NEWS OF THE DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 140, 15 June 1932, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Washing Stolen During Fog.

Several pounds' worth of washed clothing loft on the clothes line was stolen from the residence of Mr. F. Hewitt, of Taupiri, on Monday evening. The township was enveloped in dense fog. Clothing, however, was left out on many lines in the vicinity that night, but only one line was robbed. Wild Riot Stories. Exaggerated reports of the rioting that took place in Queen Street on April 14 are still filtering back to Auckland. At yesterday's meeting of the Auckland Transport Board, Mr. T. Bloodworth said that he had read in a Toronto newspaper that "during the riot drink-maddened women pulled down the walls of a theatre, and the occupants of the amusement house were forced to escape by the back door." Ski Practice on Sandhills. A week of winter sports at the National Park from August 13 to August 20 is the chief feature of the Auckland Alpine Sports Club's programme for the cold-weather season. With a view to making the best of this occasion, members have alreadv put in some ski-ing practice on the sandhills at' To Honga. on the West Coast, and propose to hold another practice of the kind during the week-end r.t.arting on June 20.

Tramway Concession Cards. It is possible that in the future tram travellers will be able to purchase concession cards from the conductors on the trams. At a meeting of the Auckland Transport Board yesterday, Mr. F. X. Bartram asked for a report on the practicability of selling the cards on the trams and saving commission at present paid to agents. Mi-. Bartram asked if the board's inspectors could be used for selling cards. A report on the two proposals will be made by the manVger.

Railway Oil Tankers. The first railway tankers to be loaded at the new siding near the Western wharf left there yesterday for Hamilton. At the new terminus each of the oil companies has its own siding, with pipe lines connecting with the storage tanks, on the reclamation. Each company has also its own tank trucks for the carriage of bulk petrol by rail. These trucks can be rapidly filled or discharged at the new siding, and then shunted to the railway station to be coupled to outgoing trains.

Not "Small Farm" Enthusiasts. Condemnation of the small farm sccme was voiced at a meeting of the Marton Unemployment Committee. The following motion was passed: "That this committee would be failing in its duty to the country if it neglected to draw the attention of the Unemployment Board to the futility of the 'ten-acre scheme.' Several instances in the Rangitikei district can be quoted where experienced farm labourers of capability, and who are milking up to eight cows on ten acres, are now coming on the unemployment scheme through the inadequacy of their earnings." Sinking Funds. At a meeting of the Mount Albert Borough Council last night, disapproval of the proposal to postpone payment of loan sinking funds was expressed. Mr. R. Fcrncr, as chairman of the Finance and Legal Committee, opposed the suggestion on the grounds that it would form a definite breach of contrac f , and would thereby depreciate the standing of local bodies. Further, sinking funds were usually based on the duration of the"work covered by the loan, and the actual calculations would be "upset if payments into a sinking fund were postponed for a period. Troubles of Distribution. "This is an age of over-production, and yet many people in New Zealand to-day are starving, or arc at least next door to it," said Mr. A. C. A. Sexton in an address at the Karangahape Road Business TYomotion Society's luncheon yesterday. "Our troubles to-day are not those of production, but the troubles of distribution. Until wc bridge the gap, we will not be able to remedy our troubles." He urged that the only way of overcoming the economic depression in the Dominion was to establish our system of exchange on a commodity basis and drop the metallic standard.

"The Crumhs Not Big Enough." A letter was received from the Auckland City Council by the Mount Albert Borough Council last night advising that there would be a reduction of Id per 1000 gallons in the price of water. Mr. F. A. Jarrctt commented: "I suppose we have to be grateful for the crumbs from the rich man's table. But the trouble is that the crumbs are not big enough." He said that since the reduction was only a penny, now was the time to continue with their own scheme of water supply. He pointed out that there were two or three possible sources, and that they should appoint an expert to report on the volume of water available. Mr. Jarrett was supported by other councillors, and it was decided to bring the matter up again.

A Limit of £ 500 Suggested. In a motion, of which notice has been given for the next meeting of the Christchurch City Council, Mr. E. A. Armstrong proposes that the maximum salaries of all the council's officers shall be £500 a" year. On a previous occasion, about six months ago, he submitted a similar motion, in which he proposed that the money saved should be,used to provide additional employment; he now wants the amount saved devoted to providing food and clothing for those in distress. The text of his motion is: "For the purpose of assisting to provide food and clothing for those citizens in immediate want, the Christchurch City Council establish a maximum salary of £500 for all officers in ite employ. The saving of £2550 a year to be controlled by a committee selected by the council." Mount Albert Fire Board Proposed.

It was decided, at a meeting of the Mount Albert Borough Council last night, to hold a poll at an early date on the question of forming a lire board for the district. The town clerk estimated the saving to the borough on a full year's working by establishing a lire board would be £436. The present cost of tlie lire brigade was £1611 annually, £490 being the interest on £7000, the loan raised for the station and plant; and £1121 was the estimated expenditure. The council and the insurance companies would share equally the annual cost of the board. The Auckland Fire Board had written to the council stating that, after inspecting the district, it was not prepared to undertake firo protection in the borough. It suggested the establishment of a metropolitan fire board.

New Industrial Awards. Preliminary steps have already been taken by associations of employers in a number of industries in Christchurch with a view to revising the awards under which they arc working, says the "Times." In three instances the unions concerned will be invited within the next few days to send representatives to a conference to discus's new conditions of employment. It is understood that in drawing up claims for new awards the employers in most cases have concentrated on the removal of irksome restrictions rather than a reduction in the minimum wage rates. Details of the employers' proposals will not be made public until they arc submitted to the unions, and a large number of awards arc likely to come up for revision within the next few months. The general feeling among employers, it is stated, is that it would not be in their own interests to attempt to make substantial rcducions in the minimum wage rates at the present time, and where reductions are asked for they will vary according to the class of employment.