TO-DAY’S NEWS IN BRIEF

Press, Volume LXXV, Issue 22656, 10 March 1939, Page 10

TO-DAY’S NEWS IN BRIEF

OVERSEAS BRITISH ARMY STRENGTH Presenting the Army estimates to the House of Commons, the Secretary for War IMr L. Horc-Belinha > said the total strength of the Army at present, excluding forces in India and Burma, was 531,353. He enumerated the increases which had been made in the territorial forces, and described the progress in- the mechanisation of the Army. EXCHANGE FUND IN CHINA The Chancellor of the Exchequer (Sir John Simon) announced in the House of Commons that the Government had agreed to give a £5.000.000 guarantee to two British banks in China to enable them to participate in the Stabilisation Fund for the support of the Chinese currency. REVOLT IN MADRID It is reported that Republican military and civil leaders are implicated in the revolt against the Madrid Defence Council. In spite of reassuring messages sent to the Prime Minister (General Miaja) from provincial capitals, reports of disorders in the provinces persist. Communist newspapers and centres have been closed down, and all suspects caught are being summarily executed. U.S. NEUTRALITY The movement for the repeal of the United States Neutrality Act made further progress when a measure was introduced in the Senate, providing for ‘‘the negation of the neutrality statutes of the years 1335 to 1937. JAPAN'S WOOL PRODUCTION An increase in wool production by 240 per cent. Is a feature of a three-year plan to be begun next month by Japan. Chinese. Manchurian, and Japanese production Is intended to be greatly expanded under the operations of the plan, which has been announced by the Japanese Cabinet's Planning Board. NEW ZEALAND LIQUOR IN DANCE HALLS Described as a case of some importance as it effected dance halls throughout the Dominion, a charge of permitting liquor to be consumed in a restaurant, namely the Peace Memorial Hall at North Beach, at a lime when licenced premises were reel li red to bo closed, was brought in the Magistrate's Court at Christchurch yesterelay. The defendant was William Eugene Stafford Ftirby. of the North Beach Gala and Foreshore Improvement Society. After evidence end argument had been heard on the question whether the hall came under the classification of a restaurant, the Mar st'-ate (Mr E. C. Lcvvcy) reserved his decision. BORROWING IN AUSTRALIA The New Plymouth Harbour Board has arranged to borrow £325.000 in Australia at 4iJ per cent. This step was taken because it is impossible for the board to raise the money in New Zealand at the rate specified bv the Local Government Loans Board. The board was offered only £BOOO in New Zealand for its proposed £130,000 breakwater extension loan. RESERVE BANK RETURN The Reserve Bank’s statement of assets and liabilities as at the close of business on March (I reveals a further fall in sterling exchange, this time by £133,658. The sterling holding now is £4.705.897 in New Zealand currency. Advances • from the Dairy Account have, risen by £429,124 to the new record high level of £7.299.715. and the proportion of reserve to notes and other demand liabilities has contracted to 25.017 per cent. An interesting feature o( the return is the reappearance of a discount item. PREVENTION OF HYDATIDS Complaints have been received by local bodies in the city and the Department of Agriculture about the effects of the administration to dogs of arecoline for hydatids. It has been claimed that the doss as prescribed by Government regulations is too strong. Dr. E. W. Bennett, of the Department of Hydatid Research and Prevention at Dunedin, replying to the copiplaints last night, said that the alleged adverse effects were inconsistent with the results he .had noted, but that he would be willing to investigate complaints. NOER-AGE WORKERS IN FACTORIES A decision to initiate as comprehensive survey as possible, of the numbers of >vs and girls entering industry, and ot e different age groups, was made yesrday at a meeting of the Christchurch ays" Employment Committee. This desion was made after a discussion qf atements made at a meeting recently e Board of Governors of the Christ lurch Technical College expressing con - ■rn at the number of permits being sued by the Labour Department to ider-age workers in factories. IARKET FOB TYRES" The New Zealand market for rubber tyres nd tubes is sufficiently large to he economic operation of two factories if the most efficient size, according to lr G. W. Skellerup. an importer ofty res fe maintained that the importance of yre manufacturing for New Zealand tras commonly underestimated. SE OF RENTAL CARS New regulations governing the use and ring of rental cars were gazetted last ght. The Minister for Transport, the on. R. Semple, explaining the regions. said they had been recommended r the Road Safety Council, because of ic number of accidents in which rental irs had been involved. WATERFRONT PROBLEMS A conference of representatives of emloyers and workers with members of abinet was held in Wellington yesterday j discuss problems of handling cargo on le New Zealand waterfront. After adresses by the Minister for Labour (the (on. P. C. Webb), the Minister for inance <the Hon. W. Nash), and the [inlster for Public Works (the Hon. R. eiTiple). a committee was set up to jrmulate proposals for eliminating the sk of disputes and delays on the water■orit. The Ministers emphasised that atersiders who were responsible for oubie could expect no sympathy from ic Government, and appealed for coaeration on both sides. IMPORT CONTROL REGULATIONS ■ A suggestion that the import control regulations will be withdrawn within six months. Is contained in a letter received in New Plymouth from the, principal of a large British exporting firm. The writer states that an opinion to that effect has been obtained "from a very reliable source.” EMPIRE DEFENCE CONFERENCE Confirming the report from Canberra 4hat a defence conference of. Britain, Australia. and New Zealand would be held in New Zealand, probably late in March, the Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage) said that the Government had been pressing for such a conference for some time. He denied any suggestion that the Government had been "holding things up." INDEX TO NEWS Page. LEADING ARTICLE? .. 10 Japanese Foreign Policy. Power Supply for West Coast. NEWS BY PICTURES .. 18 GENERAL NEWS ‘ ..10 PERSONAL ITEMS .. 10 CABLE MESSAGES .. II LETTERS TO THE EDITOR 13 FINANCE AND COMMERCE I'.i SPORTING .. 14, 15 GENERAL Magistrate's Court .. 4 What to See on Screen and Stage ' ~ 5 Import Control .. 10 Empire Defence Conference 10 Manufacture of Tyres . . 10 Educat'd! Costs .. 10 Raising Money in Australia 10 Employment in Industry 10 Use of' Rental Cars .. 10 Waterside Problems .. 12 Woollen Mills in N.Z. .. 12 Prevention of Hydatids .. 12 Dry Weather Ended .. 12 Another Win for Ajax .. 12 Accidents .. 12 Mr G. McNamara to Retire «.. 16 Bow\s .. Liquor in Dance Halls . . 18 Broadcasting .. 13 MOTORING 16 SHIPPING AND WEATHER 17 MAIL NOTICES .. .. 17 NEWS FOR WOMEN 2