OVER TEN MILLION

New Zealand Herald, Volume 82, Issue 25202, 15 May 1945, Page 4

OVER TEN MILLION

WAR LOAN RESPONSE AUCKLAND £1,724,855 30 PER CENT OF QUOTA' The acting-Prime Minister, Mr Nash, announced last night that Victory Loan subscriptions for the Dominion for the first day amounted to £10,150,758, inclusive of promises for £1,851,975, states a Press Association message from Wellington. Figures for each district would be announced tonight, but it was evident that many districts had gone a long way toward achieving the objective of half the loan on the opening day. The amount of the loan is £25,000,000. A total of £1,724,555, or about 30 per cent, of the Auckland district target of £5,836,000, had been subscribed when the lists closed for the day yesterday. Most of that amount was subscribed before the official opening of the loan, which will close on June 16. The Auckland metropolitan area reached £1,639,304, about 30 per cent of its quota of £5,413,800. Outside the city, the best performance of the 28 divisions into which the district has been divided was that of Papakura, where about 20 per cent was received. Totals for the divisions outside the city foi» which figures wero available last night, with the targets and approximate percentages, in parentheses, were:—Otanuhu, £10,189 (£55,900. 18 per cent); Pukekohe, £10,734 (£70.660. 14 per cent); Waiuku, £BBB3 (£50,510, 18 per cent); Wellsford. £3829 (£21.310, 17 per cent); Papakura. £6557 (£32,640, 20 per cent). The directors of the South British Insurance Co. decided to subscribe £200.000 to the loan, and the Auckland Electric-Power Board £50.000. The Auckland Manufacturers' Association subscribed £IOOO. In Hamilton, a procession was held in Victoria Street, headed by two bands, and a decorated vehicle provided by the Royal New Zealand Air Force was parked near the Chief Post Office to receive investments and promises. The Mayor, Mr H. D. Caro. said the objective this year was £430.000 in Hamilton. For the Waikato and King Country, the objective was £1,348,000, of which £260.000 had already been promised. Dargaville subscribed £6097, or about--10 per cent, of the district quota. STRONG COMMENT

INTEREST-FREE LOAN ROTOWARO MINERS' HALL (0.C.) HAMILTON, Monday The granting by the Government of an interest-free loan of £'6ooo for the erection of a hall for the mining community at Rotowaro was the subject of strong comment by Mr C. M. Bowden, M.P. for Wellington West, in a political address at Hamilton East tonight. Mr Bowden was speaking in support of Mrs Hilda Ross. National candidate in the Hamilton by-election. "A great example of privilege was reported in this morning's paper," said Mr Bowden. "A loan of £6OOO has been advanced by the Government, without interest, for a miners' hall at Rotowaro. I do not mind the miners having a hall, but- I object to the unfairness of it. Suppose a church «in Hamilton wanted to build a new hall. Would the Government advance money free of interest? Suppose a soldier back from the war wants a loan to build a home for himself. Does be get it free of interest? No. ffe has to go cap in hand and experience frustration and delay and then if he gets the loan he has to pay interest on it. But then he is only a soldier and has not got a political boss to pull «trinas for him in Wellington." Mr Bowden contended that the Rotowaro loan was a typical example of the system of special privilege built up by the present Government. RETURNED DOCTORS REHABILITATION ISSUE HOSPITAL DISCUSSION "We will help, and have already rehabilitated five or six returned doctors," said the chairman, Mr A. J. Moody, when a letter on the rehabilitation of medical men was received from the British Medical Association at a meeting of the Auckland Hospital Board last night. The letter contained a copy of an address given in Februarv before the Hospital Boards' Association conference. Mr Moody thought that the letter should be referred to the Hospital Boards' Association for immediate consideration. There was the question of payment to doctors who had been several years away. They were entitled to good remuneration and perhaps with the association it could be arranged to pay a certain sum and hav? the 1 Rehabilitation Department make up the 1 balance. "Auckland Hospital is going to be called on in future years for teaching," said Mr Selwyn Morris. It would have to be a high standard of teach-

ing and that could not he done without full-time medical and surgical officers of a high standard and proper teaching units at the hospital. , "We Trill have to get on with it right away," continued Mr Morris. "Once before we had two verv senior persons at the hospital we could have used, hut unfortunately the board saw fit to fire them out. Now we will hare to make similar appointmerts. The medical staff should be asked to make recommendations." "Teaching is a big matter and the university comes into that," said Mr Moody. A hospital could not always look after the sick and do teaching as well. Tt wns also a matter of pounds and pence. Tt was decided to refer the letter to the Hospital Bonrds' Association.

SHORTAGE OF POTATOES HAMILTON MARKET BARE (0 c - ) HAMILTON, Monday For the first time in the memory of old residents, Hamilton hotels 'and restaurants are without potatoes and the market is hare. Questioned at a political meeting tonight as to the reason for the shortage, the Minister of Health, Mr Nordmeyer, said the floods in the South Island some weeks ago spoiled many crops, but the Department of Agriculture had stated that adequate supplies were available for New Zealand's requirements and there would be a surplus for export overseas. The Minister said there might bo some transport difficulties that would account for the shortage in Hamilton. Fie promisor] to make immediate inquiries concerning the position. TAXIS FOR NURSES HOSPITAL BOARD'S DECISION A decision to provide taxi transport for nurses travelling between the Cargen nurses' home and the Auckland Hospital early in the morning and late at night was made at a meeting of the Auckland Hospital Board last night. The acting-secretary, Mr R. F. Galbraith, reported that it seemed that the provision of transport was desirable. The chartering of a bus was not warranted, as on some days there would be 16 or 18 attending morning duty and 011 other days onlv four. Taxis could be provided seven days a week at a cost of about £2lB a year, said ,Mr Galbraith. It would still be necessary to pay tram fares one way for nurses returning after morning duty or proceeding to the hospital for afternoon duty. This would cost about £54 12s a yeai.