NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 91, 14 October 1931, Page 8

NEWS OF THE DAY

Yesterday in Parliament.

Events which occurred in the House of Representatives yesterday added more than usual interest to the proceedings. The debate was taken on the Supplementary Budget submitted last week by the Minister of Finance (the Hon. W. Downie Stewart), but m the contributions made thoro was little real attempt to examine the proposals in any detail. Labour members gciier- i ally took advantage of the opportunity to express the opinion that before tho Budget was considered the Government should make an appeal to the electors. Attempts were mado to draw members of the Government on their intentions regarding an election, but pleas for enlightenment fell on deaf ears. The only Minister to take part in the debate was the Minister of Agriculture (the Hon. D. Jones), who generally defended the proposals. In the ovening tho debate was interrupted by the Minister of Unemployment (the Right Hon. J. G. Coates), who outlined the proposals of the Government for dealing with the unemployment problem. One of the most significant features of the statement was the suggestion that it might be necessary to increase the wage tax in order to meet the increasing demands on the fund. Another interruption in the main debate occurred when the two taxing Bills, giving effect to the Government's taxation proposals, were introduced by Governor-General's Message. Tho introduction of these pleasures gave rise to a long and at times animated debate on the principles of land taxation, Labour members protesting strongly against the repeal of the graduated land tax. The debate on the Financial Statement was later resumed, but had not concluded when tho House adjourned. No Dominion Coinage. Silver and coppor coinage for the Dominion has been a subject brought up several times recently by the Wellington Chamber of Commerce. At last night's meeting of tho Council, a letter on the subject was received from the Prime Minister. It stated that information from London indicated that at present it was not possible to make arrangements for the redemption of the Imperial coinage now in circulation in New Zealand. Under these circumstances, the possibilities of making a profit were confined to the additional coins required from time to time. It was considered that to manufacture these coins in New Zealand would mean little, if any, saving over and above the share of profits now being received from the Royal Mint. Accordingly, it was not proposed to pursue the matter any further at present, although the question would not be overlooked when circumstances were more favourable. A Wanganui Paddle Steamer. Tho paddle steamer Wairere, pioneer vessel of the Wanganui River Services fleet, was placed on the company's slip last week for inspection and overhaul (states "Tho Herald"). The vessel has been out of commission for a considerable time, and has laid at her moorings along the river bank. Hor history is of a very interesting nature, and goes back to a time when the river Was less known and the Natives were less friendly than they are to-day. Originally the vessel, which may be said to have really opened up the river country, could reach Pipiriki, but a vessel of her class and type could scarcely do so now owing to the decreased depth of the river. An interesting use may yet be found for the old boat. Salesmen's Expenses. "The position of a motor-car salesman, and more particularly of a usedcar salesman, is different from that of most salesmen," said Mr. Justice Frazcr in an Arbitration Court judgment. "In order to effect sales, and to earn his commission, he must take prospective customers about the city and into the country, and must use his judgment as to whether an offer of entertainment will stimulate a sale. It is reasonable to assume that, after a demonstration of a car has been given, a discussion at the luncheon table, or over a cup of tea, or possibly in a hotel bar, may be the means of clinching a sale. Tho Court is of the opinion that an allowance should bo made for entertainment expenses reasonably incurred in a business, and that the evidence as to the custom of motor-car salesmen indicates that entertainment expenses are generally regarded as necessary- in their business." The Nightingale. "Regarding the correspondence on the song of the nightingale, may I saythat I have heard many birds in many lands, and have yet to hear the superior of the nightingale under the circumstances under which ho sings," writes a correspondent to the Christchurch "Press." "Most, if not all, the great bird songsters sing in the early morning or early evening, like the thrush. The nightingale sings late in the evening, and tn a still, warm night in early summer, when one is sitting out of doors, it is a wonderful experience to hear his sudden great burst of song. He is only a small bird, but he has a mighty throat. I admit that the New Zealand birds of the bush in the early mornings take a lot of beating, but so does the skylark, the most wonderful of all tho songsters. But you would not compare tho lark and the nightingale, because they do not admit of comparison. No more would you compare the lurk nnd the canary—l mean the wild bird of his native islands, because thfi yellow bird of commerce is ;i poor singer compared with the wonderful songsters that have neither been inbred nor tamed. In his place, the nightingale has no equal."

Deatli on Voyage. Tho voyage of the Shaw, Savill, and Albion liner Tamaroa, which arrived at Wellington this morning from Southampton, was miirrod by the death of one of the passengers. Just before reaching Cristobal, on tho Atlantic side of the Panama Canal zone, Mr. Sydney Hudson, one of tho third-class passengers for Auckland, died of heart failure, duo to sunstroke, and was buried at sea. Tho voyage otherwise was uneventful, and was favoured by exceptionally fine weather all the way. Arbitration Court's Future. A smile appeared on Mr. Justice Frazor's face in the Arbitration Court yesterday afternoon, when Mr. W. T. Young, appearing on behalf of woollen mill workers, expressed the opinion that tho depression was clearly a wellengineered plot of the financial institutions to reduce the basic wage of tho unmarried labourer to 7s or 8s a clay, and that of the married labourer to 10s 6d or Us 6d a day, and added tho conviction that the Court itself, in its relation to industrial questions, was clearly in peril of its existence Ijy prospective legislation. "I wonder whether you would take a bet on that last proposition," remarked his Honour. Mr. Young smiled in turn, but did not accept, and the case proceeded.

Cost of League of Nations,

The Prime Minister is being asked by Mr. C. Can- (Labour, Timaru) in the House of Representatives, whether his attention has been drawn to the reported criticism by the High Commissioner for New Zealand of the amount spent in maintaining the League of Nations, in which criticism his name was associated with those of Lord Beaverbrook and Herr Hitler, leader of the German Fascists. He also wishes to know if the High Commissioner acted under instructions of the New Zealand Government, and, if not, whother the Prime Minister will convey to Sir Thomas Wilford, on behalf of this Parliament and people, an expression of regret for an utterance that might bo interpreted as hostile to the League and the cause of peace. "An editorial in tho Christchurch 'Press' of the 18th September last," said Mr. Carr, ""states that the League of Nations is Costing Britain about 5s per minute, while her preparations for war, apart from war debts, pension^, etc., aro costing her £175 per minute, a proportion of 1 to TOO."