GENERAL CABLE NEWS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2704, 7 January 1910, Page 5

GENERAL CABLE NEWS.

FIXING UP FREIGHTS. United Press Association —Copyright. LONDON, Jan. 5. The “Times” reports that with- the view of securing to each port of the Atlantic seaboard of North America the- benefit of its geographical position, the North Atlantic steamship lines propose to co-ordinate freight rates to the extent of agreeing to a minimum tariff and abolishing unremunerative rates in connection- with competitive traffic to interior points. BEATING THE PUBLIC. Mr. Coghlan, Agent-General for Victoria, has discovered that- empty Aus-tralian-branded butter boxes are collected in London and shipped abroad, especially to Malta-, where they are filled with margarine, which is sold as Australian butter. A REASSURING STATEMENT. The Post Office, at the instance of Mr. Rowlands Hunt, Unionist member for Shropshire, has issued a circular assuring old age pensioners of the security of their pensions. ECLIPSE OF THE SUN. The task of officially observing the forthcoming eclipse of the sun will be left to Australians. The Imperial Government will not send an expedition, hut a joint committee of the Royal Society and Astronomical Society will lend instruments. FRANCE FIGHTS GERMANY: BERLIN, Jan. 5. The German Commercial Treaties Association state that- the revised- French tariff will deal a serious blow to German exports and practically destroy the market in chemicals, pianos, machinery, and metal manufactures, and annihilate the trade in Nuremburg toys. BENEFICENT YANKEE MILLIONAIRES. NEW YORK, Jan. 5. A total of £28,250,000 has been given to- public benefactions in the United States during the past year, establishing a record. The amount includes: Education, £10,000,000; hospitals, £7,000,000; missionary societies, £2,500,000. The chief benefactors are: —Mr. J. S. Kennedy, £5,000,000; Mr. J. D. Rockefeller, £2,500,000; Mr. Andrew Carnegie, £1,211,000. . GUN-RUNNING—AN ABORTIVE CONFERENCE. (Received January 6, 9.15 p.m.) BRUSSELS, Jan. 6. The International Conference at Brussels on- gun-running failed to produce any results, through the unwillingness of some States to extend the present convention.