IN BRITAIN TODAY Random Breath Tests Rejected

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32210, 31 January 1970, Page 17

IN BRITAIN TODAY Random Breath Tests Rejected

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter Copyright. Cable Newt Digest) The Government has rejected the possibility of introducing random breath tests for motorists, though public opinion polls have shown support for such tests, writes an N.Z.P.A. staff correspondent. The polls run in strong contrast to the views expressed on both sides of the New Zealand House of Representatives last year that, in the Dominion at least, very few members of the public would stand for random tests. According to British surveys, people with cars support such tests less than do people without cars, but in each case a majority supports random tests and, allowing for the “don’t knows,” very few directly oppose them. Random tests were widely propsed in the British press last year, when the road toll seemed to be rising again for the first time since the introduction of the breath test two years before. The Minister of Transport (Mr Fred Mulley) agreed to re-examine the driving laws, but insisted that increases in the road toll were not any fault of the breath test law, and that the accident position in the vital drinkingdriving hours of 10 p.m-4 a.m. was better last year than before breath tests were introduced. Mr Mulley was also under pressure from lawyers and others to lower the permitted blood-alcohol level, which, at 80 milligrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood is already tougher than the New Zealand limit of 100-100. The suggested new limit was 50-100. But Mr Mulley has told the House of Commons that there will be no changes in the breath test law at present, adding: “It is continuing to be highly effective.” Questioned about random tests, Mr Mulley said that the breath test was “a real lifesaver” and that he would not allow it to be “eroded”—a clear reference to the opinion of the Law Society that random tests “would be a further erosion of individual rights, and of the Road Transport Act” Doubts Cast The refusal of the United States Administration to become a signatory to the international minimumsellingprice arrangement for skim milk powders is causing concern among international authorities on trade in agricultural products, writes Bruce Kohn, N.Z.P.A. staff correspondent in London.

They do not expect the milk powder arrangement to break down because of it, but fear the effect of the American attitude on future nego-1 tiations which may take place. The Administration’s atti-

tude reflects a basic distrust of all international commodity-pricing arrangements after its bitter disputes with Europe over wheat and poultry trade. These disputes did not at the time affect New Zealand, but with the European Economic Community and the United States continuing to eye each other suspiciously, doubt is cast on the intentions of each to adhere to an agreement In the case of the powder agreement America has indicated an intention to adhere to what has been determined, but as she is only a minor exporter, of milk powders, some Europeans have strong misgivings about the attitude reflected by her refusal to sign. The matter becomes significant when considered in the context of the annual meeting of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, which is due to go on for two weeks from February 19. It is hoped that the agriculture committee of this organisation will be given authority to begin negotiations for the removal of nontariff barriers to international trade in agricultural products. The committee has now completed two of its three tasks: the gathering of a full list of non-tariff barriers, and an examination of the list The third task is, in effect negotiation of their removal —a task which could become virtually impossible unless the mutual suspicion between the United States and Europe is allayed. The removal of these barriers to trade is important to New Zealand, which itself sought action from GA.T.T. to have them eliminated. The milk powder agreement has not yet come into force officially, but there are firm reports of sales now taking place at levels above the agreed minimum price. Quotations recently received by Chile for the delivery of more than 2000 tons are understood to have reflected the minimum selling price plus variations according to freight costs. France and Belgium are reported to have been the lowest tenderers, and the difference between the New Zealand tender and the lowest, to have been about 65c a hundredweight The Price Of British Entry The British Ambassador in Paris (Mr Christopher Soames), has clearly indicated that mastering the problem of European agricultural surpluses will loom large in Britain’s negotiations with the six countries of the Common Market

In an interview on French State television, Mr Soames said that Britain was prepared to pay a large, though just and equitable, price for entry.

“But we want to pay for an agricultural policy that is in the European interest, a good policy,” he said, “and this will doubtless form an important part of the negotiations.” The Common Market’s agricultural system would set Britain two problems after she had joined, he said, the first being inevitable increases in food prices and the cost of living. “But we must face it and accept it, though we need a transitional period to spread the price increases over several years,” he said. The other problem was the cost of financing the Community's agricultural system, which would be very high to Britain, as an importing nation. The fact that French television gave Mr Soames two hours of peak time is in itself a measure of the improvement in the FrenchBritish climate, political observers in London feel. Asked about the future of French-British relations, Mr Soames said: “We will always have rivalries, but what is important is that the broad lines of our policies are in agreement. I hope that I can do something to reaffirm the entente cordiale in the context of modern Europe.” Reprieve For Ulster Police The Inspector-General of the Royal Ulster Constabul-

ary (Sir Arthur Young) has dismissed charges of misconduct against 16 policemen named in 157 complaints against police action in the religious rioting in Londonderry last year. The inspector-general’s action brought an immediate protest from an Independent member of the Ulster Parliament, Mr John Hume, a supporter of the Roman Catholics. “It was a scandalous decision,” he said. "This stinks of appeasement, and will undermine the people’s trust in the police force.” Sir Arthur Young had said that only one of the 157 people who had filed complaints could make positive identification of the policemen involved.

The charges of misconduct by 16 police officers were dropped because of an amnesty for civilians. “It would be unfair to press charges when civilians guilty of criminal offences in the same riot have been absolved,” Sir Arthur Young said. Overtime Ban By Tax Men There is one labour-manage-ment dispute simmering in Britain that the public does not seem to mind one single bit, according to an N.Z.P.A. staff correspondent. The 35,000 Inland Revenue men who worked to rule and banned overtime for two weeks earlier this month.

have told the Government that they will do it again, and again, until their claims for better pay and conditions are met.

i About half of them are even- now refusing overtime, in spite of estimates that a million hours of it must be worked by the end of next month if Budgetary measures are to be handled properly.

All members of the Inland Revenue Staff Federation will ban overtime at the end of February if their demands are not met, the Inland Revenue Board has been told. Britain’s income tax mechanism is already in chaos. All offices are swamped with recoding and assessment work, and a backlog of other work has been building up steadily.

A recent report told the Government that there could be no major tax reforms for at least two years because the staff could not cope with them. Rates of taxation could be altered by the Budget without difficulty, but any ■ changes in the methods of levying tax simply could not be handled by the alreadyoverworked staff. The federation says that its major call is for premium rates of overtime, but even if these are met, the staff might still refuse to work overtime because of their “intolerable workload.” “Many of the tax offices are old, overcrowded and a positive barrier to good organisation and management,” said the federation’s general secretary (Mr Cyril Plant). “Much of the office equipment is a joke in modern terms, and even the simplest aids are in short supply. “It is insane for the Chancellor of the Exchequer not to maintain a reserve staff to handle Budgetary measures. But be does not, and at the same time he requires the Inland Revenue service to meet social and political ends, as well as to raise money. “The overtime ban and the go-slow will begin at the end of February unless positive progress is evident” Meanwhile, the man-in-the-street sits back . . . and smiles. Equal Pay Envisaged The Government bill guaranteeing equal pay with men for Britain’s 8,750.000 women workers has been formally introduced into the House of Commons. The measure will make it illegal to discriminate against women in rates of pay after 1975, and there will be no exemptions for particular industries or firms. The cost estimated at between £6oom and £Boom has been strongly criticised by the Confederation of British Industry, which urged the Government to postpone the bill until the country could afford it. But Cabinet ministers, under pressure from trade union leaders to stop what they consider is a form of cheap labour, are determined to push the bill through Parliament this year as a popular step in the run-up period to the next General Election.