NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Issue 13, 16 January 1936, Page 10

NEWS OF THE DAY

Free Ambulance Service.

During 1935 the Wellington Free Ambulance attended a total of 10,852 cases, compared with 8621 during 1934. Of this figure accidents accounted for 1275, transports 9423, and minor cases 154. The miles travelled by the cars amounted to 94,154. Since its inception the Free Ambulance has attended 62,108 cases and the cars have travelled 600,866 miles. During December 959 cases were attended .(123 accidents, 823 transports, 5 slight and 8 serious office cases). The cars travelled 8301 miles during this month, and the honorary staff rendered 199 hours of duty. Battle of Jutland. Lack of time and poor visibility were two factors in the Battle of Jutland which writers and speakers d|l not emphasise enough when discussing Lord Jellicoe's tactics in that famous encounter, according to ViceAdmiral J. E. T. Harper, C.8., M.V.0., in an address at Christchurch on Tuesday evening (states the "Star-Sun"). He also mentioned that much' of the information available was not given to Lord Jellicoe at the time of the engagement. When Jellicoe assumed command of the action it was about 6 p.m., and visibility was then reduced to six miles and sometimes less than two thousand yards. Admiral Harper said that while the British losses in the battle were greater than those suffered by the Germans, a battle was not lost on the first round. After Lord Jellicoe was in control the German losses exceeded the British. He declared that the real result of Jutland was the surrender of the German fleet in November,, 1918. Auckland Photographer's Success. Information that he has been awarded a prize at the fifteenth Annual Competition of American Photography has been received by Mr. H: J. Schmidt, of" Auckland. The competition attracted 5000 entries, of which only 350 were accepted and hung. The picture accepted was a fine figure study entitled "Power and Poise." During recent months Mr. Schmidt has been successful at' international salons of art photography in India, Ireland, South Africa, and the United States. One notable exhibition at which his work was included was the Invitational Salon of the Photographic Society of America. For this a list .of leading camera artists of the world was compiled, and each was invited to submit one example of his work for exhibition through the United States and Canada. Altogether 162 artists responded, the excellence of their work creating a marked impression .on ths critics. Auckland Harbour Tunnel. That it would be quite feasible to build a harbour tunnel to link the city of Auckland with Devonport and that there are no great engineering difficulties in the way was the opinion expressed by Mr. George Archer, an English tunnelling expert who is visiting Auckland (states the "New Zealand Herald"). During the last few years there has been both discussion and controversy on the desirability of linking the city and North Shore sides of the Waitemata Harbour to provide for the growing needs of transport, and a harbour bridge proposal has been followed by a suggestion that a tunnel would be the best means of providing the necessary link. The tunnel appeals most to Devonport residents, as the proposed bridgehead on the northern shore is to be near Northcote. Butter JDown a. Penny. The wholesale price of butter in Wellington, which was raised at the beginning of last.week to Is Id a lb net, was reduced again this morning to Is. The standard retail price is Is Id a lb. Woman's Presence of Mind. The sight of a young woman whose small motor-car had stalled in the paih of the oncoming express deliberately getting out of the car and pushing it to safety was one which surprised a number of Hastings residents in the vicinity of the Eastbourne Street crossing on a recent afternoon. In the meantime the driver. of the express had noticed and appreciated the plight of the motorist, and applied the brakes of the engine. The car had been pushed clear, however, by the time, that the express was brought to a standstill. Contract System to Stay. ' An emphatic statement that the contract system would be maintained on public works in New Zealand was' made by the Minister of Public Works (the Hon. R. Semple), replying to a deputation of unemployed work-, ers at Westport yesterday morning (reports the Christchurch "Star-Sun"). The deputation put forward -twelve requests, one of which was for the abolition of the contract system, or, failing that, the payment of a minimum price of 16s daily. Mr. Semple declared that the whole question of unemployed workers was under lengthy consideration by Cabinet. It was proposed to abolish all forms'of relief work in the public works of the country, and that would be done as soon as possible! but they had to find the means of financing the jobs so the workmen would receive decent wages. "The co-operative system is,not going to be abolished in public works," added Mr. Semple. "I worked nearly thirty years, but never for wages. It was always on contract, to make more than the standard rate. We propose to use the contract system wherever possible and give a reasonable price for the various classes of work and enable men to earn .the stipulated standard wage as the minimum, not the maximum, and some may earn twice as much as the minimum. Any man who is a trier will welcome a system of that kind. Cabinet has been sitting night and day to give the workers of the country a chance." Mr. Semple said that the Government knew what it had to do, and the proposals that the deputation put forward did not cut much ice.