NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 136, 6 December 1944, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

WEATHER FORECAST

Pressure remains low to the southeast and a depression is centred over Tasmania with a weak anticyclone covering the northern Tasman Sea. Forecast to 5 p.m. Thursday: Moderate southerly winds, decreasing tonight and becoming variable tomorrow, A few isolated showers at first, but weather becoming fail* to fine tomorrow. Temperatures cool. Further outlook, fair to fine. Temperature at 9 a.m., 49 degrees. New moon, December 16. c High Water.—Today, 10.21 p.m.; tomorrow, 10.36 a.m., 11.4 p.m. Sun sets today 7.42 p.m.; rises tomorrow 4.41 a.m., sets 7.43 p.m. Day in Parliament. • The apparent defeat o£ the Government on a clause in the Statutes Amendment Bill relating to electrical appliances was the feature of proceedings in the House of Representatives last evening, but the discovery that the vote of the Prime Minister (Mr. Fraser) had not been counted and the subsequent casting vote of the Chairman of Committees (Mr. McKeen) resulted in the retention of the clause. Numerous items were discussed during the committee stages on the Bill, which was finally put through at 11.22 p.m., when the' House adjourned. Insurance Agents. A clause in the Statutes Amendment Bill amending the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act in its application to insurance agents was altered in the House of Representatives last night. Originally the clause applied to every person engaged in procuring proposals or contracts of insurance or m collecting premiums, and classified them as workers under the Act. There was objection to this When the Bill was before a select committee and it was withdrawn. A new clause was submitted by the Government when the House was in committee on the Bill and passed. It now applies to those mainly engaged in procuring proposals or contracts of industrial life assurance or in collecting industrial life assurance premiums. Railways Sick Benefit Fund. Provision is made in the Statutes Amendment Bill to increase the £8000 annual subsidy to the Railways Department sick benefit fund for its second division employees to £28,000 a Sear. Commenting on the proposal in le House of Representatives last night, Mr. G. H. Mackley (National, Masterton), a former General Manager of Railways, said it was necessary because the fund, which had started well, was in a bankrupt condition. At first it accumulated funds, but a heavy drop in these reserves commenced with the introduction of social security, though one would have thought that this should reduce the demands on the railway fund. Railwaymen had to contribute to social security, and also make contributions to their own fund, including levies owing to its bankrupt condition. Snow and Strawberries. A-few years ago a Paragraph was published in June drawing attention to a strange conjunction of circumstances, strawberries ripening in Levin m mid-winter while the Tararuas were coated with snow. This year the strange combination occurs again, butm midsummer, the Tararuas unseasonably coated with snow while strawberries ripen in their due season. Actually, strawberries are in good supply, states "The Post's" Levin correspondent. He kindly reminds us that he sent along the midwinter ones and regrets not being able to send the snow. The retort courteous might be that we can well do without the snow. Not Swayed by Sentiment. Reasons why so few veterinarians have been in practice in New Zealand are suggested in the veterinary science report issued by Massey Agricultural College, which gives the numbei- at present in practice as 69. The basic cause has undoubtedly been economic states the report. The veterinary practitioner's efforts to establish himself suc-cessfully-by unaided private enterprise have been severely handicapped by the low monetary value' of individual" animals, coupled with the scattered nature of settlement involving excessive travelling. Added to this, the means of transport, instruments, drugs etc., have mostly to be imported, and therefore cost more. Indeed, the cost of living as a whole is higher than in older and more closely-settled and industrialised countries. Such economic factors play a much bigger role in veterinary practice than in human medicine, because the employment of veterinary service is governed strictly by financial considerations, and is seldom swayed by sentiment.