LOCAL AND GENERAL

Evening Post, Volume CII, Issue 48, 25 August 1921, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Various aspects of the question of taxation were dealt with by speakers at last night's, meeting of the New Zealand Accountants' Society, and eventually the following motion by Mr. P. Ban 1, on behalf of Mr. C. D. Morpeth, was carried : " That, in the opinion of this meeting, a commission representative of members of the "business community and all leading Government officials should be set up to endeavour to arrive at a more equitable i distribution of the load of taxation, with particular reference to the onerous taxation on. the income of public companies."

" The Government can no more reduce salaries than, fly unless they have public opinion behind them," remarked Mr. 0. Hawken, M.P., when speaking at a conference of primary producers yesterday afternoon, in support of; a proposal to establish a central body empowered to voice the vie\ys of farmers generally on important questions. '

Seldom has the New Zealand Club had such a representative." gathering /at its luncheons, which have become a recognised function in the community, as there was yesterday afternoon when the Governor-General, Lord -;Jellicoe, was the guest of honour. Mr. B. J. Aekins, president, had with him at the high table, besides His Excellency, the Acting Prime Minister (Sir: Francis Bell), the Mayor (Mr. R. A. Wright, M.P.), and Mr. W. Perry (president of the Wellington Returned Soldiers' Association. The attendance was a record, and included many prominent citizens, for whom Lord Jellicoe's speech on sea-power was a revelation of clear, sound thinking—a great exposition of a great subject.

." Some of our opponents say they have lost no sleep over our party's formation," said Mr. C. E. Statham last night. " That is the trouble. They have been asleep all the time, and they haven't wakened yet."

A telegram placed before the New Zealand Rugby Union last evening read as follows: "Natives here (Napier) "prepared to entertain Springboks in characteristic Maori welcome, festive display, if match arranged Napier." The matcli agains the Maoris has been aUocated to Napier.

Reference, to, the agitation for the abolition of the principle of preference to unionists was made by Mr 0. Hawken, ' M.P., at a conference of farmers; held in Wellington yesterday. Mr. Hawken said he was satisfied, from the discussions which had taken place from time to time, that the Government would have to deal with this question because the public was demanding that *it should do so. '

" Where do you propose to get the money for all your free schemes?" was a question put to Mr. Statham, leader of the New Party l,ast night. Mr. Statham replied that the capital sum., for the foundation of State superannuation would be available foi investment in other enterprises. Also they stood for increased production, which would bring in greater revenue.

Signs that the , summer is fast approaching are not wanting, as far as the eastern side of the harbour is concerned. Already there have been a number of inquiries for houses for the summer months at Muritai, Rona , and- Day's Bay's,, but in most cases all the available houses .have been taken several weeks ago. As a result of the school holidays, there has been a large influx of juveniles and th^ir parents to the several bays, and with the good weather being experienced, children are having a foretaste of summer pleasures, even bat-hing being indulged in.' .. «

" I am satisfied that the farmers of New Zealand have been far too quiet in the past,." remarked Mr. W. Perry, of Masterton, at a conference of producing interests hold yesterday afternoon. " They are allowing other interests to be pushed, but they are not pushing their own. It -has often been remarked that conferences have been held, a great deal of discussion has ■ taken place, but at the finish there has not been any punch behind the resolutions."" That is the point we have to try to get over." A somewhat different view of the matter was taken by Sir James Wilson, who said lie thought that farmers often passed resolutions which the Government could not carry out. " They overload the papers with their resolutions," declared Sir James Wilson, "and it is impossible for them to be carried out. They (the resolutions) are submitted to the Government, but don't go through, and it is then asked, 'What is.the use of passing resolutions?' 1 think that if we , found out wbat could be done by the Government time would'be saved."

Mr. 1?. K. Hunt, S.M./* Coroner, held an inquest this morning into the cause of the death of an unknown man,, fifty to fifty-five years of age, whose body-was found floating in the harbour on Tuesday. The -Coroner found that death was due to drowning.

The resignations of Nurses E. Welch and C. Street, who hav c completed their periods of training, wore accepted with regret ut (.his afternoon's meeting of the Hospital Board.

Retail prices of eggs in Wellington today range from Is 7rl to 2s per dozen.

Tlie R.M.S. Makura from Vancouver is due in Auckland ' to-morrow. She . carries 788 bags of mails -for the Dominion. , *.

Recently the Hospital Board wrote to the Board of .Trade with reference to the prico of coal charged to the Hospital. A reply has now been received from the secretary to the Board of Trade, advising that the prices charged the board for coal supplies are considered to be reasonable. ;—. .

It has been decided by' the Karori Progressive Association to join up with the Civic League. At, last night's meeting of the association. Mr. W. A. An' drews was appointed as representative to the league. A hearty vote of thanks was accorded Mr. A. C, Harper for his lucid explanation and services in connection with the formation- of the Civic League. _ .

Information was received at a recent meeting of the standing-, sub-committee of the N.Z.R.S.A. that there^was a tendency at present to cut down the £75 furniture loan under the Repatriation Act to £50, and that all, applications for more than £50 had to be considered by the Ministerial Board, instead of the. Repatriation Board,, which formerly, had full authority to grant £75. The standing sub-committee has decided to ask the Repatriation Department to give ample notice, i.e., the twelve months promised by the Prime Minister about two years ago, of any projected curtailment of benefits under, the" Repatriation Act. . , ■

Following upon control of several ot the military hospitals in the Dominion being transformed to the Public Health Department, the New Zealand Returned Soldiers' Association recently inquired from the Director-General of Medical Services and / the Director-General of Hospitals whether the staffs at these institutions would be discharged or retained "The association-has now been advised that no change is to take place in the personnel of the hospitals affected for three months.. At the expiration of that period suitable men will be retained, probably on a reduced scale of wages, since civilian hospitals are maintained at less expense than, military hospitals. The men not required will be found suitable jobs elsewhere; ■

"It is of no use to have ships, whether belonging to the mercantile marine or the Navy, unless you have men of the right sort and imbued with the * right spirit to man those ships,-' said Lord Jellicoe at the Nevy Zealand Club luncheon yesterday. "It is the sea sense which is needed. It was the sea sense that led to the foundation of this Empire. It is to the sea sense of those who came before us that the fact is due that New Zealand is at this moment populated with people of British descent, with British aspirations, that they are people who are partners in the great Empire to ■which we belong. Without that, sea sense the" Empire would never have been formed, and New Zealand might still have been populated by—anybody/ That sea sense made the Empire; and if we lose that sea sense, we shall infallibly see the gradual but sure decay of the British Empire."

The correspondent of the Daily Mail at Paris states-that a modern "Court of Miracles," reminiscent of that described in Victor Hugo's \ "Notre Dame de Paris," has been discovered. Scores of beggars, blind, lame, deaf, dumb, and paralysed repaired nightly to the house of "The King of Egypt," himself a professional" "blind beggar," and squandered the alms received in the day time in night-long revelry. The neighbours.complained, and the police ejected the revellers, who, undaunted, resumed their revels with increasing joyausness" on, an adjacent piece of waste ground,''the blind seeing, the deaf hearing, the -armless men ■' playing instruments, while "palsied cripples" flung down their crutches and fox-trotted merrily in the glow of a camp fire. Police who interrupted them were driven back with crutches and imitation arms and legs. On the following morning the police returned, but tihe beggars had disappeared to resume their fraudulent employments.'

A question touching the life insurance of returned soldiers was discussed at .last night's meeting of the executive of the Wellington R.B.A. It was reported by a member that returned soldiers were entitled to take out life assurance policies in the Government Life Office, and, should their premiums be loaded, the amount of the loading was paid by the War Pensions Department. It was understood that this privilege was being discontinued at the end of the present year. If that were the case, returned soldiers, would be involved in a permanent expense. At present, the loading was being borne by the Department through the entire currency of the policy. Many of the "diggers" had not yet insured their lives, and possibly would not undertake life assurance until they were getting married. It was decided to write to the headquarters of the association, with a view of making representations to the Government for the retention of the privilege, if the report were found to be true

In the cowse of a lecture at Adelaide, Dr. Hargreaves (Director of Chemistry) 6aid that Australia imported 25.000,000 gallons of petrol and 15,000,000' gallons of kerosene; of which 2,750,000 gallons of petrol and 2,000,000 gallons of kerosene came to South Australia. Most of the oil was used for fuel. In the study of vegetable materials from which South Australia might make alcohol, Dr. Hargreaves came at last to straw. There was produced annually within a lop-mile radius of Adelaide, he said, upwards of half, a million tons of straw, practically all of which was allowed to go to waste. Incidentally, all the paper wanted in Australia could be made in this State from straw, if the people were enterprising enough. Eighty gallons of alcohol could bo obtained per ton ol straw, which would, give a total of 40,000,000 gallons;, or 14 times as much as all the petrol imported to South Australia; and this would be more than enough to supply the whole of Australia. Here was a valuable asset, and he knew of no other proposition for producing motor spirit which was so promising.

"Some people think that if you talk about sea-power .you are cultivating the militarist spirit," said Admiral Jellicoe in his address yesterday afternoon. "Others think that you are imparting views that are contrary to the views which the League of Nations is intended to implant in the young mind. These people who think like that do so, I am sure, from a misunderstanding as to what is implied in the term sea-power. . If people could only get it into their, minds that it has a dual meaning—first, the use of sea-power; and, secondly, the protection of those who use it; and the use of sea-power is of far more importance. That is to say, the question of the mercantile marine isx really more important than that of the Navy, because the mercantile marine is necessary for the existence of the Empire in peace. The great use of the Navy is as a p'reventative against war. 'But the two things must always be considered together; and when the question of sea--power is spoken of, people must get it out of their minds that those speaking about it are thinking only of navies. I would like to urge upon thoso who tea.eh the youth of the future, that they should lay particular stress upon this point, that the definition of sep.-powcr is 'the use of the sea.' " .—'

Judgment, has been reserved by tha Arbitration Court in the matter of thd '. claims made by the Otago Woollen Mill Workers. ' A donation of £10 10s, being the sirr- , plus from their recent ball, has been handed over by the Dominion Sports Club Committee to the Wellington Hospital. ' When asked his attitude as to recogni-' tion of the " Irish RepubliG," Mr. Statham said last night, at the meeting of the New Party, that there was nothing concerning it in the Party's platform. "We have enough to do with reforms in, our own country without bothering about such things." . . Referring to the warning of the Mayorof Christchurch of a possible influenza epidemic, Dr. T^elford, district Health, officer at Ohristchurch, said his office had had no advico from the general body of medical men indicating 1 anything out of the way. Only three deaths from, pneumonic influenza were reported this month. This is what would occur in, any ordinary time. _ ' " ' "Excellent work ie being tuirn«d out ■ by the Canterbury Technical College,"., -. said Mr. W. J. Jenkin at a, meeting-of , the executive of the Canterbury Industrial Association. "The'money spent on it is well spenti I -wish wo were in a position to double our contributions. I feel sure that the boys and girls there will do the city credit. More especially, do I feel Chat the girls ara receiving teaching which I for many^years thought necessary—that is, the proper training for them') to take positions in the homes of our boys as they grow up. The life , of nfany a main is spoilt by bad cooking served up to him from time to time, and ■. I am quite satisfied that the college training will wipe that out. 1' Reference was made^by several.j3peakers at last night's meeting of the New Zealand Society.of Accountants to the burden of taxation under which business firms were labouring at the present time. One speaker said that it was a matter for surprise that the society fiad not offered its advice to the Government on this matter. In the present Cabinet there was not.one accountant or business man. The'incidence of taxation was not at all satisfactory. *The Chairman (Mr. W. Green) said that they council had not neglected the matter, and had made rep* mentations on more than one' o'ecasion that the society should be consulted on matters of taxation. The society had, however, received the usual polite answers, and that was all. The North ■ Canterbury Hospital Board's decision in favour of compulsory notification of venereal. disease was ■ made on the motion of Dr. Fenwick, who urged that it should be placed on. - - ■ the list of notifiable diseases, "in order to drag it out of the sewer, and fight it in. the open.". Compulsory, notification of tuberculosis had been a godsend to New Zealand, and he wanted venereal disease fought .with coftrmon-sense and sympathy. The motion was opposed by Mr W. E. Leadley, who claimed that' • compulsory notification would result in. driving the disease still. further underground. He said- that there were many .innocent sufferers, and the disease had. attached to it a f-tigma which would drive them either to treat themselves, to resort to quack treatment, or to hays no treatment at ail. - '■ The Southland Rugby Football Union at its meeting- this week discussed cer--tain^stateanents that have beer -'ma-da with, regard to_ rough play in {tie Spring-. boW match, in which it was stated that the play of a Southland player had been investigated-. Mr. A. 'J.. Geddes, , chairman,' said that he was hot aware that an inquiry had been .held into tha play of any Southland player, and a ' motion was carried drawing the atten-: tioh of the N.Z.R.F U. to the^ report.ofl: the remarks in question, and" asking if the parent body approves of the state-., ments, and if any inquiry had been heldl that copies of the evidence be submitted to the S.R.FTJ., together Vith the)' name of the player. Should the t, N.Z.R.F.U know nothing of. the inquiry; it was asked to deny the statements through the; press. " ' " I will tell you the whole story," said Mr. C.' E. Statham last ' night,' when asked if he .left the Reform Party because he was not included in the Ministry. He' said that when he first stood for Parliament in 1911,, he believed the Reform Party to be an ultra-Liberal Party, but he discovered that tne Gov- ' ernment would not do things, and long before last election he told them that ho would standl as an independent candidate. ' - He-believed that a young New Zealand Party would be formed, _and if so he. would join it. As to the Ministry, a member of the Cabinet said to him re> cently, " Statham, why did you leave us? You had the ball at your feet. There is no one we would have been more glad to see in the Cabinet." "I said," proceeded Mr. Statham, "that there were certain principles which I could not agree with." He replied.: ' Well, you've got too much conscience.'" Is theVsale of tramway concession tickets being'pushed to the best advantage in Wellington? This question is asked by a correspondent (John C Hutchinson), who says :—"For many years, I have sold .these tickets. Though in a quiet thoroughfare, frorri a biisinesr standpoint, yet I have easily disposed of from £5 to £7 monthly, my average the . last six months being £6 15s per month. The time taken by the collector to check the tickets sold, replace the needed ones, and receive the proceeds of the sales, . was anything -from two to four minutes. . Imagine my surprise when I was recent- ■ ly told that -it didn't pay to call and ■pick up this amount, and I have received a letter :to this effect from the official in charge, and the -pickets, have been withdrawn from sale.. Now, instead of withdrawing these tickets from any of the shops where they are sold at _ present, I wish to point .out that it is to everybody's advantage that the facilities for obtaining concession tickets should be extended considerably Every newsagent and stationer in the city who hae a shop on the main train route or , any branch line should be asked to sell them, and the increased revenue derived would fully compensate for any extra trouble in collecting the same. I have yet to hear of any newspaper proprietor cutting out his small agents--to increase the circulation of his paper, or of one ' who thought it beneath his dignity to send a collector regularly, for very much smaller amounts than I have quoted, or of one who didn't think it worth his while to do so. Bear in mind tlyit the revenue from concession tickets represents cash in advance. They are a greater convenience to the conductor than the passenger—the former having no need to issue the customary ticket, and possibly hand out change; and they are the greatest incentive to the formation of the train habit, which the management should enconrageA The collector, in his fortnightly 'calls, generally arrived in ' a motor-car, and, as everybody is aware, - - motor-cars cost money. Now, I have no .particular objection to combining bust- . ness with pleasure, provided the former „ suffers not; but, as the whole tramway service is available, I see no reason for this expense."