Dominion News

Greymouth Evening Star, 21 September 1949, Page 8

Dominion News

Cricket Team Going To Sydney

A» party of 26, including the wives of.many of the players, representing the Petone United Cricket Club, will leave Wellington by the Monowai on Friday for Sydney. The team will play a series of matches arranged by the Rookdale Kia Ora Sports Club, Sydney.—(P.A.) Restriction On Handbills

“We cannot have people plastering handbills around the town,” said Mr F. McCarthy, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court at Auckland yesterday, fining J. J. Shannon, a manager, £1 for placing handbills advertising the performances of a hypnotist on buildings, walls, and' fences within the city of Auckland without the consent of the occupiers or owners. “This is not a very well known by-law,” continued the Magistrate, “but it is a very necessary one.”—(P.A.) Age Benefits Still At Old Rate Many age beneficiaries who received theix* pensions from the Social Security Department yesterday wondered why the extra 5s a week promised by the Minister of Finance (Mr Nash) in the Budget had. not been added. Beneficiaries of the Social Security and War Pensions Funds are riot legally entitled to the .increases announced in the Budget until amending legislation has been passed by Parliament. The increases when paid will be retrospective to June 1. —(P.A.) A Gift From Mr Nash

When the Minister of Finance (Mr Nash) offered in the House of Representatives last evening to give 2001 b or 3001 b of tobacco to any member who wanted it he found a ready acceptor in Mr G. H. Mackley (Opposition, Wairarapa), who promised to call at Mr Nash’s office today to collect the gift. The only catch is that the tobacco, according to Mr Nash, is no good. The offer was made when the House was discussing surplus war assets still unsold.—(P.A.) A Three Years Year Book During the discussion on. the vote for the: Department of Census and Statistics in the House of Representatives last evening, the Minister in charge (Mr Nash) said he hoped the next Year Book would be published in two or three months. It would be 1 a 1947-49 Year Book and would thus bring the printing of Year Books up to date. Mr Nash denied that he had the advantage of statistics more recent than those available to the Opposition. He said all the latest statistical information was contained in the Monthly Abstract.—(P.A.) Sales Tax On Power Lines " Notice to ask the Minister of Finance (Mr Nash) whether he would give favourable consideration to the removal of sales tax on equipment used for rural electric reticulation in view of the urgent need for rural power board authorities to be relieved of taxation was given in the House of Representatives yesterday by Mr D. C. Kidd (Opposition, Waimate). In a note to the question, Mr Kidd said at present sales, tax was imposed at the rate of £33 a mile, and the Rural Electric Reticulation Council., had authorised 12,000 miles of line, 'which would result in £396,000 being paid by way of sales tax. —(P.A.) • I Poliomyelitis Vaccine . . . Reference to the search for a poliomyelitis preventive vaccine was made by Dr J. O. Mercer, pathologist to the Wellington Public Hospital, when he gave the Hospital Board members yesterday impressions of his recent tour of Canada and the United States. Dr Mercer said he spent some time at institutions in the United States where much work was being done on poliomyelitis research. There Avas general belief that within a period of years a vaccine would be produced which would be effective against poliomyelitis. If the vaccine did not actually prevent the disease it was believed it would at least'mitigate the more drastic effects of it. —(P.A.) Wife-Beating Allegation Notice to ask the Ministewof Justice (Mr H. G’.- R. Mason)- whether hewould inquire into a statement of Mr W. Carol Harley, S.M., who, in explaining certain remarks made when dealing with a case of .wife-beating was alleged to have said that his remarks were addressed only to. “primitive” Maoris in isolated places where wife-beating was “normal,” was given by Mr T. P.. Paikea (Government, Northern Maori) in the House of Re-

presentatives yesterday. “Will the Minister request the Magistrate either to produce evidence of these so-called wife-beatings and to substantiate his sweeping charge' that this' is normal practice or to withdraw this serious allegation against the Maori people and to mrike such amends as the circumstances may warrant?” Mr Paikea asked.—(P.A.) Surplus War Assets Asked in the House of Representatives last night for information about the amount and nature of surplus war assets, still in store in New Zealand and awaiting disposal, the Minister of Finance (Mr Nash) said that, although the War Assets Realisation Board had been wound up, the work of clearing surplus stocks was being carried on by the Stores Control Board.. He himself had wished fox' details. of stocks still in store but had been told that a detailed catalogue of them would fill hundreds of pages. Mr Nash said he doubted if there was much of major value in wartime stores still in the Government’s possession. His view was that if the stores could not be sold and were not useful to the service departments they should be dumped, as had been done in othex’ countries, but what would be the reaction of members of the House if that were done? —(P.A.) Mr Nash And Pianos It was important to encourage public generosity and to foster community spirit, but if the Minister of Customs (Mr Nash) persisted in his attitude of refusing to remit sales tax on concert pianos, which local non-profit-making institutions desired to import, 'then he would strangle the community spirit in the Marlborough electorate, said Mr T. P. Shand (Opposition, Marlborough) in the House of Representatives last evening. Mr Nash said that only a commodity of United’ Kingdom origin would be allowed to come into the country free of duty, and sales tax would be remitted provided that the commodity was not for sale. It was exclusively a matter of British preference, and pianos of other manufacture would not be given tax clearances. Mr J. J. Mahex' (Opposition, Otaki) suggested that the piano in question, a Bechstein, was a particularly fine'-one. “Grade Fields would enjoy playing it,” he said. “I’m sure she could play ‘Walter, Lead Me to the Altar.’ ” Mr Nash: I would have to play “Anything You Can Do I Can Do Better.” Mr Nash reiterated that sales tax would not be waived on pianos not of British manufacture, however worthy the community cause for which they, were intended. —(P.A.)