The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-12-28

hopes are entertained that much good to
fruit-growing in New Brunswick viii re-
suit.
immigration into South Africa has not
kept pace with the expectations Of the
English government or the predictions OF
those who We're enthusiastic as TO the
future possibilities OF mat country. Less
than seventy-fve thousand people, many
OF these being former residents, have como
into the Transvaal and Orange River
COLONIES during the past nine months A
large proportion Of these were people seek
ing employment and the labor market mas
been oversupplied 10 a point where the
situation has demanded government re-
lief.
Consul Dillingham;. OF Auckland. calls at
tention 10 the rapid growth OF the American
boot and shoe trade in that country. Z Is
stated that the boot and shoe making in
dustry of New Zealand has been slowly
declining for the last eight or ten years
and is at present in a very bad shape, many
of the factories shortening the working
week by three hours and lowering the
wages in consequence. This decline is con-
sidered as mainly due TO the quantities OF
prison work from America which is shipped
into the colonial market. The government ;
attention has been called To the matter on
the ground that the work which Is being
sent 10 the colony Is debarred from the
American market in consequence Of the law
which forbids the sale OF prison-made work
| in the States.
The New Zealand government has in
Vestigated the matter and finds that TINS
| Is not such an element in the situation
as is believed. The government commits
| sioner calls attention TO the fact that line
| Of mems light boots Is invoiced in the Uni
| ted States at seventy-fOur cents per pair
and these boots are sold in New zealand
at S14 per pair. The New zealand pre-
| mier states that whenever the tarin Is
revised the question OF increasing the duty
| on boots and shoes will receive the ser
| ious consideration Of the government In
! fact, the premier has recently stated that
! an increase from Z2l5 10 80 per cent al
| valorem duty would be none too much on
! impOrtatiOns of footwear from the United
/ States.
The government Of Norway has opened
a bank which is called the Norwegian
Workingmen's Bank. II is for the purpose
of helping the people 10 secure land and
homes. The bank was erected in accord
ance with law passed June 9, 1908, and its
purpose is TO better the economical posi-
ton OF workmen by granting them loans on
easy terms. The law provides, first, loans
for the purchase OF workngmens home
steads-that is, small parcels OF land Of at
least one acre and a quarter and not more
| than five acres, which land must either be
! cultivated or Mt 10 be cultivated and must
| not exceed the tax value OF SSO4 for land
and home 1896 for the land alone.
! Secondly, the law provides for the erec-
| ton, completion or purchase OF houses on
| loans; these houses 10 be used by not more
than two families, with ground not larger
than one acre and a quarter and tax
! value of 81, $40 in cities and 1904 in the cOun-
| try. Such loans can be obtained by needy
| Norwegian subjects, male or female, or by
| communities in the country for the pur-
! chase and cultivation of land which can
be divided up for wOrkingmen's homesteads.
! Loans can also be had by country and city
| communities; also by building associations
| which have charters 70 erect wOrkingmen' =
dwelling houses. Needy persons shall be
| such as require a considerable advance IN
| order TO buy a homestead or house.
Each community is 10 appoint working
| committee. and when a loan IS asked for
| the purchase Of land they have 20 certify
! that in their judgment, the applicant
| knows enough about agriculture to be able
| TO cultivate the land. The law comedies 10
| these committees a wide scope. They are
| to give advice to citizens who are applying
| for loans, To inspect and make estimates
on homesteads, to approve the plans for
| building, and, finally, 10 act as agents be-
tween the bank and the parties applying
for loans.
The respective committees are 20 be re-
| sponsible for all loans to private persons.
as well to building associations. The
loans must not exceed nine-tenths OF the
taxed value Of the property. Loans FOR
| land cost 81 per cent. interest and FOR
houses per cent The refunding has 70 be
accomplished I'm the former instance IN
forty-twO years, counting from the date
of record, and 20 commence six years after
that date; In the latter instance IN twenty
eight years TO begin three years after re-
ceipt of the loan. The borrower rs entitled
10 reduce his debt in less time. bur where
he lapses in his payments the rest OF the
loan still due natures and may be col
lected by force. All losses including losses
of exchange suffered by the bank, are paid
by the state.