General News

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21744, 28 March 1936, Page 14

General News

The Housing of a Fig An Avoca Valley resident, who keeps a pig in a place which the inspector does not consider satisfactory, addressed an appeal to last evening’s meeting of the Heathcote County Council for permission- to keep the pig in the present conditions, though the inspector had told him that if he would retain it, he would have to build a new sty. This reason was that he was keeping the beast only for his own eating, and he asked the council for a few weeks’ grace, at the end of which time, presumably, the pig would be ready for the table. He promised that if ever he were to keep a pig for a long period he would build a sty. “He’s too frank,” said one councillor, explaining that “most old-timers” would have entered into a long correspondence with the council so as to fill in time while the pig fattened. “We must not start interfering with the health authorities,” said Cr. C. Flavell. The council decided to refer the application to the Health Department for its favourable consideration, , Charge on Unpaid Rates It is the intention of the Government to introduce legislation during the present session of Parliament authorising local authorities, if they so desire, to remit or postpone the additional charge of 10 per cent, imposed on "unpaid rates for the rating year 1935-1936. “The Government feels,” said the Minister for Internal Affairs (the Hon, W. E. Parry) yesterday, “that this power should be rightly given to local bodies.” Footpath Cyclists Thin, worn-out tyres, which will not stand the metal on the roads without being punctured, have caused some cyclists, mainly young boys aged 15 or 16, earning a few shillings at picking tomatoes, or youths on relief work, to ride on the footpaths of Opawa, Port Hills, and Breezes roads, according to the report of the traffic inspector (Mr D. Hopwood) to last evening’s meeting of the Heathcote County Council. However, a patrol of these roads for the last 10 days between 7 a.m, and 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. and 6 p.m., showed that the position was not nearly so bad as letters of complaint to the council made it appear. The report added that the offenders were being prosecuted and that no excuses would be accepted in future, as the practice was dangerous to persons who came out of their gates on to the footpaths and might collide with the cyclists, resulting in injury to themselves or their clothing. Whose Responsibility? “We shall have to wait for the amalgamation of local bodies,” said Mr A. Peverill, during an inspection of the Heathcote river yesterday, when the responsibility for the clearing of vegetation from the banks of the river was being discussed. One member of the party asked if this work was a job for the Christchurch Drainage Board, but the board’s chief inspector (Mr H. K. Whittington) replied that its responsibilities were confined to the water-way. “One side of the river is under the jurisdiction of the City Council and the other of the Heathcote County Council,” said Mr F. H. Dephoff. He thought that if the bank were once cleared the City Council would have to keep it in good order, as it was doing on other river banks. “If the Government, and especially Mr Semple, Knew the condition of the river, enough men would be released to clear the banks,” was another suggestion, which was heartily endorsed* King of the Maori Tribes A large gathering of Maoris from all parts of the north has been held at Pamapauria, near Kaitaia, for the unveiling of memorials in honour of members of the Paata sub-tribe. One of the most interesting questions brought before the gathering was a petition from the Waikato tribes asking the northern tribes to acknowledge the present Maori King Koroki as the king for the whole of the Maori tribes in New Zealand. After a prolonged debate in which elders of the gathered tribes spoke at length, it was decided that the only king the northern tribes of Ngatiwhaia, Ngapuhi, Terarawa, Teaupoun, and Ngatikaku would recognise was the King of England. They had given their bond when their chiefs signed the treaty of Waitangi with the then representatives of the Crown. Loan for Reading Work A poll of ratepayers in the Mount Pleasant riding of the Heathcote County for the raising of a loan of £3IOO to be spent on general reading work in the riding will be held on Wednesday, April 29, according to a decision of the county council last evening. The county clerk (Mr J. P. E. Veale) reported that the Local Government Loans Board had granted its sanction for the raising of the loan, the terms being 17 years and a hall at 3 \ per cent, a year, incorporated in an amortised loan. He was endeavouring to raise the money required in Christchurch. In agreeing to the poll, councillors commented on the low rate of interest. “New Zealand’s Problems Trivial” That New Zealanders are far too serious and far too much concerned with their own problems, which compared with the problems facing other countries are comparatively trivial, was the opinion expressed by Major-General Duncan, leader of the touring party of British and South African farmers, at Hastings. You New Zealanders,” said Major-General Duncan, “are too serious, and you are always thinking far too much about your own problems. The South American countries, with their wars and want and revolutions; Canada, with her terrific unemployment problem; the United States with her 10,000,000 unemployed, her crime, her poverty, her financial disasters, and her ‘monkeying with the dollar; even Britain with her distress and poverty—they should be examples to New Zealand of what problems really are. In the Balkans and in Europe the phantom of war stalks throughout the land, and jealousy, hatred, and never-ceasing fear and despair face the people. Then we come to happy, smiling New Zealand, where in comparison there are no problems at all. You have goodwill, sunshine, and plenty to eat. What a pity it is, and perhaps selfish also, that there are not more people here to share your lovely things—your sunshine, freedom, and the products of the soil.” Future of Industry “It seems to me that the future of the industry lies largely in the hands of the purchasing public, who have it in their power to accord preference to New Zealand’s manufactures,” said Mrs Peter Fraser, wife of the Minister for Education, in an address in Wellington. “By encouraging the use of woollen garments made in our factories, the people of New Zealand can give effective and practical assistance to the industry. It is obvious that by supporting this and other industries in a similar way, we are at once helping to solve the problem of the unemployed. Increased purchasing power in the hands of industrial workers must result, this in turn helping to build up the local market for the products of our primr ary industries. The local market is after all the most convenient, the surest, and the most constant, and we in New Zealand do not always realise that at present it absorbs more than one-third of the value of our primary production. I therefore commend the principle of buying New Zealand-made goods wherever possible,” Mrs Fraser said in conclusion. “It has been estimated that approximately 85 per cent, of our personal requirements are purchased by our womenfolk. On this basis, it naturally follows that the success of the present display depends largely upon their co-operation and support.” Progress in Three Years Making his third trip to Australia and New Zealand in as many years, Mr W. Knudstadter, of the Texas Oil Company, arrived in Auckland by the Wanganella from Sydney. He had comment to offer on the progress the Commonwealth had made in that period. Last year, he said, he had noticed considerably improved business conditions in Australia and New Zealand as compared with the previous year. This year that improvement was much more pronounced in Australia, and he expressed the hope that New Zealand would give a similar impres sion. The Dominion, he said, was taking a lead from America in the broadcasting of Parliament, and he considered it a good idea. The people had a right to hear their, representatives—ifthey wanted to, \