evening at 8 o'clock. Musical selections will be given doling the evening. There will be no charge for admission, but a collection will be taken up during the evening on behalf of the school. All arc invited.

The activity in the building trade still continues in Hamilton, and yet there is an unsatisfied demand for dwell-ing-houses, Mrs Evans is erecting n very handsome two-storeyed place to contain about 20 rooms, opposite the saleyardf , fair progress has been made with Mr Nixon’s houses on the Franktnn Bo id, and Mr C. Warr has almost ermpleted a comfortable-looking cottage at Olaudelaiuls.

The classes for school teachers in carpentry, kindergarten work, modelling and brushwork, established by the South Canterbury Board of Education, have commenced work. The Board have fitted up in a temporary room 10 double carpenter's benches, with a good supply of tools The applicants for instruction were, too numerous for two classes. About 60 female teachers attended the kindergarten class, aod 25 males were added for modelling and biushwork.

That moat enterprising journal, The Weekly Press, this week devotes four pages to illustrations of Hamilton the chief town of the Waikato, along with a specially written descriptive account Such a number is a handsome and permanent advertisement for the district, and we hope large numbers will be posted far and wide. No doubt they will be extensively posted by the outgoing San Francisco mail. We feel sure distant friends will appreciate the receipt of a copy.

At the last business meeting of St. Peter’s Worker’s Guild a statement of accounts was presented by which it was shown that the net receipts for the present year have been so far £72 2s 4£d. Gross receipts. £7B 14s lo|d, the difference (£5 12s 6d) being the expennes of entertainments, sale of work, etc. The guild has speno on parochial nbj'cts £4B 16s 3d as follows:—Painting church, £lB 7s; erecting saddle shed, £4 10s; erecting kitchen, £7 9s 6d; erecting guild room, £8 14a ; sewing machine, £3 15s; tank and spouting, £2 4a; gas fittings, door, blinds, kettle, etc., £3l6a9d. Goods for the coming Christmas sale have cost £8 9s 9;fd, and the guild has cash in hand £ls 16s 4d.

An old lady (says the Sketch) was being shown over Nelson’s flagship, the Victory, in which our naval hero breathed his last after the glorious victory at Trafalgar, and which now lies at Portsmouth. Her guide was an officer fully alive to the requirements of his task and bent on doing justice to the memory of his great prototype. After making a complete survey of ship, the officer concluded with impressive tones, as he waved his hand in the direction of » shining brass plate upon the quarterdeck, ‘ And here, madam, here groat Nelson fell.’ ‘ Poor fellow,’ said the old lady, sympathetically, ‘ and no wonder; I was nearly tripped up there myself! ’ The following extraordinary paragraph is taken from an American journal;— ‘A New Zealand Company. Americans will control many of the industries of the South Sea Islands. Indian apolis, Ind., July 21st—W. K. Beilis, of this city, and C. G. Chadwick of Wellington, New Zealand, ta-morrow will incorporate under the laws of South Dakota, the New Zealand Mining Company The capital stock will amount to 10,000,000 dollars. The company purposes to mine in New Zealand, but it is understood it is in reality a gigantic trust formed to control the electric lighting plants, the hotels, ice plants and factories of the island. The stock has been subscribed for, for the most part, by New York capitalists.’

A number of brandies of the Farmers Union were formed in Canterbury last week. Large meetings have been held at Kirwee, Coalgate, Sheffield, Malvern, Harewood Road, Templeton, and Rangiora. Ready adhesion is given by farmers, who realise that unity is essential to safeguard their interests. Mr Glass and his assistant have meetings arranged for some time to come in Canterbury. The farmers of Nelson and Marlborough are forming a number of branches themselves. The Otago and Southland conference is to be held on October 1, 2 and 3 and the Canterbury conference on October 8 and 9 Mr Oscar Fisher goes to Nelson on September 23, to organise the Nelson conference, which will be held about October 18. The New Zealand Produce Commissioner in Loudon (Mr H. C. Cameron) in a report to the Agent-General, dated the 9th August, says:—l have lately seen on Smithfield market a small parcel of New Zealand chickens and ducklings. They have been received ex s.s. Tongariro. Both lots were got up in most excellent coudition and were highly spoken of by the salesmen in whose hands they had been placed. The chickens were sold at 2s 9d each. The ducklings had not been disposed of when I saw them, but although they were of excellent quality the salesmen were doubtful of realising a payable price, as the market for English ducks is very bad—good ones selling as low as 2s 3d. The quality of both lots was good, but they have arrived too late in the season for satisfactory sale.

On Friday last we published an article taken from the Daily Graphic, Loudon, referring to the modus operand! of a firm named Pearks, Gunstone and Tee who were fined £2O and £lO 10s costs for adulterating colonial butter by adding an undue percentage of moisture in churning colonial butter with pure milk and borax. It also stated that several other charges were adjourned. A cable in another part of this issue informs us that the firm have again been fiued £ls 5s including costa at Wandsworth for a similar offence. During the first trial it was shown that tea tons a ■ay was the ordinary output, and that the firm have been making £lO per day by their nefarious practice. Under these circumstances the fines inflicted must be a severe blow to these enterprising gentlemen and have about as great an effect as a deterrent as a halfcrown fine for sly-grog selling.

An Old Country newspaper, the Cornish Guardian, of the 19th of July contains an account of the unveiling of a stained glass window in St. Weun Church by Mr Thos. Hicks, of Peruppa, St. Austell. The window had been given by the members of the Hicks family of Prince Park, in memory of their father, Thorn** Hicks, who was churchwarden of St. Wcnn for 40 years, and of Jenifer, hi* wife, The editor of the paper thus refers to the matter : > We all know that certain traits, certain characteristics run in families, but you might go a long way before you find such a family of churchwardens as the Hickses, of St. Wenn, have been. I ant reminded of this by the unveiling of the stained glass window in St. \\ enn Church on Sunday, in memory of Mr and Mrs Thomas Hicks, of Prince Park. The late Mr Hicks was for over forty years a, church war den, his son Thomas has acted in a similar capacity in the diocese for over thirty years, and another son Joseph is at lire present time officiating in like manner in Iris native parish. To be added to these is Councillor T. H. Spear, of Bodmin a grandson of the late Mr Hicks, who for seventeen years has bucb the respected warden for tSt. Petrcc’s. That's if. record that will take some beating.' Mr ' l ))d Mrs Hicks above referred to were the parents pi Messrs Frank and Hart Hicks, of Pukokijra, Cambridge. It is indeed few families that cap boast of puch a rtpoid*

The annual meeting of the To Avvamutu Amateur Athletic Club will b< held on Friday evening next 20tb inst.

We have been asked to draw attention to the fact that the horse parade at Cambridge to-morrow will comme nee at 10 a, m.

Mr W. H. Paul, bookseller, Hamilton, has received specimen sheets of the illustrations of this week’s Christchurch Press containing views of Harm ton and also photographs of the Councillors. There will be a run on them, and it would bo as well to order early.

The Department of Health has power to compel a landlord who has had a house occupied by a consumptive patient to advise an incoming tenant of the fact The reason for this will be obvious when it is stated that there are several known cases where the consumptive germ has been communicated from one tenant to another.

It is not generally known that Col. Davies, who has been placed in command of the Auckland volunteer district, contested the Hawera seat in the Opposition interest, and gave the Government candidate a very close contest. In giving Colonel Davies the appointment the Auckland district secures a thorough soldier and a gentleman, the Hawera district loses a popular and highly esteemed resident—and the Government loses a dangerous political opponent.

A public meeting was held in the Public Ball, Cambridge, last evening to consider the question of the future arrangement of the Domain grounds, and if possible to devise some means of amicably settling the existing diffku’ty. Owing to the weather being somewhat inclement there was not a very large attendance, the Cambridge West side of the river being almost wholly unrepresented. Quite a hose of suggestions, motions and amendments were placed before the meeting, and, although differing widely, there was an apparent underlying feeling that whatever was done should lie unanimous in this fact alone lying a solution of the question. It was ultimately decided that Messrs Buckland, Clark, Wells, O’Toole and Wright be a committee to confer with a committee from Cambridge West to try and arrange a satisfactory settlement.

The South Canterbury Farmers’ Co-operative Association held their annual meeting on Saturday. The balance sheet shows £15,128 for distribution, including £2548 brought forward. Share capital receives 8| per cent,, and a 7 per per cent, bonus will be paid on business done, and on salaries, and 30 per cent, of commissions refunded. The subscribed capital is £75,000, of which £37.571 is paid up, and the meeting authorised the issue of 5000 more £5 shares, to extend the business. The reserve funds were £22,000, and £2OOO is now added. The Association has also, as working capital, £38,261 of shareholders’ money placed with them on fixed deposit. The freeholds and buildings, after writing £BSOO off cost, are set down at £22,880. At the end of July the Association had £48,361 advanced, and £32,543 borrowed on produce. Customers owed £5985 on open accounts. Goods on hand were valued at £43,486. Large warehouses and offices were uow being built at a cost of about £15,000, and the auction mart was being extended at a further cost of £3OO. The gross earnings for the year were £23,889, of which £12,951 represented profits on merchandise, and £6554 on commissions. The meeting passed a resolution almost unanimously in support of the Land and Live Stock Auction Bill to abolish 1 trotting,’ or bogus bidding.