A Government Caucus

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23219, 17 June 1937, Page 8

A Government Caucus

A wide range of questions concerning Government policy are expected to be discussed at a caucus of Government members,in Wellington to-day. The caucus is the second called since the Prime Minister (Mr Savage) left for England, and is expected to last all day. Overseas Mails

The Vancouver mails which left Dunedin on May 15 reached London on Monday last. The air mail despatched from Dunedin on May 20 reached London on Monday last.

Burnside Stock Sale There were 293 fat cattle forward compared with 503 for the double market two weeks ago. The quality generally was only fair and there was a small proportion of prime bullocks. Extra prime heavy bullocks made to £l6 2s 6d; prime, £l2 5s to £l3 10s; medium, £9 10s to £ll 10s; light and unfinished. £8 to £9 ss. Extra prime cows and heifers brought to £9 7s 6d; prime, £6 15s to £8 ss; medium, £4 10s to £6 10s; and light and unfinished, down to £3. Only a small entry of store cattle was forward, two small lines of well-bred young steers bringing from £4 11s to £5 15s. Vealers were in short supply and met with a good sale. The fat sheep forward totalled 1478. the quality being below' that of the previous sale. Extra prime heavy wethers realised to £1 19s; prime, £1 11s 6d to £1 15s; medium, £1 5s 6d to £1 10s; light, down to £1 2s. Extra prime heavy ewes brougot to £1 9s 9d; prime, £1 4s to £1 7s; medium, 19s to £1 2s, and light, down to 15s. About 1840 fat lambs were forward, extra prime heavy sor's making to £1 13s. Prime lambs wore worth £1 6s to £1 8s 6d; medium, £1 3s to £1 ss; light, £1 to £1 2s, and unfinished, from 15s to 18s fid. Over 160 fat pigs were forward, baconers bringing £3 Is to £4 2s and porkers £2 to £2 19s.

Palmerston Train Service The Palmerston Borough Council has been advised by the district traffic manager of railways that he is prepared to recommend, as a trial, that the present mixed train be converted into a passenger train, and that it be speeded up by 21 minutes, to arrive in Palmerston at 9.4 p.m., leaving Dunedin five minutes later than at present,. As the train will be steam-heated, this generous proposal of the department will doubtless be appreciated by Palmerston residents.

Value of Placement Service A total of 32,650 positions found is the record of operations of the State Placement Service for the 10 months ended March. This figure excludes 6292 positions which the service found for men who went to State or subsidised operations. The variety of employment found is demonstrated by the fact that there are 385 different classes of jobs in the detailed list of placements for the 10 months.

Unidentified Man Injured An unidentified man was picked up on the footpath in Cumberland street, near Stuart street, shortly before 7 o’clock last night, and was admitted to the Public Hospital suffering from head injuries. Late last night he was still unconscious, and he had been placed on the dangerously ill list. The injured man, who is between 50 and 60 years of age, had nothing in his pockets by which he could be identified, although a cheque book was found indicating that he may be a resident of Lawrence.

Unemployment Levy Book* Preparations are well in hand for the distribution before the beginn'.ng of August of unemployment levy books to 'replace those that will be used up at that date (says a Press Association telegram). These books will have a currency of three years. A total of some 600.000 books has to be distributed to taxpayers throughout the Dominion and they are in the process of being printed. A Fund Kept Secret

A joke against the Government was enjoyed by the Minister of Education (Mr P. Fraser) during the official opening of the Training College hall at Auckland a few days ago. The principal (Mr D. M. Rae). after expressing gratitude to the Government for making a grant available, said a hall had been one of the dreams of past students, and they had established a fund, but he added: “ It was not necessary to use it.” "We didn't know about it, remarked Mr Fraser, and the laughter was general. Mr Rae then said: “ But we did use it to provide the magnificent grand piano on the platform.”

Universal Medical Scheme The need for a universal and compulsory scheme of health insurance in New Zealand was stressed by Mr W. T. Anderton, M.P. for Eden, in an address at Auckland. Mr Anderton. who is a member of the special committee appointed by the Government to inquire into all aspects of health insurance, emphasised that he was expressing only his own views and that the Government had not yet formulated a definite plan which could be moulded immediately into an Act of Parliament. "A universal service should be the aim of the Government,” Mr Anderton said. "Any scheme which savours pf charity, which divides the community into groups according to income and which would cause doctors, either consciously or unconsciously, to differentiate between their patients would be foreign to our ideals and aspirations. I visualise a national health service operating on the principle that all should contribute towards its upkeep and that all should avail themselves of its facilities and benefits.” ,

Maori Triplets A Maori woman. Mrs Tuteri Rangihaeala, of Ohangai pa, gave birth to triplets (three girls), at a nursing home in Hawera early this week. The parents have eight other children. The event is the cause of much jubilation at the pa, and gifts and congratulations are coming from surrounding pakcha settlers of the district. An appeal for assistance by way of baby clothing has been made. A claim for the King’s bounty will be lodged by the parents. One baby was born just before midnight on June 13 and the other two just after that hour. “ Three bonny girls, each exactly 51b in weight, and everyone here is as proud as a pouter pigeon,” declared the midwife. The case has attracted the interest of the Plunkct Society and the charitable aid officer of the Hawera Public Hospital. Dr T. M. Fitzgerald, who attended the case, stated that the birth of triplets was comparatively rare, occurring once in 6000 cases, according to British Empire statistics. Misguided Economy

Speaking at the opening of the Training College assembly hall at Auckland, the Minister of Education (Mr ?. Fraser) had something to say on misguided economy that met with a warm response from his audience. •' When I see some of our schools,” he said, “and the conditions under which thousands of our children are being taught, and the over-crowded classrooms and the deplorable nature of some of the teachers’ houses. I am driven quite frankly to say that the idea that you can build up a country by slaVving education is a very foolish one.”

Motor Liner Rangitata

According to Australian exchanges, the well-known twin-screw motor vessel Rangitata, owned by the Federal Steam Navigation Company, Ltd., of London, has been transferred to the New Zealand Shipping Company, Ltd., of London and Wellington. The Rangitata, of 16.737 tons gross, was built in 1929 by Messrs John Brown and Co., Ltd., of Clydebank. Her sister ships, the Rangitanc and the Rangitiki, built by the same firm, are the property of the New Zealand Shipping Company. Australia Follows Suit

The probability of the inclusion of a scheme of national insurance, with adequate safeguards, in the Australian Government’s policy was mentioned by the Federal Minister of Health (Mr W. H. Hughes) in a recent address. Mr Hughes said that such a scheme, apart from other important considerations, would do much to remove the haunting fear in the mind of the worker that he might some day be thrown on the industrial scrap heap, without any provision for himself or his family. Literary Treasure*

Even amateur book lovers have their .finds. A Wellington resident (says the Dominion) tried hard to secure a copy of “ Kanga Creek,” a book by Havelock Ellis, written in his later years and describing his experiences as a young man when he taught for a period in the Australian backblocks. Recently, he was advised by a leading firm that it had advertised In London for the book, but it was not obtainable. Next day he went to Nelson and had his usual browse around the book shops. There, tucked away on a high shelf, he found “Kanga Creek” and purchased it for a few shillings. In a Wellington used-books shop he also secured for Is a book on the mineral waters of New Zealand which he found later to be worth £2 IDs. Local Body Award- '

“ I think that this document is a sensational one,” commented Mr J, E. Tidd at the last meeting of the Hamilton Borough Council, when referring to a copy of a proposed local body officers’ award. “The award places town clerks, county clerks, and civil engineers in the same category as poundkeepers, hall custodians, sextons, and the like, and I think that our executive officers should not be included.” He added" that town clerks and engineers were the heads of municipal organisations, and that the council should protest strongly at their inclusion in an award such as that proposed., A subcommittee was set up to deal with the matter.

We have received from the Miller’s Flat Show Committee £1 Is for the Plunket Society's Building Fund and £1 Is for the Crippled Children’s Fund.

Barth Electric Ltd., 36 George st.-~ Special bargain Speedee electric enamel jugs, slightly chipped, for 16s 6d. Electrical appliances of every description. Rogers’ radio.—Advt. Eye Strain.—For eye comfort or better vision consult Sturmer and Watson, Ltd., opticians 2 Octagon Dunedin.— Advt. A. E. J. Blakeley and W. E Bagley. dentists, Bank of Australasia, corner of Bond and Rattray streets (next Telegraph Office) Telephone 12-359. — Advt.