BRIGHT FUTURE

New Zealand Herald, Volume 82, Issue 25287, 22 August 1945, Page 8

BRIGHT FUTURE

STRENGTH OF BRITAIN FACING PbST-WAR TASKS "JS come to you from a confident Britain. She is in her Elizabethan mood again, bubbling over with enterprise, invention and resourcefulness," said Sir Patrick Duff, the new High Commissioner for the United Kingdom in New Zealand, on his arrival in Auckland by air yesterday afternoon. With Lady Duff, Sir Patrick is paying his first visit to Auckland. "We have never set up to he plaster saints in Britain," he said. "We know that we have our faults, but we have not flinched from rectifying them. Some people are worried about our material strength when they see the unequalled magnitude of Britain's sacrifices, and t'..o fanatical, breath-taking way in which wo threw everything into the scales t i achieve victory. \\ hile there is a grim realism in Britain, today, there are no gloomy doubts. Shipping and Air Transport "We have overcome too many impossibilities of war to be scared by mere difficulties, and a cool assessment of the outlook is not in fact so discouraging. Material losses can be made good faster than one thinks. Our shipping experience and geographical position assure the rapid recuperation of our mercantile marine, and that goes for air transport too. "The discipline of our people and their self-restraint will enable domestic consumption to be curtailed in the interest of the expansion of export trade. Against a background of world recovery. Britain's recovery will not la« behind. The war has shown the versatility of her industrialists, the inventiveness of her scientists, and the tough and cheerful doggodness of her workers," said Sir Patrick. "If anyone wonders how Britain can recover her trade position, let him consider how she provided seven-tenths of the total equipment of the fighting forces of the Umpire nt a time of blackout, dispersion of industries and bombing; or how her scientists have led the way in such things as the development of radar, the fight against U-boats and magnetic mines, jet-propulsion planes, artificial harbours, and so on. Efficient Industrial Machine "Consider the efficiency of our industrial machine. The war has resulted in a largeescalo increase in the skill of our labour force. Large numbers of unskilled workers have been transformed into skilled or semi-skilled. Great progress has been made in the sphere of industrial relations, personnel management, and relations between Government and industry, which will raise the industrial morale and promote sympathy and the efficient working of industry." Sir Patrick instanced joint production committees set up in war factories as examples of democratic methods which could be used to enable industry to benefit from the ideas of workers themselves. The Government plan for education reform would also, ho said, improve the all-round efficiency of the. population. "Britain has had many wounds and hurts. Some scars nro plain to see, some wounds will ache unseen for years. British civilians have seen death, have seen streets blown into swathes of formless rubble, have felt hunger and sleeplessness. They have lived year after year in personal peril, but the years ahead have 110 terrors for them. They are ready by tho same tokens which brought them through the war to resume the onward march toward brighter and wider horizons." Engagements in ~nd Among other engagements, Sir Patrick and Lad Duff will attend a reception at 8 o'clock tonight arranged hv the Royal Empire Society, Navy League, Victoria League, Overseas League and "oval Society of St. George. Tomorrow. Sir Patrick will be shown over the Devonport naval base and on > n turdav afternoon he will attend the North versus South Island Rugby match. On Monday, Sir Patrick will address the Auckland Rotary Club at its luncheon, and in tho afternoon will address British children who are shortly to return to their homeland. Sir Patrick and Lady Duff will leave acain for Wellington on Monday night. I'hey are at the Grand Hotel.

HOSPITAL LEVY ! RISE IN MOUNT EDEN 1 The hospital levy on the Mount Eden 1 borough had risen from £6044 in 1936 to £12,.'!.'i6 for 1910, said the Mayor, Mr K. J. Mills, when a letter on the subject was received from the Mount Koskill J»oad Board at a meeting of the Mount Eden Borough Council last night. The road board asked the council to request the Municipal Association to emphasise again to the Govern- ; inent the dissatisfaction with the unjust impost of the hospital levy on property values. Mr Mills said it would be unfair to ask the Government to bear all the cost of hosiptnl services, but the levy on local bodies should bo stabilised, with the liKiO level as a maximum. It was decided to ask the Municipal Association what bad been done in connection with the matter at, the last conference and to recommend that t'.e levy be stabilised at the 19.% level. BREWERY WORKERS HIGHER PAY IN NEW AWARD Increases of up to 15s a week in are provided in the new brewery and bottling house workers' award covering all industrial districts, except Otago and Southland, that has just been issued by Arbitration Court. Tile award embodies terms of settlement arrived at between the parties in conciliation council. The increase of 15s weekly in the minimum rates applies to coopers, who now receive 16 ss, headers (£5 17s 6d) and other adult workers (£5 15s). Minimum rates of wages for youths have been increased by 7s Gd, 10s and 12s 6d; ol junior females by from 5s to lls 6d and of adult females by 7s 6d. Overtime provisions have been altered, and January 2 has been added to the list of annual holidays. Casual workers are to be paid a minimum wage rate oi one-fortieth of the weekly rate; meal money has been increased to 2s and the allowance for working in an enclosed Rpnee to 10s Gd. There are several new clauses requiring the provision by the employer of clothing and equipment and winter heating. 'i lie wage increases date back to April 1 and the award is to run to January I, 1917. SOLDIERS' CBMETERY (O.O.) KOTOIfITA, Tuesday The secretary of the War Graves Commission, Mr A. S. McXamaru, conferred .with I lie Hotorua Borounli Council. Returned Services Association and Works Department for Ihe establishment of a servicemen's lawn cemetery as outlined by the commission. An area 220 ft by 160 ft will !.o laid down and extended as required. The Hotorua Hetumed Services Association and Borough Council will he jointly responsible for the maintenance of the new plots, which will he ready by the time the existing servicemen's section is filled.