General News

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 80, 22 August 1945, Page 4

General News

The Day in Parliament The Budget debate opened in the House of Representatives last evening following the adoption of loyal resolutions arising from the successful conclusion of hostilities. The Minister of Finance (Mr Nash) then read a statement containing details of the Budget revision as already published. The Leader of the Opposition (Mr Holland) opened the debate, speaking for an hour and a half. He was highly critical of the Government’s failure to reduce taxation immediately, and to- curtail many wartime powers. He was followed by the Minister of Supply (Mr Sullivan), who completed his speech just before the adjournment. The Minister indicated that an amendment to the taxation law would be introduced this session enabling taxation to be reduced when justified by decreased expenditure on war commitments. Ministerial replies to questions were taken this afternion, and this evening the Financial Debate will be resumed. Not “Big Business” The suggestion sometimes made and rather widely believed, that chambers of commerce represented “big business,” was emphatically wrong, said the president of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce (Mr S. W. Peterson), at a meeting of the council. Compared with numerous small and mediumsized businesses who were members of the chamber, the membership of the big companies was relatively small, he said. Of the total of almost 1000 members of the Wellington Chamber nearly 900 were small firms and individuals in business and in the professions. The balance comprised large and medium-sized organisations. Disposal of Surplus Army Stores “It is estimated that the army has approximately £70,000,000 worth of stores and equipment of all kinds at the present time, and we are endeavouring to dispose of as much as we can overseas and in New Zealand,” said the Minister of Defence, Mr F. Jones in an interview with the “Otago Daily Times.” A large quantity of stores and equipment has already been declared surplus to the War Assets Realisation Board, which has been busily engaged in efforts to dispose of this surplus, not only in New Zealand, but also outside the Dominion. New Member Sworn In At the start of the sitting of Parliament last evening the new Member for Dunedin North (Mr Robert Wai: ) was sworn in and took his seat. The venerable superstition that if three people light pipe, cigar or cigarette from the same match one of them wiJI die before the year is out, is probably about as true as the belief that to pass under a ladder or spill the salt means asking for trouble! But how these old wives’ tales persist! The ' lighting up" by three persons from the one natch is unimportant. What is important to note is that to smoke •habitually) tobacco rank with nicotine (a deadly poison) is very unwise. And unfortunately so many brands are like that! The safe and sure wav is to smoke ’toasted." You may indulge in Cut Plug No. 10 (Bullshead), Cavendish Navy Cut No. 3 (Bulldog), Riverhead Gold. Desert Gold or Pocket Edition as freely as you please. There’s practically no nicotine in these famous tobaccos. It is got rid of by toasting in the process of manufacture, and you get a pure, sweet, cool and fragrant smoke full of comfort and delight. But be wary when buying. Ask for any of the brands named and vou'll be right. * Alfred Gould and Son announce details of an attractive catalogue to be sold by public auction at the Rooms. Hardy street, on Friday next, 24th August, at 2 p.m.*

Trade Priorities for discharge In the list of priorities for discharge from the forces which was published on Monday evening the trade painters was, owing to a typographical error in Wellington, shown as printers. The trade priorities arc. therefore, farming, dairy factories, shearers, musterers, electricians, plumbers, painters, carpenters, sawmill workers, and coal miners. § Increase in Vandalism When the increase in vandalism in Rotorua was discussed by the Rotorua Borough Council, it was stated that the new bus shelters, dressing sheds in the Kuirau sports ground, and other council property had been damaged. as well as classrooms in the grounds of the primary school. Mr L. Ewert said that the problem appeared to be a national one. It was in the interests of youth that war leaders should be used to institute some form of training. Wives of American Soldiers A number of New Zealand wives of American soldiers who have been requested by their husbands to institute divorce proceedings have so far been unable to determine whether , the Dominion Government intends to seek a reciprocal agreement with the United States to make such divorces valid in both countries. Australian interest in this question (stales the “New Zealand Herald”) has resulted in fresh inquiries being made by the women. At the moment, it is stated, a divorce granted in New Zealand would not be valid in the United States, and the reverse also applies.