LOCAL AND GENERAL

Greymouth Evening Star, 9 December 1940, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

“There are many men in New Zealand who preach Socialism, but practice capitalism very successfully!”— Mr. W. A. Bodkin, M.P. By five votes to four, the Whangarei Borough Council agreed to permit pictures being screened on the evening of Christmas Day. This resolution rescinded a previous resolution refusing to grant permission. The leader of the Opposition (Mr. $. G. Holland) has received the following cablegram from Mr. Churchill in reply to a message sent on behalf of the Opposition congratulating him on his sixty-sixth birthday: “Much honoured by your kind congratulations.”

The Greymouth Surf Life Saving Club, at a meeting yesterday morning, decided to proceed with the erection of the new rescue station and club house. The building is to be of concrete and the building arrangements tvere left to a committee comprising Messrs. J. B. Kent, D. Ryland, and J. G. Walton. ' ■

In the electrical wiremen’s examinations held in September, the following Greymouth candidates were successful: Passed in written part—J. A. Bradley, J. P. Connors, C. A. A. Cullen, L. N. Downes, R. F. Woodhouse. (There were eight candidates). Passed in practical part—R. F. Woodhouse. (There were three candidates). In the examination for electrical servicemen, A. J. Caithness passed in both written and practical parts. He was the only candidate.

Delayed in her departure from Sydney, the flying-boat Awarua did not reach Auckland until 5.25 p.m. yesterday, after a trip lasting eight hours 37 minutes. The delay was caused in making minor adjustments found necessary during the usual inspections before departure. Scheduled to leave 'at 6 a.m. (New Zealand time) the Awarua did not take off until 8.48 a.m. Fifteen passengers were carried. The machine was commanded by Captain O. Garden. It carried 8411 b. of mail and 4321 b of freight. It will leave for Sydney on Thursday, and will return on Sunday.

White’s are showing beautiful Summer Coats specially for Xmas trade. The colourings are of the very latest and fit; quality and style guaranteed.—Advt. Just arrived: A shipment of Ladies’ Silk and Cotton Vests in two styles—• round neck and shaped top. In flesh and creme only. 2/11 each.—C. Smith. —Advt.

Referring to the control of exchange, during his address at Greymouth on Saturday evening, Mr. W. A. Bodkin, M.P., said that Mr. Nash, when asked in London why he did not control exchange sooner than it was done, admitted that such a thing could not be done just before an election. Mr. Bodkin declared that Mr. Nash, by delaying action until after the election, had protected the Labour Party’s interests, at the expense of. those of New Zealanders generally.

That the failures in life were almost always to be found in the ranks of the supporters of the Labour Party, was a statement made by Mr. W. A. Bodkin, M.P., on Saturday evening. The scrub lines at stock sales were usually sent in by Labour supporters. He would almost undertake to say, declared Mr. Bodkin, that he could drive along the road in a car, and tell, from .the appearance of the fences and gates, which were the properties of Nationalist and Labour supporters.

Steps to form a branch «of the Home Guard at Cobden were taken at a well-attended meeting held in the school gymnasium, yesterday, when 40 men were enrolled, in addition to those who have already joined. Addresses were given by the Mayor (Mr. F. A. Kitchingham) and Mr. A. H. McKane, who explained the details of the Home Guard and the Emergency Precautions Scheme. It was decided to hold the first parade of the Home Guard in the Cobden Football Club’s pavilion on Wednesday next, when officers will be appointed.

The Czechoslovak Government in jLondon having been recognised by the New Zealand Government, instructions have been received by the Act-ing-Consul-General of Czechoslovakia in Sydney to begin the registration of volunteers for the Czechoslovak army abroad. Conditions of enlistments are Czechoslovak citizenship, age below 40, and references of moral character and physical fitness. Applications are to be addressed to the Czechoslovak Consulate-General, Box 3644 S Sydney, and should include the name, address, and calling of the applicant as well as a statement of his previous military training, if any. Press Assn.

Labour supporters often alleged that the capitalistic system had failed, and also declared that there were no unemployed in Germany or Russia, said Mr., W. A. Bodkin, M.P., on Saturday evening. He retorted that there never in history was an unemployed slave. Immediately a Totalitarian State was established, there was evidence of slavery. The capitalistic system, with all its faults, had at least provided men and women with freedom. It was only under the capitalistic system that there was any regard at all for the principles of democracy. They were going to see free men and women triumph over Totalitarianism and Socialism, in the great fight at present being waged for freedom.

“The Industrial Efficiency Act. is the tightest strait-jacket into which industry has ever been placed by peacetime legislation in any British Dominion,” said Mr. R. M. Algie, director of the New Zealand Freedom Association, in an address to the Taumarunui Chamber of Commerce. He described the principal provisions of the Act as an insidious piece of socialist planning which was likely to create far more problems than it purported jto solve. Mr. Algie added that the Act was alien and un-British in its conception, that it savoured to a very great extent of the philosophy of Karl Marx as interpreted by Lenin, Stalin, Hitler, and other modern dictators, find that it tended to crush human initiative by placing private enterprise at the mercy of bureaucratic interference and control.

“A modified Gestapo,” was the description applied to the Governmentcontrolled radio service of New Zealand, by Mr. W. A. Bodkin, M.P., speaking in the Greymouth Town Hall, on Saturday evening, and his remark was applauded. The “news reel,” put on the air at 9 p.m., was not confined to news, but contained Labour propaganda. Why would the Government not give the same rights to the National Party, in the use of the broadcasting system? The radio was the greatest medium for education and culture they had ever known. It was not paid for out of Government funds, but was the property of the listeners, who provided the capital, yet the listeners had no opportunity of saying what programmes should be given. The Labour Government had taken unto itself these powers. “Is that British justice?” asked Mr. Bodkin.

During legal argument in the Supreme Court in Auckland, counsel, advancing a suggestion that a jury had been misdirected on a certain point, drew from Mr. Justice Johnston a disclaimer of the use of the actual words suggested by counsel. His Honor mentioned that his associate had supplied counsel with a note of his direction to the jury, but it had to be understood that it was not a verbatim note. It was unfortunate, he added, that there were not Court reporters in New Zealand whose special duty it was to take full notes of the proceedings as was done in Scotland and in some English Courts. In this country some of the Judges’ associates wrote shorthand and others did not. So counsel were thrown on their own resources for getting a full note of such phases of a Judge’s direction as specially interested them.

In addition to the goods already advertised, Harley and Co. have for sale four brand new porcelain baths which have been slightly damaged in transit, and are to be sold without reserve.—Advt.

Support for the country’s effort and condemnation of subversive activities were expressed at a meeting of the council of the Federated Seamen’s Union at Wellington last week. The meeting gave unanimous support to the war effort and sent a deputation to the Prime Minister (Mr. Fraser) to express its sentiments and its appreciation of what had been done by the Government. A resolution was presented to the Prime Minister and later unanimously endorsed by a large majority of seamen. It calls upon the Government to safeguard the country and the workers in particular, by using its powers to deal effectively with those who, the union considers, are apparently satisfied to hand this country ever to the forces of imperialist totalitarian aggressors.—Press Assn. White Wool 3-ply in “Aotea” and Petone brands, lid per skein; Also, i navy blue wool, extra heavy weight, 3-ply, 1/6 per two-ounce skein.—C. l Smith’s.—Advt. ,