DOMINION NEWS

Grey River Argus, 20 August 1942, Page 1

DOMINION NEWS

DRIVERS AND TYRE SAVING WELLINGTON, August 19. In his opening remarks at the special meeting of No. 2 Licensing Authority, to-day, to consider the curtailment of road transport service, Mr J. P. Skoglund, the authority, suggested that valuable- means would perhaps be the retention of the most efficient drivers in civil employment. In his opinion, no matter what was done in the. rationing of tyres and rationalisation of services, the- fact woul-d remain that an inefficient driver would do as much damage as an efficient one covering three tunes the distance.

Representatives of the Transport Department placed before operators confidential facts and figures of the tyre position, and in conclusion said that matters of personal convenience and even of personal equity would have to be surrendered to meet the crisis of the tyre position.

NAVAL CASUALTY WELLINGTON, August 19. The following naval casualty was announced to-day:— Temporary Sub-Lieut. Denis Beresfor McLean, Wanganui, R.N.Z.N.V.R. killed in a flying accident. ( SHAREHOLDERS’ TAXATION WELLINGTON, August 18. ‘T find there is a widespread feeling that the taxation that company shareholders have to bear to-day is inequitable in that it is out of proportion to the rate of tax paid by many individuals drawing considerable incomes as a result of very high earnings by way of industrial wages,” said Mr G. G. G. Watson, tho chairman, addressing the shareholders of the Wellington Investment Trust Company, Ltd. He said that the shareholders were for the most part small investors with small incomes. They were prepared to accept heavy taxation for the purpose of defence, but they did not see why their small investments should attract taxation which might absorb three-quarters .’of 'their in--1 come while larger incomes by way of high wages escape on a much lower basis. WATERFRONT WORK. WELLINGTON, Aug. 19. Replying to Mr. Price regarding waterfront work, 'the Secretary of the New Zealand Waterfront Employers’ Association said: “That the public should be left with a false impression that all is well in regard to cargo handling at New Zealand ports is not 'to be desired. Even allowing for the Waterfront Control Commission’s ability and facility for quoting figures, 'it is difficult to credit that Mr. Price seriously believes such is the case. In actual fact, the handling of cargo at the main New Zealand ports is substantially ths same as prior to the inception o f the Commission and the Waterside Employers’ (Association maintains 'there is room for a' vast deal of improvement. It ■is fair to give members of the Commission credit for striving to bring i about improvements in the rate of [work, but in the opinion of the Employers’ Association, the Commission has come up against a position that any move towards an improvement (which might appear to trespass on 'the so-called hard-won privileges of 'the watersiders is doomed 'to failure, ilt could be understood that the Comi mission was not prepared to admit that in a Press statement, or a pubilic address such as that delivered by Mr. Price to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce, but a' statement which implied there was no longer cause for .concern regarding the rate of cargo handling at New Zealand, ports generally, should not, in the oninion of the Employers’ Association, ’ be allowed ‘to go unchallenged.