AUSTRALIA

Greymouth Evening Star, 5 June 1942, Page 2

AUSTRALIA

UNIFORM TAXATION

CANBERRA, June 4. Australia will now have uniform taxation. The Government’s legislation has been passed by the Senate by twenty votes to twelve, after an all-night session. Four members of the Opposition supported the Government. In winding up the debate, the Minister of Customs (Senator Keane), referred to the Opposition challenging the constitutional validity of the legislation. "The Government has taken every possible legal safe- . guard,” he said. “If the day ever comes to this country when the High Court interferes with the considered decisions of the elected representatives of the people, its position may have to be looked into.” The Oppostiion moved to reduce the compensation payable to New South Wales from £15,356,000 to £13,726,000. This move was defeated. The Deputy-Leader of the Opposition, Senator Mcßride, said the Government had not taken into account relief which New South Wales would obtain from certain social services taken over by the Commonwealth. Senator Keane said that the compensation payable was based on the average collection of the States, and taken on 1939-40 and 1940-41 mcomes. The Commonwealth, in taking over the payment for social services, would reduce only the New South Wales deficit. CONTROL OF BANKING CANBERRA, June 4. The Labour Party objective of nationalisation of banking should not be introduced during the war, said the Prime Minister (Mr. Curtin), in the House of Representatives. He was replying to Mr. Spender, who asked whether the Prime Minister . had stated that nationalisation of banking could not be put into effect ' because the Government lacked a . majority in both Houses. Mr. Curtin added that it was con- ■ sidered that the measure should not ' be introduced because of the war’s . requirements and the state of the 1 political parties in the two Houses. “ "This Government came into office ' at a time of great emergency. It does • not abandon its social programme,” ; he said, “but it does not regard post- ' ponement until the war is won as an illogical procedure. Where the war 1 can be served by applying general > Labour principles to certain aspects ■ of national structure they will be i applied but no sectional political pro- - gramme will be pursued except for such part as is in the best interest of the nation in the war.” The Australian note issue is now close to the £100,000,000 mark. A further rise of £500,000 is shown in this week’s Commonwealth Bank return, which brings the total to £9B,- ■ 864,038. This represents an increase i i of about £32,500,000 during the past ' . twelve months, while since the out- I , break the increase in circulation has . , been nearly £50,000,000. ’ 1 DEHYDRATION SCHEMES. 1 1 (N.Z.P.A. Special Correspondent) I ’ SYDNEY, June 4. 1 The mass production of vegetables, , the drying of the Commonwealth’s 1 apricot crop, and the establishment , of plants for the large-scale dehy- / dration of mutton are schemes under / consideration by the Australian Food 2 Council, which is concerned with - safeguarding civilian food needs dur- ? ing the war. 2 A special report before the coun- } cil suggests that the consumption of t vegetables by both the service and the civilian populations in each State should be determined, and plans made lor the regional production of the vegetables required. The report also recommends that the State agricultural departments select g suitable areas for the mass production of vegetables. The high food e value of dried apricots, especially for young children, was stressed, and it ” was recommended that the entire t Australian crop be dehydrated. Anc, other recommendation is that the exe traction of flour should be raised to 75 per cent, in all mills, since this would greatly improve the nutritive value of bread. Pork, bacon, fresh * and tinned milk, bread, oatmeal, J infant and invalid cereal foods, beef, mutton, butter, barley, rice, and flour are listed as foods essential for ade- ” quate civilian nutrition. g A special report on dehydration t was made by the Minister for Comr merce (Mr. Scully). The Treasury recently authorised the expenditure of hundreds of thousands of pounds for equipment for the dehydration of vegetables and fruits throughout Australia. Mr. Scully announced that he pro- - poses to ask the Cabinet for £200,- /, 000 to establish dehydration ‘plants - for mutton. He explained that many hundreds of thousands of sheep were never converted into meat because it was unremunerative to transport them over long distances. With dehydration facilities in country centres Australia’s meat production might be increased considerably. The British Government was anxious to secure 25,000 tons of dehydrated mutton. So concentrated was the dehydrated product that this would involve the treatment of about 10,000,000 carcases. e .SUNDAY ENTERTAINMENT e S (N.Z.P.A. Special Correspondent) (Recd. 10 a.m.) SYDNEY, June 5. After a four weeks’ trial, it has been announced that two theatres e will be opened in Sydney each Sunday night, for the entertainment of troops and their friends. All Sundays have seen crowds of Service personnel turned away from the theatres. The decision to limit the number of theatres open to two has aroused strong protests. “Two theatres are not sufficient,” says the “Sydney Morning Herald,” „ editorially. “Apart from soldiers, a host of people such as munition workers have their week-days so full g of exhausing labour that Sunday, g their one day of rest, provides the only opportunity of seeking amusement when they are not too weary to i enjoy it. The authorities should re5 member that the Sabbath was made U for man, and the Government for the g people." I PARLIAMENT AND PRESS. I (Rec. 2.10 p.m.) 1 CANBERRA, June 5. Hi Unless the proprietors of the “Syda ney “Sunday Telegraph” publish I without reservation an apology for J the article which led to the exclusion g of the staff of the “Daily Telegraph” , and “Sunday Telegraph” from the y Senate and sections of Parliament (s House, the staff will be prevented t’ ron l reporting the proceedings or in- , terviewmg Ministers in the House of ** Representatives. The Speaker of the House of Repw resentatives (Mr. Nairn) made this a announcement in the House. He addrs ed that, in his opinion, there was a ’ s duty upon the House to support and ;s cc -°perate with the Senate in the maintenance of the dignity and hon2 our of Parhament. Both Houses of >• Parliament were equally concerned ■*» in preserving the rights, privileges, *- and honour of Parliament. >y Both Houses of Parliament adjourned last night, until the middle of August. MELBOURNE MURDERS. MELBOURNE, June 4. Private Edward Joseph Loenski, / aged 24,'an American soldier, will be 6 charged with Melbourne’s three C. brown-out murders. The police hone . ithe courtmartial will sit next week, but the decision rests with United *• States Army officials. Detectives

who investigated the murders completed briefs of evidence for presentation at the United States Army courtmartial, which will tiy Loen ski. - ■