General News

Press, Volume LXXX, Issue 24389, 16 October 1944, Page 4

General News

Toast of “New Zealand” The Prime Minister > (the Rt. Hon. P. Fraser) said that the New Zealand Minister in Russia (Mr C. W. Boswell) in Saturday’s report on the progress of conversations at Moscow among the United Kingdom, Russia, and the United States had mentioned that during the State banquet to MrChurchill Mr Molotov had proposed the toast of “New Zealand.” Mr Stalin; in support of .the toast, said he was glad to meet a representative, of New Zealand, the gallantry of whose soldiers all the world knew. —(P.A.) High Rents and Costs “Why is this work necessary?” asks the annual report of the Anglican City Mission in Christchurch, after summarising the mission’s activities. “We have a Government Social Security Scheme which is probably ahead of any other in the world. The difficulty these people have is caused by high rents and the present high cost of living, which are altogether out of balance with the lower rates of social security benefits of 32s 6d a week for single persons and to families on other lower rate benefits. For instance, room rents of 10s a week and more for single persons and 18s to 25s for (couples are far from rare.” Poop Quality Tractor Tyres

A decision to get in touch with the Ministry of Supply drawing attention to the poor quality of a tractor tyre which had been purchased by a Rakaia farmer and had blown out after- 20 hours’ service was made at the meeting of the Mid-Canterbury executive of the Farmers’ Union on Friday. Mr E. M. Buckingham said, the tyre was purchased new for £35 12s, and after being in use on a tractor for 20 hours had blown to pieces, ruining the tube. It was branded U.S. Service Cover. The original tyres on the tractor lasted for six years. The Government, which imported the tyres provided no guarantee.' nor would it replace them. Another new tractor tyre which was being fitted to a wheel in a store also blew out, he said. It was supposed to contain six plies, but it only had one thickness of canvas. If the Government was going to buy the tyres it should stand any losses, or obtain guarantee, said Mr Buckingham. The president (Mr P. J. Mowatt) was asked to present the facts to the Dominion Executive of the Farmers’ Union. Vessels Sail from Greymouth After being bar-bound for i eight days, the Kiwitea, with coal for Wellington, and the Gabriella, with coal and timber for that port, sailed from Greymouth on Saturday evening.' The Kaimai, which had been bar-bound for three days, also sailed with coal for Wellington. First Maori Catholic Priest Thq first Maori priest of the Roman Catholic Church, the Rev. William Te Awitu, is expected to be ordained in December. He is already a deacon, and is now completing his preparation at the Marist Fathers’. Seminary. Greenmeadows. The occasion is regarded by the church as one of great significance after 106 years of missionary effort in New Zealand. He is an old boy of St. Patrick’s College. Wellington. Grey District Mines State mines in the Grey district, with the exception of Liverpool and Wallsend, worked op Saturday (a back Saturday). It is reported that the Wallsend miners have decided not to work any more.back Saturdays. The cavils were drawn at the Liverpool, Strongman, and Dobson mines last- week, and work will commence in the new places today. . Rabbits on Stewart Island The rabbits released on Stewart Island last year are multiplying rapidly, and are beginning to do serious damage: to trees and plants. When a party visited Native Island, in -Paterson lniet recently it found that the rabbits had been nibbling the exposed roots of trees in the thicker parts of the bush, where there was no grass. One sapling had. been completely ringbarked, and was dying as a result, and several other trees would soon be in the same state. Several "barked” pieces of the trees have been brought back to Invercargill by Dr. G. B. Orbell. Post-War World There were people who pictured the post-war period as a Utopia in which all men would be free, comfortably clad, well fed, and dwelling in peace one with another—and all without having to work to save, said Mr H. O. Pittendrigh, retiring president, at the annual meeting of the Wellington Manufacturers’ Associatibn. “They tell us there need be no want, no insecurity, and no fear anywhere in the world, provided only the people trust their destinies to the omnipotence of a plan. The fact that the plan is to be operated by just ordinary human beings seems to escape attention, as does the fact that someone must manage, must risk, must invent, and that all must work if we are to have the things that make life comfortable and worth while.” Membership of Building Societies “Wellington, I regret to say, has only 4000 members of building societies out of a total in New Zealand of nearly 60,000, one Auckland society having 20,000 members, and one in Southland 15,000,” said the Mayor- of Wellington, (Mr W. Appleton) af the opening ox the conference of New Zealand Building Societies. “While it is not the place of a mayor to act as financial adviser to the community, I would take this opportunity of recommending young men who aim to build their own homes to get into a building society as soon as the opportunity offers. They have nothing to lose and all to gain. As many of us know to our cost, there are few types of investment of which the same can be, said.” Holidays for Casual Workers The present system of collecting holiday pay for casual workers under the Annual Holidays Act was merely a backdoor method of .increasing wages without appearing to do so and caused a lot of humbug to farmers, said Mr G. A. Davey at the monthly meeting of the Temuka branch of tho Farmers’ Union, when it was decided that the branch give full support to the action of the Dominion executive in protesting the present method of collection. “No’one would object to the casual worker having his annual holiday on full pay the same as the permanent employee,” said the chairman (Mr James Woodhead). “I think that the method of collection could be simplified. The present system of the farmer being required to affix stamps to a holiday card is a difficult matter for farmers living some distance from a post office," Lend-Lease Commercial Goods The provision of commercial goods under lend-lease is explained by the Minister of Finance (the Hon. W, Nash) ia reply to an inquiry by the South Canterbury Chamber of Commerce. He says that the amount of £32,478,235 shown in the public accounts for the year ended March ’3l represents the, lend-lease value of goods imported during the. 12 months period and comprises £21,983,460 for military equipment and £10,494,796 for commercial goods. The commercial goods include such commodities as petrol and oil, steel products, tinplate, agricultural hardware and. machinery, medical and dental supplies, all of which are essential for New Zealand’s war effort, and are provided under lend lease on that understanding. These goods are sold through the Ministry of Supply as they arrive, and the proceeds are credited to. the War Expenses Account as a contribution towards the cost of reverse lend-lease expenditure, which represents the extent of New Zealand aid to the United States, Rifles Near Bathing Pool A number of complaints have been received by the Waimakariri River Trust about the indiscriminate use by boys of .22 rifles near the groyne and bathing pool at Johns road. This was reported by the engineer (Mr H. W. Harris) at the last meeting of the trust. It had been reported that the danger was particularly bad the previous Sunday, and the risk of accident would increase as the warmer weather brought more visitors to the - riverbed, Mr Harris said, adding that he had written to the Belfast police asking them to take some action. Mr Harris- was authorised to prosecute in such cases without notifying the trust.