DOMINION ITEMS

Greymouth Evening Star, 6 August 1931, Page 2

DOMINION ITEMS

[PIB PBIBS ASSOCIATION.] P. AND T. CONFERENCE. WELLINGTON, August 6. The biennial conference of the Post and Telegraph Association was opened by the Postmaster General. He said that while his sympathies were with the officers of the Department, it was not possible, at the present juncture to improve the conditions of the service. In the course of his presidential address, Mr. Brown said the subject to bo dealt with was that of again submitting to the Government a proposal to have salaries and wages assessed on the value of services rendered. PROSPECTOR MISSING. NELSON, August 6. Albert Darwin Bromell, who left Tui oii June 18, on a prospecting ex pedition to Mount Owen, has not yet been heard of. Slight hopes are held for the man’s safety. The country is very treacherous with pot holes twenty feet deep, covered up to four feet of snow. Bromell intended to go through the pass of Mount Owen, 6400 feet to Nuggety Creek, then to the headwaters of the Owen Valley? A search party, including the man s two brothers, intend spending six days on the mountain. BIBLE-IN-SCHOOLS. WELLINGTON, August 6. Strong objection to the principles contained in the Religious Instruction Enabling Bill was voiced by a deputation from the National Schools’ Defence League and the State Education Defence League, to Mr Forbes and Mr Atmore. It was submitted that the proposed conscience clause would operate unfairly, and the system proposed would open the door to the establshment of denominational schools. Mr Forbes replied that while appreciating the trouble the deputation had gone to in presenting the case, he did not desire to comment on the issue at the moment, as the Bill was before a Select Committee of the House. DUTIES ON TOBACCO. NELSON, August 5. The proposal of the Government to increase both the import and excise duties on cut and other tobacco, whilst not dealing with item 81 of the tariff, has caused considerable consternation and agitation amongst the tobacco growers throughout the Nelson district. The Executive of the Tobacco Growers, which watched the growers’ interests in 1930, have carried the following resolution: —“Having given careful consideration to incidents of recent Customs resolutions, dealing with the tobacco duties, as passed by the House, prays the Prime Minister to give legislative effect to the Customs recommendations that were proposed by a Committee of the House in 1930, namely, the recommendations in that respect of the Tobacco Industry Committee.” At a subsequent meeting of the growers, held in Riwaka, at which over 100 growers were present, the action of the Executive was confirmed, and a petition was signed by all present. BAG-SNATCHER IMPRISONED. CHRISTCHURCH, August 6. Admitting six charges of theft of handbags, involving £3O, Alice Beatrice Tootell, 38, married, was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment by Magistrate Mosley. According to the police, accused was a bag snatcher, who worked to a system, but trie'd it once too often. The police said that the woman’s practice was to go to the showroom lof a drapery firm and “poke about,”' trying on hat or coat, and wait her chance, while someone else was being served. She would then pick up a customer’s bag and make off. She was caught through tendering a cheque at a shop, from a bag which she had previously stolen. This cheque had been, stopped, so she was apprehended. In many cases, the bags were taken from people who could ill afford to lose them. The woman had admitted burning the bags and keeping the money. She was married, with five children, and had not been before the Court previously. I ■ NEW ZEALAND INDUSTRIES WELLINGTON, August 6. A comprehensive review ot the work of the Department of Industries and Commerce, in promoting the sale and purchase of New Zealand-made goods, and otherwise assisting local industries, was made by Mr de la Perrelle in reply to recent criticism levelled by a member of the House of Representatives.

Concluding a lengthy statement, he said he desired to reiterate that much of the -work of the Department was of a confidential nature, and consequently could not be made public. For this reason, the Department had received much criticism in the past, which was entirely unfair and unwarranted. Every assistance had reasonably been given by the Department to manufacturing industries of the Dominion. During the past year proposals for the establishment of several new industries had been fully investigated, particularly from the point of view of providing profitable employment for men now unemployed, and every possible assistance has been freely given.