DOMINION ITEMS

Greymouth Evening Star, 9 August 1930, Page 2

DOMINION ITEMS

[FEB PRESS ASSOCIATION.]

RURAL CREDITS

NEW PLYMOUTH, August 8.

The control of the intermediate credit system was to-day severely .criticised by the North Taranaki Executive of the Farmers’ Union, which decided to support the protests of other branches of the Union.

One member said that the system had developed into one of the most conservative lending institutions in New Zealand. The system was being strangled by red tape. Sympathetic and capable boards with local knowledge, were hampered by the central body in Wellington. Under the present conditions, the system could not function as it should.

PETROL TAX.

WELLINGTON, August 8.

One of the main questions discussed by the Executive of the Municipal Association to-day was the increased petrol tax. The Executive was very greatly concerned that no allowance is being made for boroughs and cities to participate in the increase of 3d per gallon, and that the 8 pei- cent which was allowed cities and boroughs under the old petrol tax was ridiculously small in view of the fact that over 90 per cent, of the tax is collected in the cities and That they should receive no share whatever of the additional tax, the greater of which would still be collected from cities and boroughs, was manifestly unfair. Hope was expressed that the Government would give reconsideration to the whole matter.

MAORI’S PERJURY

NEW PLYMOUTH, August 8

Perjury was admitted by Pagerori Waiiti, known as Ted White, when he was charged on two counts before Justices at . the Police Court at Waitara. He was committed for sentence to the Supreme Court. Bail was allowed.

White, a Pukearuhe native, committed the offences during his appearance on judgment summons proceedings before Mr R. W. Tate, S.M., at Waitara, the charges that, being a witness on June 6, he gave evidence on oath in open court that he had not driven his car for six months, and that he was not at Stratford races in January, 1930, such assertions being known by him to be false, and intended to mislead the Court; that on July 4, he committed perjury by falsely swearing “I did not drive my cai’ through Ure nui on May 25 last. I am sure it is more than three months since I drove the car. I was not at the Stratford races in January 1930. I did not draw a dividend on Monsogne. I was last there when Grand Lupin won.” These statements were made during a further hearing of the judgment summons.