LOCAL AND GENERAL

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 140, 14 June 1924, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The Finance Committee of the Dunedin City Council reports it has considered the reported statements of certain sections of the community, whereby the Government is b6ing urged to impose the land and income tax on all local public bodies who own and lease land, or who are engaged in usual'public utility services. The committee, reports "The Post's" Dunedin correspondent, proposes to make an emphatic and vigorous protest against any such proposal. The introduction of legislation prohibiting the racing and speeding of mo-tor-cars on public roads was indicated in a letter received by the council of the Auckland Automobile Association on Wednesday from the Minister of Internal Affairs, the Hon. B. F. Bollard. Replying to the council's recent protest against the practice, in the interest of public safety, the Minister stated that it was proposed to make provision in the Motor Vehicle's Bill giving the Governor--General power to fix by regulation the maximum speed of motor vehicles on public roads.

The failure of the police to fly flags on the Auckland police barracks on the occasion of the visit of the Imperial Service Squadron and on the King's Birthday, which was the subject of a complaint published in the correspondence columns of the Press, has been explained by the Superintendent of Police, Mr. C. W. Hendrey. He states that on the occasion of the visit of the Squadron a constable was detailed to hoist the flags, but it was found that all the halyards were broken/ and in no case could the flags be hoisted, states the "New Zealand Herald." Subsequently the superintendent wrote to the district engineer of the Public Works Department, asking him to have the halyards replaced, but the work was not completed before the King's Birthday holiday.

The Tofua's cargo of about 14,000 cases of bananas from Fiji* proved disappointing, as at least 40 per cent, are in a very bad condition, and will have to be destroyed, states the "New Zealand Herald." The fruit is of good quality, but the fact that the cases were very wet, some actually having fungus growing on them, indicates that the fruit was exposed to the wet after being_ cased. The result was_ that the fruit became heated, and ripened too quickly. Tile 150 cases of mandarins brought by the Tofua are in even a worse condition than the bananas, as about 75 per cent, .will have to be destroyed. The Tofua also brought 133 bunches of bananas from Samoa. They are of a good quality and reached Auckland in splendid condition.

Tiie method of taxation for tlie upkeep of roads was discussed at the Auckland provincial conference of the New Zealand Farmers' Union. Mr. C. K. Wilson said the burden seemed to fall upon the ' farming community. They contributed to the maintenance to an extent out of all proportion to the use they made of tho main roads. He considered that the clamour for better roads was being raised by people who contributed most to the destruction of the highways but were reluctant to pay for their upkeep in a fair measure. The Motor Bill would not provide for an adequate revenue, and the users of the roads would still escape. ■He was of opinion that the small county councils m the backblocks could not "co-operate with the Main Highways Board in its roading scheme. These bodies could not obtain the money for tho formation of ordinary roads vitally needed by the settlers. There was even less chance that they could pay for good motor roads. Mr. B. D.' Duxfield said the erection of toll gates would solve the problem, as they would permit of no evasion. Taxes on tires and benzine left loopholes for exemptions and concessions. Mr. C. G. Monro said the motorists who sought for better-roads were quite willing to pay for them. They were aware that money spent on roaJs gave a good return. Tho following motion was carried:—"That this conference is of opinion that tho provision of better roads to meet, the demands of motor traffic should' be achieved by other means than the taxation of farmers, either by the Government or through the county councils, and (hat a scheme should be daviscd -whereby the users of the wadtßteuWeaaJrifeuts tj> their. jjjke.Bjj,"

The Postal authorities have received advice that the mails which left Auckland on 13th May, via Vancouver, arrived at London on 12th instant.

The telegraph office states that the notification of the opening of a r;#iio telegraph station at Mangaia (Cook islands) haa been cancelled—Aitutaki js the only station opened.

Advances made by the Public Trust Office by way of loans during the past month total. £352,310, of which £271,370 was distributed to private mortgagors, and £80,940 to local bodies.

According to a Press Association message the report of the tramways committee of the Duuedin City Council states that the proposed new regulations, discussed at the Wellington conference, would involve a capital outlay in respect of the Bunedin system of £77,966, plus an increase, in the running costs of £18,267.

The existence of glaring anomalies in the Railway Department freight charges was pointed out at yesterday's meeting of the Makara County Council. Examples were given of. cases in which six tons of mangolds were carried from Hastings to Johnsonville, at a cost of 39s 9d ; and m which a stone crusher, weighing Si tons, was brought from Dannevirke to Johnsonville, about 70 miles shorter distance, for £18 7s Sd ■

Some months ago it was decided by shopkeepers in Vivian street that they should join together and work in with the City Council for the improvement of verandah lighting, but eince then the matter has not progressed far owing to the difficulty of finding guarantors for the street-lighting scheme as a whole, lhat difficulty has now been overcome, the arrangement being that the council is to accept individual guarantees of £3 per annum for . three years. In dealing with recent statements in the Press regarding the selling of electric current for lfd ncr unit for ranges, Mr. W. A. Waters* engineer of the Manawatu-Oroua Power Board, -stated at a meeting at Eongotea that the ladies were entitled to consideration, and this price gave the ladies in the country the same cooking facilities as the townspeople enjoyed, with gas at 7s 6d per 1000 feet. He assured those' present that it was safe to say that in a few years' time 80 per cent, of the homes would do their cooking electrically.

Referring to the Apprentices' Act at the Arbitration Court at Christchurch yesterday, states a Press Association message, Mr. Justice Frazer said the Court did not propose to bring in its compulsory powers at present. It would much rather see the committees meet and come to the Court with their recommendations, to which, so long as they complied with the law, they could look for consideration. In reply to a question, his Honour said the committees could appoint their own chairman and secretary as long as they had equal representation of the workers and employers. In April last the New Brighton Borough Council passed an amendment to its bylaws which forbade the use cif vehicles on the foreshore of the-beach between the north and south boundaries of the borough, states a Press Association message from Christchurch. On 26th April the Pioneer Sports Club held its flying mile motor-cycle championship at JSew Brighton, and in getting to the starting point nine men rode in the forbidden area, and as a result they appeared'in the Christchurch Magistrate's Court yesterday, charged with having ridden motor-cycles on the foreshore of New Brighton beach between the borough's boundaries. Eight of them were convicted and ordered to pay £1 Is costs.

A gentleman intimately connected with the dairying industry informed a Wairarapa exchange that unless something unforeseen happened on the cheese market milk suppliers could not'expect a return of more than Is 3d or Is 4d "per lb for their butter-fat this season. Dairy farmers were in a much worse plight than in 1914, as the overhead charges, cost of living, etc., were from 50 to 60 per_ cent, higher than id pre-war days, While there was very little difference in the price received for butter-fat. He was satisfied the days of high prices for dairy produce had gone, and that landvalues must recede in sympathy with produce values. Something akin to a crash was inevitable for those nesting on high-priced land. Already many of these were vacating their holdings, leaving only values and mortgages behind them. Self-help to these men was now the best help.

"In carrying out the work of connecting up new subscribers during the past year it is of interest to note that 11,000 poles were erected. The .majority of those are ironbark and were, therefore, purchased outside the country," stated the Chief Telegraph Engineer at Christchurch. in a review of telephone matters. The opening of the Otira Tunnel has made it possible for the Department to tap the supplies of silver pine poles available on the West Coast and since the opening of the tunnel arrangements have been made which it~ ia hoped will result in the whole of the Canterbury requirements of small poles being supplied from the West Coast. Such, a desirable result would not only be of benefit to the Department in that it should be able to obtain a more regular supply of poles, but it should also Be of benefit to the settlers on the West Coast who have silver pine properties, and incidentally the Eailway Department will benefit through the transport charges.

Exactness of expression generally is in some measure encouraged by wireless broadcasting, writes the London ■ correspondent of the Melbourne "Age." In the old days the discriminating reporter polished up the orations of our afterdinner speakers, but nowadays the pub. he near them at first hand, and the re--suits are not always impressive. At a recent dinner at which the Prime Minister was a guest, listeners-in heard much more than was intended for them, and the rather guttural efforts of the chairman to quell the enthusiasm of the audience were highly amusing. The opening ceremony of the British Empire Exhibition was broadcast on a grand scale. Hitherto the great mass of the public have had to accept the word for their newspapers when they declared—as they invariably do, for instance, when the King opens Parliament—that "the King spoke in a clear voice, which could be heard distinctly in all parts of the House." A cheap crystal wireless set has now brought His Majesty's voice into the humblest homes, and its quality can be tested by all and sundry. The wireless, indeed, adds a new terror to the lives of many.of our public men. The voluble Bishop of London was one of the first divmea to broadcast, and he found' some drmculty in compressing his remarks into the brief space allotted to him on his first appearance. On concluding his address he turned anxiously to.officials of the .Broadcasting Company and remarked, "I don't think that was too long, do you?" He had not realised that the microphone was still recording what he was sayinsf. A resourceful official darted forward and switched off before the sentence was completed. But the result was that the Bishop's sermon wound up in this way: "If my unseen hearers will but ponder over these simple truths they will find therein some comfort and solace for many of the daily trials and temptations of "life—l don't think !"—

The road extension scheme approved by* the Wellington City Council is supported by the Makara County Council, ao far as the length of 40 chains at the southern end of the Ngahauranga, Gorge road is concerned, and the County Council decided yesterday to render every assistance in the paving of that piece of road. The chairman (Mr. E. Windley) said that the scheme embraced three miles of roads in the county area in the Ngahauranga Gorge, but he was of opinion that only half a mile of the surface was suitable for the application of bitumen. Any scheme- for surfacing the remainder would be impossible s under existing circumstances. He firmly believed the council would never have anything as cheap as the proposed paving scheme.

A crude method of doing away with stray doge has been brought before the notice of the Otago Society for the Prevention of. Cruelty to Animals. At a meeting on Wednesday a letter was read" from the Town Clerk stating that it was quite true that one of the City Corporation caretakers had hanged stray dogs, but the society could rest assured that cruelty in dealing with any dog caught in the vicinity of the reservoir would not be tolerated. The Bey. Mr. Saunders said that the, letter was very uneatisfactory, and gave no'guarantee that thepractice of hanging the animals would not be continued. The Mayor (Mr. H. L Tapley) said the City Council would not stand for such a procedure.' Dogs to be destroyed would be dealt with by the means provided. He would see to it that if hanging had been practised, it would be stopped. He was inclined to think there was a misunderstanding reports the "Otago Daily Times." He could not realise that this had been going on. It wjvs decided to.instruct the secretary to write again to the- Town Uerk, asking for an assurance that if 'dogs have to be destroyed, a more humane method than' hanging will be adopted.

High praise for the New Zealand scheme for the training of dental-nurses is contained in a letter received by Dr X A. Hunter, Director of the Dental Hygiene Division of the Public Health Department, from Dr. Sidney Barwise County Medical Officer of Health of iJerby. In acknowledging receipt of certain information forwarded by Dr Hunter for the education of the ■people of England, the writer states that the JNew Zealand scheme is an infinitely better one than that which the Ministry of Health will not permit the dental authorities to carry out in England. Perhaps, _ he says, ." the rebuff we have had will in the long-run be an advantage to future generations. I am sure it will if legislation is introduced into this country enabling a isimilar scheme to the New Zealand scheme to oe carried out here. I shall be greatly obliged if from time to time" you will send me copies of any printed reports that you have relating to your work, so that I can get them published in this country lam so glad that this schema of dental nurses, with two years' training, comes from a British colony instead ol the-U.S.A. I am only sorry that you are not showing the whole of theBritish Empire what you are doing in f™ Zealand by having a stall at Wembley with your dental nurses there showing what really is the commonsense way of. tackling this vast problem. r