NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXL, Issue 129, 28 November 1945, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY

WEATHER FORECAST

Forecast to 5 p.m., Thursday

Moderate winds, southerly today and north-westerly tomorrow. Weather fair to fine and mild. Further outlook, freshening north-westerlies and fair. Situation: Pressure remains high over northern New Zealand, but is falling in the south.

New Moon. —December 5. Temperature at 9.30 a.m.: 59 deg. Rainfall for 24 hours at 9.30 a.m.. nil. Rainfall since October 28 to date, 0.94 in.

High Water.—Today, 11.58 a.m.; tomorrow, 12.29 a.m. and 12.36 p.m. Sun sets, today 7.34 p.m.; rises tomorrow, 4.34 a.m., sets 7.35 p.m.

White Butterflies Scarce

The marked absence of the white butterfly pest in Hawke's Bay this season is thought to be due to destruction of the larvae by volcanic ash from Mount Ruapehu. In. past years, during November, thousands of white butterflies were to be seen in every paddock, but they have been almost completely absent this month. The • superintendent of reserves at Hastings states that at present it is difficult to determine whether the absence of the white butterfly is due to ash being amply deposited on the pests' breeding grounds. The pest made its appearance much later last year and it is possible that scientific control measures are taking effect.

Army System Defended

"There is nothing fundamentally wrong with the Army system," said Brigadier A. B. Williams, officer commanding the Northern Military District, at a victory dinner of the footwear manufacturers' trade group of the Auckland Manufacturers* Association. "We have produced twro divisions. I will not say they are the best divisions, but there are none better. That should be sufficient proof."

Day In Parliament

After brief preliminary business yesterday afternoon, the House of Representatives settled down to give further consideration of Bills on the order paper. Urgency was taken for five Bills, but the House did not sit beyond 11 •a.m., and only two of the measures were put through and passed They were the Valuation of Land Amendment Bill and the Servicemen's Settlement and Land Sales Amendment Bill. The first of these Bills did not occupy the House for long, but there was considerable discussion on the other measure, Opposition members criticising various aspects of the Government's policy in the settlement of discharged servicemen. Because of the State luncheon to Field-Marshal Lord Alanbrooke, Chief of the Imperial General Staff, and Vice- Admiral Sir Philip Vian, Second in Command of the British Pacific Fleet, the House will not meet until 3.30 p.m. today.

Passages Prom England

Numerous inquiries were being received from servicemen as to when their wives or fiancees could be expected to leave England, stated the Minister of Defence (Mr. Jones) last night. The position, he said, was that those women must travel by ordinary passenger ships and accommodation on the few available ships routed to New Zealand was extremely limited. The High Commissioner's Office in London was watching the shipping situation closely and was doing everything possible to get passages, but. it was reported that it would be some considerable time before passages were available for all who wished to travel to New Zealand. At the present time priority was being given only to expectant mothers according" to time ot confinement, and deserving compassionate cases, and all others were allotted passages in turn as accommodation became available. Mr. Jones added that he regretted being unable, owing to the uncertainty of shipping, to give even an approximate date when the majority of wives and fiancees would reach New Zealand. However, all interested parties could rest assured that everything possible was being done to secure passages and that as each party of wives and fiancees sailed from tlie United Kingdom husbands and others concerned would be immediately advised.

Valuation Of Land

The second reading debate on the Valuation of Land Amendment Bill was concluded in the House of Representatives yesterday afternoon and the Bill went through its remaining stages and was passed. . Mr, F Langstone (Government, W aimarmo) protested .-gainst the clause amending the definition of "improvements," contending that when a person improved his property the results of his labour should not be included in the improved value for taxation purposes. Mr. R. M. Algie (National, Remuera) questioned whether the use of district Assessment Courts would achieve the uniformity that was desired. The Minister of Lands (Mr. Skinner) said there appeared to be general concurrence in the proposals. .The use of land sales committees as district Assessment Courts would overcome the delay about which so many local bodies complained, and as the present Assessment Court—of which he had no criticism to offer—sat only 30 days a year, the committees would be called upon to do very little extra work. In reoiy to Mr Langstone's objection, the Minister said that where an individual carried out improvements to his own property he was not taxed on those improvements, but when he alienated the property then, to achieve uniformity the improvements were included in the valuation. The Bill would make for a better relationship between values than at present.