LOCAL AND GENERAL

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4800, 21 June 1939, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The Prime Minister, Mr. Savage, stated yesterday afternoon that for some time past the Government had had under consideration the effect of the present cost of living on the conditions of ratings in the New Zealand naval forces in relation to their pay and allowances, and new and increased rates would take effect from July 1.

It is officially estimated that by 1943 at the latest, there will be a main highway link through the Haast Pass, between Otago and the West Coast, and thus between Canterbury and the Haast on the western side op the Southern Alps, states the Press. Between Weheka, the present main highway terminus, and the Haast, there is a stretch of 115 miles. Road construction is advancing at a rapid pace along this sector. From the Haast to Pembroke there is another 115 miles. The total distance between Hokitika and Pembroke is 350 miles. By 1943, it is confidently expected, 350 miles of new main highway will have been added to the Dominion’s scenic routes. Already the road extends for several miles beyond the present terminus at Weheka, the resort near the Fox Glacier. Big' gangs of men are working for the Public Works Department on new miles of construction at intervals right to the Haast and even further south. All this new road runs through magnificent scenic country.

At a time when it is imperative that more men should be trained, and when wiremen are particularly wanted, the Waitomo Power Board desires to appoint another apprentice. It cannot do so because already it has the maximum proportion of apprentices to journeymen: though it would gladly appoint more journeymen if they were available, they are not, so a stalemate has been reached. Letters from the Minister of Labour and the Auckland Employers’ Association were received on this matter at Monday’s meeting of the Board, and it was reported that some time ago the secreary of the Apprentices’ Committee had promised to call in when visiting Te Kuiti, but had not as yet done so. In the negotiations the opportunities of the Board’s two wiremen to instruct apprentices has come up for discussion—if they could be classed as wiremen the difficulty would be overcome. Negotiations are to continue on this matter.

Two lambs believed to be the first of the season in the Waikato, made their appearance on Mr. Clive Matthews’ property, Whatawhata Road, on Saturday morning. Other lambs been born about this time in other seasons, but it has not been usual for two to make their appearance on the came day. Both lambs are healthy specimens.

The fact that no official advice of the introduction of the hospital benefits on July 1 had been received from the Minister was commented upon by the chairman of the Hawera Hospital Board, Mr. A. L. Campbell. “We have to operate the scheme and we should have been consulted,” said Mr. Campbell. “It seems to me that the Government is trying to make itself popular at the extreme expense of the ratepayers.”

The suggestion made by Dr. A. F. Ritchie Crawford, president of the Southland Agricultural and Pastoral Association, based on a test covering 16,500 cows, that 6.9 per cent., or 131,095 dairy cows of the Dominion, were infected with tuberculosis, does not apply to the Waikato, according to replies received when inquiries were made. It was stated by one dairying authority that tuberculosis did not present a major problem as far as the dairying industry in the Waikato was concerned.

The proposed holidays with pay bill designed by the Government to give all workers two weeks’ holiday on pay each year found no support at the Waitomo Power Board’s meeting on Monday. The secretary’s action in forwarding a strong protest was confirmed, this stating that holiday clauses in awards were closely linked with the general conditions, and concessions had been made in lieu of holidays in many cases. The matter should remain one for the Arbitration Court to decide. Mr. Lee said the workers could not have it both ways —concede holidays as a bargaining point, then have them restored by Act of Parliament. Mr. Simms said that in the freezing industry holidays would cost an enormous sum, and this would be met directly by farmers. It would be a scandalous thing if this Bill went through.