BUYERS IN TOOLEY STREET

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 182, 30 April 1936, Page 12

BUYERS IN TOOLEY STREET

Willing Co-operation REASONABLE PAYMENT FOR GOOD SERVICE The helpful x attitude of Tooley Street merchants toward the New Zealand Government was mentioned by the Minister of Finance, Hon. W. Nash, when moving the second reading of the Primary Products Marketing Bill in the House of Representatives last night ‘ •‘There have been some statements in the past that Tooley Street would fight the Government or anyone else who tried to do the work w e are setting out to do,” said the Minister. “We have received nothing but. cooperation from Tooley Street. Our officers in London who have been asked by us to work with the merchants there advise us that the best houses in Tooley Street have up to the present co-operated to the fullest extent, and we are hoping that that spirit will continue. “The Tooley Street houses are saying that they expected this to be done by other countries and that it must be done.” “I know one occasion,” Mr. Nash continued, “where a consignment of dairy produce changed hands 12 times. Isn’t it about time that the result of the sale should return to the farmer? The produce belongs to him and not to the speculators that have operated in the past. We will see that those houses in Tooley Street who are rendering good service to the Government of New Zealand, with regard to thd marketing of our produce, will be paid a reasonable sum by way of commission.” PETROL COMPANY’S PROFITS Government to Investigate An investigation into the position of the Associated Motorists’ Petrol Company, with a view to ensuring that the public interest is safeguarded, is to be made by the Government, according to a statement made by the Prime Minister, Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage, in the House of Representatives yesterday. The question was raised by Mr. H. G. Dickie (Opposition, Patea), who asked the Prime Minister: (1) Whether his attention has been drawn to the action of the so-calleil Associated Motorists’ Petrol Company, which, after paying a dividend of 350 per cent, on the ordinary capital last year, has now watered its capital by 500 per cent.? (2) Whether he is aware that the total ordinary capital of this company is £5OOO, and that over four-fifths of this capital is held by one family? (3) Whether he is further aware that £lO per share lias been offered for the new £1 shares on the Stock Exchange, and there are no sellers? (4) As this company was saved from destruction by the action of the Government, whether he will take steps to ensure that this company will be run in the interests of motorists and not for a few private individuals? SHORTER HOURS FOR NURSES Government Consideration w “It is agreed that arrangements should be made as early as practicable to ensure that all nurses in hospitals receive at least one full day off every week, and, where necessary, hospital boards will be urged to move in the matter,” said the Minister of Health, Hon. P Fraser, in replying to a question asked by Mr. A. F. Moncur (Government, Rotorua) in the House of Representatives yesterday.

The Minister said that the immediate difficulties to be overcome were lack of living-in accommodation that was particularly necessary for the small country hospitals and a definite shortage of suitable registered nursas, due chiefly to the fact that in the early years of the depression hospital boards restricted the number of entrants for training in order to employ registered nurses. The question of reducing the number of hours for nurses was receiving the earnest consideration of the Government.