General News

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23003, 24 April 1940, Page 8

General News

No Paper Tomorrow “The Press” will not be published to-morrow, April 25, Anzac Day. Motor Vehicle Licences “The number of motor Vehicles licensed m the Dominion, at March SI last,” said the Postmaster-Gfeneral (the Hon. P. Jones), “wSS 315,520 —an increase of 9692 or 8.17, per cent, over the number of licences at the corresponding date in 1939. Compared With last year’s figures, the car licences have increased by 7372 or 3.47 per cent, and commercial vehicles by 4228 or 5.86 per cent. Motor-cycle licences have decreased by 1908 Of 9,04 per cent. Tax on Rugby Games A decision to ask the annual conference of delegates to the New Zealand Rugby Union to seek reconsideration of the decision of the Commissioner of Taxes to charge amusement tax on Rugby games played for charitable and similar purposes was made .by the executive of the canterbury Rugby Union last evening. The Union received a letter from the Assistant Commissioner of Stamp Duties, stating that there was no provision in the Amusements Tax Act exempting from amusement tax the taxable admissions to any game Of sport. The exemption from amusement tax in respect ef charitable entertainments did not apply I© games or sport, it would be necessary, therefore (the letter added) to pay amusement tax Where the price charged for admission exceeded Is 6d. The chairman (Mr J. K. Moloney) said that the ruling placed the unitn in an anomalous position. The Army game on Saturday, for instance, was for a more Of less charitable purpose. Yet the tax Would mean, with a reasonable attendance in the enclosure, the loss of a considerable sum for taxation. Mobile Road Safely Unit The establishment of a mobile unit for disseminating road safety publicity is proposed by the Transport Department in its report to the Road Safety Council. The unit would be equipped with a projector for Screening sound films, and With driver-testing equipment. It would be used with the help of automobile associations and local bodies In special local road safety efforts at agricultural shows and industrial fairs. Educational material would be distributed and films publicly screened.— Press Association. Apples Sent to Camps Advantage of the offer of the Government to provide free transport for gifts to territorial units in camp has been taken by the Territorial Association of Canterbury. Cases of apples were sent to annual camps at Rangiora, Cave, and Sutton. The association received last evening a letter from the Canterbury Yeomanry Cavalry expressing appreciation of the gifts. £IOO for Patriotic Fund More than £ 100 was raised for the Patriotic Fund at a community sing held yesterday at Wellington, when the final of the apple pie contest was decided. The Winner was Mrs T. Bourke, of Kilbirnie, who will meet the Auckland and Dunedin winners in the Dominion final at the exhibition on Friday night. The Town Hall was packed for the sing and about 1500 people were unable to find seating accommodation.-—“ The Press” Special Service. No. 13 Scheme Workers’ Donation The No. 13 Scheme workers at the Christchurch City Council abattoirs at Sockburn have made a donation of £2 l2s 6d to the Kp'oxi.s ivmd oi ttea Tltd RAfie Battalion at Burnham Military Camp. The , workers' delegate (Mr M. Lowe), in a letter to Major D. P. Leckie, states that this sum will be a regular monthly donation for the duration of the war. “There are only 22 of us at the abattoirs,” he says, “and we are only sorry that we cannot send more.” Major Leckie states that the 802 officers and men of the 23rd Rifle Battalion “greatly appreciate the sentiment behind the donation from these workers, many of whom can ill afford to give." Regulations for Trailers The caravan trailer is increasing in popularity, states the report to be presented by the Transport Department to the Read Safety Council. New regulations for trailers are proposed by the department, with a view to preventing accidents. It is considered that trailers should be limited to a speed of 36 miles an hour; that their maximum dimensions should be a width of 6ft 9in and a length of 20ft; and that warrants of fitness be required every sis months. It is the opinion of the department that no additional braking equipment is needed on trailers, provided the brakes of the hauling unit are efficient enough to ensure a satisfactory stepping dletahce.‘=-PreeE Association. Books for Defence Units Appreciation of the response to an appeal made for books and magazines for men In coastal defence bfjries was expressed at a meeting of the Territorial Association of canterbury last evening. Within a short lime after the appeal had been made many books and magazines in excellent order had been received, said the secretary (Mr A. C. Maxwell). *T was astounded at the number of excellent books we received ” said Colonel H. C. Hurst. “Seme of them, and the magazines, had obviously been bought for the purpose." A Persistent Offender A particularly bad case of persistent offending against the traffic regulations is mentioned in the latest report of the Transport Department, Wellington. A taxi-driver was fined two years ago for dangerous driving. Early this month he was charged again with the same offence, ana a few days afterwards for driving at 40 miles an hour over a bridge. Not long afterwards he failed to give way and crashed into another vehicle. His taxi, containing three adults and two children, turned ever twice, fortunately without injuring.any of the occupants. While the extensive damage to hie vehicle was being repaired he obtained a position as driver for a city taxi proprietor, though he already had three prosecutions pending. Last week he callided with another vehicle through, excessive speed. Although the car skidded 86 feet and the whole front was smashed in, neither he nor his passenger was injured,—"The Press” Special Service. Patriotic Fund’s Dividend Sixty or 70 people who attended the Cromwell Jockey Club’s last race meeting involuntarily made a contribution of 2s to 3s each to the funds of the Otago Provincial Patriotic Council, which was Informed at Its meeting yesterday that It had “struck a substantial dividend.” After one race at the Cromwell meeting a compensating error on the tetalisator reduced the dividend on a placed horse by 3S 6d for a £ bet and bv 2s for a 106 bet. The result was that the amount of £3 4s was .under paid on the race and, as this money belonged to the public, the Department of internal Affairs Was advised. ’ The outcome of the mistake was that the department ordered that the “dividend” should be paid to the Otago Patriotic Council as a donation.—‘‘The Press” Special Service. Four Meetings a Day “You are doing a great job of work,” said Colonel H. C. Hurst last evening, when he mentioned at a meeting of the Territorial Association executive that almost every member of the executive would be at a meeting "each night this week. “Borne of us I know have been at four meetings to-day,” he said. “We must be prepared to make sacrifices, and I knew every one of us is doing his part.” Metor-c t lists Congratulated Congratulations on the results achieved by motor-cycle clubs in the prevention of accidents during the last IS months were expressed in Wellington yesterday by the Minister for Transport (the Hen. R. Bempie). lie said that, apart from July and August, every month or the last statistical year had shown a reduction in motor-cycle accidents, tn the 19 months motor-cycle , casualties had been reduced to 66? from fl?8. Motor-cycle clubs had been a major factor in bringing about this reduction. They had co-operated in every read safety proposal brought forward by the Tran port Department and had - listed through their members in educating many young motor-cyclists in the principles of safe riding.--Press Association,