NEW SOUTH WALES CABINET.

Evening Star, Issue 23335, 3 August 1939, Page 10

NEW SOUTH WALES CABINET.

Fbosi a Sydney cablegram published today it would appear that the New South Wales Cabinet is facing a crisis which could result in the defeat of the Stevens Government. Previous news indicated that for some weeks strained relations have existed between the Premier and the former Minister of Public Works (Mr E. S Spooner), who resigned his portfolio on July 20 because restrictions were placed on the scope of his efforts to deal with unemployment and relief work Mr Spooner had a plan for the control of public works and expenditure which included a proposal to devote the proceeds from a special income tax and the wages tax to unemployment and costs relating to employment. He wished the funds from the taxes to be withdrawn from the Budget and diverted into specially earmarked accounts that would be used to provide work. Mr Spooner also recommended a, five-year developmental plan for major works, necessitating legislation to compel all construction authorities to work to a master plan in the expenditure of public moneys and to co-operate with the Government in the absorption of the unemployed. These and other aspects of his programme have been discussed fully by Cabinet since his resignation, Mr J. T. Lang (Leader of the Official Labour Opposition) launching a no-confidence motion which had the effect of reviving Mr Spooner’s previous attack on the Premier for alleged Budget faking. It is probably charges of this nature which have led to Mr Stevens’s decision to regard as a direct censure on the Government Mr Spooner’s recommendation for a new financial policy for 1939-40, and the creation of a special trust account from the proceeds of the. wages and special income taxes, to be used exclusively for the relief of unemployment. The weakness of Mr Spooner’s case is that the Government raised and allocated the money accruing from the taxes for other purposes which in the course of time will benefit the whole community, including the unemployed, and the course recommended to it by the impatient malcontents would in actual fact be a breach of faith. It is stated that, although the unemployment figures in New South Wales have risen, the total is still relatively low, and that nothing approximating a crisis of this nature is imminent. The task before the Government is to provide a maximum amount of useful work with the revenues and loan funds at its disposal. Its future policy has to be governed by the financial limitations which circumstances have imposed upon it, and by recognition of the need to relate public works and relief expenditure as far as possible to the requirements of defence. It is stated that what was Mr Spooner’s department has been permitted to spend generously, but that it cannot now escape the restrictions which in the altered financial situation must apply to all spending departments. Already the outlay on scenic roads and similar projects has been curtailed. It is only natural that, with a shortage of loan supplies, Cabinet should seek to regain a greater degree of collective responsibility for expenditure on relief works, and a decision to place such outlay under the control of a subcommittee would enable this to be done. Mr Spooner seems to have been unwilling to join in the team work as mapped out and preferred to play a lone hand, with liberal access to the Government’s resources. Among a section of the people with no conception of the pitfalls lying in the path of those who pursue such a policy his action will no doubt win some popularity. It is this fact which threatens the continuance of the Government*

A former Dunedin lady, now resident in New York, in a letter just received makes an interesting on the visit of their Majesties tho Xing and Queen to the United States. “ They were not so guarded as it is repoi'ted. The officials, of course, required to take precautions, but tho King and Queen rode in open cars. Why, my own car has bullet-proof glass at all times. Practically all cars have bullet-proof glass, so there was nothing in the King’s and Queen’s carriage having it. They made a wonderful, even a national, impression on our people—the King stately, the Queen fascinating and exceedingly natural; but was it hot? Roy!” Mr H- W. Bundle, 5.M.,, presided over a short sitting of the Police Court this morning, when George William Collie, was charged with drunkenness. Senior-sergeant Claasen said that the defendant had been causing considerable trouble at his home, and tho police had been called in on three occasions. He was fined 10s, in default 24 hours’ imprisonment, the Magistrate issuing a warning to defendant in regard to his future conduct.

An avalanche that carried away the power lines between Monkey Flat and the Homer on July 24 has resulted in a lengthy interruption of work at the Homer tunnel. Repairs to the damaged line are now being carried out, and it is expected that before the end of this week tunnelling will be resumed. The operation of the stand-by plant has enabled the tunnel to be kept free of water. Heavy snowfalls in this region have not caused any worry over the welfare of the men, as precautions were taken by the Public Works Department to ensure additional supplies of food at the depot in the event of the men being isolated from headquarters for any period. At present there are about 20 men at the Homer camp, and tho nearest one further down the road is at the Marion.

Undeterred by rain, hail, sleet, or snow, or the (prospect of a shower ot meteors (says the ‘ Dominion ’>, emus at the Newtown Zoo, Wellington, are at present preparing for the annual Dominion egg-hatching championship (fathers). The hen has already accumulated five eggs, large, blue-green, and waterproof. She is still laying steadily.' Her mate,' present titleholder, is standing by solicitously superintending the preparations for the contest. As soon as the clutch has assumed suitable proportions, he will embark on his seven-week brooding session. The hen, with the flock of young emus they have reared in the past few seasons, will then be banished to a neighbouring pen, so that neither feminine cackle nor juvenile importunity shall distract the cock from his parental responsibilities. Scorning comfort, tho cock emu builds no nest. He sits upon the eggs on the bare ground, with no more than a few sticks scratched together to represent comfort. Last year, at times, he was sitting in a puddle of water. Such was his concentration on the business of brooding that not even an earthquake disturbed him-, much less the fact that during the course of the session the eggs shifted several feet down the hillside. It is this indomitable spirit which has so far given him easy victories over his Auckland rival. •

The splendid picture of the stately pile of First Church in an unusual snow setting which appeared in Saturday’s issue of the ‘ Evening Star ’ has been greatly admired. Hundreds have, in purchasing the four-page supplement of snow pictures, expressed disappointment that it was not possible for it to be included in . those special editions. So numerous have been the requests for reiproductions of this photograph that our commercial printing department has reprinted it on art paper, and copies are now available at the ‘ Star ’ Office. Proceeds from to-morrow’s community sing will he devoted to the Occupation School for mentally and physically crippled children in Moray Place. This school has now been functioning for some time, and has been responsible for some splendid results, defective children having shown remarkable development in speech and deportment. There are 27 ■ pupils at the school at present, and they are taught handwork and games of all kinds, as well as. a certain amount of self-reliance, which helps them to master their disabilities. Such children, who have in most cases had to make the best of things under not always favourable conditions, are being given a new outlook on life, and nob a few are beginning to display a commendable spirit of independence. Apparatus ana general needs of the school have always been a problem, and the action of the Community Sing Committee should result in some muchneeded financial assistance being forthcoming.

The extant to which trolly buses as against Diesels are used in London wag commented on by Mr F. J. Meldrum, on his return from a tour of England. They seemed to have the advantage both in comfort, and in acceleration, which latter factor was a very important one in streets carrying such, heavy traffic. All through the outskirts of the city, trolly buses seemed to be favoured, and their comparative silence alone made them preferable to other forms of transport.

A photograph appearing in last Monday’s ‘ Star ’ illustrated that for almost 40 years erosion at St. Clair had been a serious problem. From a collection of cuttings which accompanied the original the date of the scene was placed at 1901, because in that year a house had to be removed, from a site approximately that of the present bandstand. A correspondent writes to say that the house pictured was removed in 1893, thus lending additional point to the article illustrated. It would seem that it must have been still another house that was undermined about the turn of the century.

There are still a few heaps of snow on some of the shady sides of certain city streets, but these, too, are gradually diminishing; Greatest bar to complete melting is the fact that snow was piled into heaps and it set solid. One garage proprietor in King street the other day solved the problem of getting rid of these heaps of snow in front of his premises by spreading them with a long-handled shovel over a considerable area of the centre of the roadway. Motor cars and traffic generally soon reduced the matter to slush, and the next morning it was all gone! The yellow parking and pedestrian lanes throughout the city have more or less been completely obliterated through the churning of traffic over the snow during the past week or so. Strange, though, how one follows upon an accepted rule, for it is to be noticed that pedestrians unctmsciously travel to an intersection which formerly bore a marked lane before crossing the roadway; which bears out the claim that the lanes do have an educative value. The obliteration of the lanes again brings to the front the necessity for devising some more permanent method of marking. It might be advisable to adopt a long-term policy of insetting white marble blacks. It is doubtful if their cost would be any greater, taken over a period, than that involved in repeatedly painting the streets, and they would have the additional value of permanency,.

The broadcasting of parliamentary proceedings caused record business on Tuesday night by the petrol bowsers (says the Christchurch ‘ Press ’). Many car drivers listening sourly to the succession of increased taxes being announced in the Budget suddenly sprang to action when the increase of 4d a gallon in the petrol tax, to be operative From the next morning, was announced. In amazingly quick time a queue of motors was drawn up, the drivers awaiting their turn at the bowsers to “ fill up.” One North Canterbury station owner who drove down his lorry earlier in the day with .two empty drums aboard to fill up before returning yesterday afternoon did quite good business, his lorry and the two drums accommodating 96 gallons. The saving of 32s which this meant went some distance to offsetting the effect of- the other things he heard in the Budget.

The inadvertent action of counsel for tho -defence in speaking to a member of a jury hearing his case was not permitted to interrupt proceedings in the Supreme Court yesterday (says tho Christchurch _ * Press ’). Before addressing the jury in defence against a claim for damages, Mr R. Twyneham opologised to tho court ? the jury, and counsel for the _ plaintiff (Mr K. G. Archer) for having spoken to a juryman under the impression that he was a witness for the defence. He added that Mr Archer, believing that the case would not be prejudiced,, had refrained from exercising his right to demand the discharge of the jury. “I think counsel for both sides acted with the utmost propriety and in the best tradition of their profession,” remarked Mr Justice Northcroft during his summing-up. Permits will be sought from the Hon. W. E, Parry (Minister of Internal Affairs) during his visit to the city this week for special racing and trotting meetings to raise funds for the Centennial celebrations (says tho Christchurch ‘Press’). Mr P. 11. Climie, the general secretary for the celebrations, told the Canterbury Progress League last evening that this application would be made, and that the Minister would he asked to remit tho taxes that would otherwise be levied on these meetings. The Organising Committee for the celebrations planned to raise money in this and various other ways to finance a big programme of celebrations. Arbor Day, which was gazetted to take place yesterday, has, in the Dunedin district, been postponed. It was considered that weather conditions were not suitable for its observance either this week or next, so the date has been fixed for September 8. This is the first Friday after the term holidays. The ‘ Gazette ’ notice provides that such a change may take place where climatic conditions make the earlier date unsuitable. Other districts will observe Arbor Day when convenient to them. It was held in Oamaru this week.

The Empire mails despatched from Dunedin by tho Nardana on July 14 reached London last Sunday. The Arawa, due at Wellington from London on Friday, has 602 bags of English second class mail matter for New Zealand. The Dunedin portion should be to hand on Saturday evening. Convicted on a charge of stealing a pair of binoculars valued at £23, which was part of property stolen from a launch anchored at Mechanics’ Bay in December last; Thomas Lanning Marchbank (49), a labourer, with a criminal record, was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment by Mr-Marling, S.M., in the Police Court. The accused pleaded not guilty. Two witnesses identified the binoculars as taken from Mr Alexander Harvey’s launch. An hotel barman gave evidence that Marchbank sold him a pair of binoculars for_£l 10s in December last. The police said that there had , been many thefts from launches and other- boats of late.— Auckland Press'Association.

Latest figures in the R.S.A. membership campaign are: —Christchurch, 2,177; Dunedin, 1,886.

The following additional donations are acknowledged towards the appeal for a fund to provide a national memorial to the late Sir Truby King:— Seacliff sub-branch £5 6s, Mrs W. E. Earnshaw £1 Is, Mrs Wise £1 Is, anonymous £l, Mrs E.H. 10s, Mrs Salinger 6s, anonymous ss, Mrs Nelson 2a.

In this issue appears an intimation from the Commissioner of Taxes that an instalment of the registration fee became due on August 1, and that on the same date there also fell due the' second instalment of the Social Security charge on income other than salary or wages derived during the year ended March 51,- 1939. Payment may be tendered at , any money order office. The quarterly registration fee is payable by all male persons of 20 years of ago or over. Failure to pay renders defaulters liable, oh summary conviction, to a fine of £5. In addition,_ a penalty of sixpence per month automatically accrues if payment is not made within one month of the due date.

Out of commission all day yesterday, the Kaikorai cable car service was resumed this morning. The stoppage was caused by the gripper cutting the rope through over-running it, and time was lost in having to pull the rope in and splice a section into it. A pile of sawdust caught fire at Barton’s butchery in Rattray street last evening. The outbreak, presumed. to have been caused by a lighted cigarette, did not result in any damage. The City Brigade was called shortly after 6 o’clock.

Prime wethers hadl a good demand at late rates at the Burnside stock sale yesterday, while ewes were generally cheaper throughout by 2s to 3s. Light and unfinished wethers met an erratic market, and generally sold at depreciated rates. For a sprinkling of hoggets throughout the yarding there was also an erratic demand. Prime hoggets sold at late rates, but unfinished sorts were distinctly easier. In a small entry of vealers the quality was not up to recent standards. There was a good demand for prime sorts, but unfinished vealers were hard to sell. There was a small entry of dairy cows, and a slack demand. Only best, close-to-profit sorts were wanted, and even for these prices were considerably easier. Best cows made up to £8 10s.