NEWS OF THE DAY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26416, 21 March 1947, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

Thomas Burns Memorial In addition to a recommendation by the General Committee that women's rest rooms should be erected in the Lower Octagon on the site at present occupied by the Thomas Burns memorial and the public conveniences, the monument to Otago’s first Presbyterian minister also figures in the Finance Committee's report, which will come before the City Council on Monday night. The committee states that a report from the city engineer indicates that the Thomas Burns memorial in the Lower Octagon is in a dangerous condition due to a portion of the cross falling. Authority has been granted the city engineer to make the memorial safe in the meantime by removing all the remaining portion of this cross.

Lost Anchor Recovered The anchor and chain lost in Otago Harbour by the freighter Ettrickbank last year were recovered yesterday by the dredge Otakou. From time to time searches have been made for the anchor and chain, and they were,located on Wednesday by the deputy harbourmaster, Captain F. MacKenzie. Stolen Money Returned A sequel to the loss by a motorist this week of a sum of £55, which was removed from his trousers while he was sleeping in his car, was the receipt yesterday morning by the Superintendent of Police at Napier of a bulky envelope through the mail containing a sum equivalent to that reported stolen. An unsigned note in the envelope indicated that the money was being returned by a person who had stolen it from the car while intoxicated New Zealand Temperament “New Zealand is a country which is conservative in its customs and where the people are so even-tempered that they consider it quite normal to be deprived of a great number of things, provided, however, that their tea is left to them,” said the French Trade Commissioner, M. P. Burthe Mique, in an address to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce. He was referring to the difficulty of directing importers toward goods of which they knew little or nothing.

Industries in Southland “In a year or two Southland may come into its own so far as the establishment of new industries is concerned. There is a possibility of factories being established at Winton, Rivertorg and Nightcaps,” said Mr M. W. Grantham at the meeting of the Southland Trades Council. Mr D. W. Stalker said there was a move for the decentralisation of industry and for bringing the factories to the workers in the smaller centres rather than trying to induce the workers to go to the larger centres. Southland would probably benefit as a result of this policy. Hop Crop again Light Hop picking in the Nelson district is now nearly over. The crop is again very light, but not so bad as that of last year, when hops were imported from Czechoslovakia to make up the New Zealand deficit at about three times the price paid to Nelson growers. The growers are asking for a fairly long-term agreement, at a higher price. Otherwise they say the industry is in danger of disappearing because of overhead costs disproportionate to the fixed prices. Hop rot, for which no antidote has been found so far, is also causing losses, as can be seen from the gaps in gardens where plants failed to sprout. Increase in Rateable Value A total rateable value of £1,584,340 for the city is shown in the report of the Finance Committee to be submitted to the City Council at its meeting on Monday night. In a summary of the valuation list submitted by the city valuer for the year 1947-48, it is stated that the total shows an increase of £62,392, comprising new buildings and additions totalling £23,978; readjustments and increases gained by rents £37,204, and from properties formerly in the Taieri County, £l2lO. Seventy-one notices of objection to valuations were lodged, and of this number only one was proceeded with and a compromise was reached in this case.

Brake on Gambling During the war, there was a period when an orgy of gambling was sponsored by the Government to raise patriotic funds, and the result of this flood of raffles and art unions was the sickening of all responsible citizens, states .an editorial in the Outlook, journal of the Presbyterian Church. When protests were made by the ‘churches, the article continues, that method of raising funds was dropped, and all patriotic money was raised by direct giving. There was no difficulty in getting enough money by this means, and the community was saved from a perpetuation of the peculiar and dangerous problems which gambling methods always create. The lesson thus learned is in danger of being forgotten, the article warns.

Sydney University When Professor I. L. G. Sutherland visited Sydney University on his way back to New Zealand from Japan this month, an “orientation week” was in progress. This included a series of talks to freshers about the various courses, university life in general and conditions in Sydney. At Sydney University, he said, difficulties seemed even more acute than elsewhere. The authorities were expecting 5000 freshers, making a total enrolment of 10,000 students. In an address, the vice-chancellor said the university could comfortably accommodate only 3500 students. More than 2000 students were taking chemistry at stage one. About 1000 students were without lodgings, including a number of New Zealand bursars in veterinary science. Suburban Transport Continued requests are being received from ratepayers’ associations and others for improved transport facilities in all suburbs, particularly during the peak hours, states the report of the Transport Committee, which will be before the next meeting of the City Council on Monday night. The report from the transport engineermanager indicates that both the trams and buses are working to capacity during these periods and it is not possible to meet any additional demands at the present time. A letter is therefore being forwarded to all ratepayers’ and householders’ associations advising them of the position, and pointing out that no material relief can be given pending the change-over to trolley buses, and the acquisition of new Diesel buses now on order. Wage Order Application

The application by the Federation of Labour for a general order increasing wages by £1 a week is now unlikely to be heard by the Arbitration Court until after Easter. The original hope of unions was that the court would hear the application by the end of this month. No application for a fixture to head the federation’s case for a general wage increase has been made to the court so far, but it is expected to be made in Wellington soon, as members of the court have returned to Wellington. The court will now go into recess to consider award cases brought before it at sittings in Dunedin and Christchurch. A large number of cases have to be considered by the court, and all judgments will probably be prepared and issued before the court meets in public to hear the general wage increase application.