TOPICS OF THE TIMES

Southland Times, Issue 20865, 29 August 1929, Page 4

TOPICS OF THE TIMES

In the course of a recent interview, Canada’s desire for a greater participation of British capital in' her development was emphasized by Sir Henry Drayton, late Minister of Finance in the Canadian Government (states the Machinery Market, London). The establishment of the investment trust in Canada, following the best established practice of the Scottish and English trusts, has, says a usually well-informed financial contemporary, opened a new channel for the safe and profitable em-

ployment of British money. Sir Henry Drayton strongly advocates the establishment of British branch factories in the Dominion, following the example of United States manufacturers.

That the Canadian newspapers will listen to the appeal of the National Council of Education, that they curtail the use of those syndicate comic strips from the United States which feature crime, marital differences and violence, as one step to meet the challenge of so-called demoralizing influences of certain types of imported periodicals and newspaper features, is not too much to expect. Now what a fine thing it would be if the United States syndicates would stop furnishing such strips. —Christian Science Monitor.

To cut down costs of production and to restore labour discipline are two problems which are demanding much serious attention from the managers of the Soviet state industries at the present time. The economic plans for 1929 were made up on the assumption that costs of production would be reduced by 7 per cent.; but during the first three months of the business year, running from October 1, 1928, until October 1, 1929, the actual reduction was only 2 per cent. Failure to carry out the plan, as Mr. I. Kosior states in a recent issue of Pravda, will inevitably bring undesirable consequences; either production will fail to grow as it should, or a strained financial situation will develop. Mr. Kosior states that in 1927-1928 more than 18,000,000 working days were lost as a result of unjustified absence from work, entailing a financial loss of 225,-. 000,000 rubles. Along with this absenteeism, Mr. Kosior notes such unfavourable signs of lax labour discipline as “going to work in an intoxicated state, use of liquor during working hours, disobedience to orders, insulting the administrative and technical personnel, sleeping at work, quarrels, hooliganism, smoking in dangerous places and spoiling instruments and machines.”

Two important policy measures established by the Reform Party—the separation of the Railway Department and the Post Office from the ordinary Budget—have been endorsed by Sir Joseph Ward in the Financial Statement (declares the N.Z. Herald. 1 He agrees that both these great trading Departments should be operated as independent commercial concerns, but he disagrees with Mr. Coates in two important respects. Sir Joseph Ward has condemned the subsidising of the railways and he has scorned the suggestion made by the Leader of the Opposition on Wednesday that part of the Post Office profits might have been taken into this year’s Budget. There is, however, no suggestion that the Government proposes to proceed this session with its plans for the financial reorganization of the railways, whereas it has.provided, in the Estimates, for a subsidy to the railways of £495,060. In 1927-28, the Budget received £1,026,000 from the Post Office; last year, through the separation of the accounts, it obtained only £428,000 and this year it is to get £480,000. The Department had a surplus, after paying interest to the Consolidated Fund, of £524,000, and apparently will now proceed to accumulate reserves at the rate of half a million annually, while the taxpayers are expected to fill the gap in the Budget. Other examples of this anomalous position could be given. Generally, it may be stated that successful trading departments of the State are accumulating profits without any definite purpose, while the losses of unsuccessful departments are passed on to the taxpayers.

Certain departments pay income tax, and the Government now proposes to take half the net profits of the Public Trust Office, to charge that Department and the State Fire Insurance Office with land tax, and to levy customs duties on importations by the Post Office (the N.Z. Herald says). Yet if these decisions are prompted by a clear conception of policy, they should surely be applied indiscriminately to all the trading departments outside the Budget. Why, for instance, should the Post Office pay customs duties but be exempt from land and income tax? The principle involved has no political aspect; it is simply a question of using the profits of successful enterprises to assist the Budget in meeting the losses in other directions, instead of creating reserves outside the Budget. The unprofitable departments should certainly be overhauled and made to pay their way, so that all profits will be available for the relief of taxation. Under the existing practice, the general public has to pay twice —to make up profits in some departments and to meet losses in others. That is illustrated by the fact that this year the Post Office will add £500,000 to its reserves and the taxpayers will have to pay £495,000 into the railways account.

The Dominion Meteorologist last night issued the following information: An anticyclone is still covering New Zealand and the Tasman Sea. A fairly deep depression is located over south-eastern Australia. Winds moderate, southerly at first becoming variable and later northerly. Freshening in the extreme south. Seas in New Zealand water generally smooth to moderate. Variable winds at first, but tending northerly later in the eastern Tasman Sea with smooth to moderate seas. Weather mainly fine generally, but still somewhat unsettled in southern Otago and Southland with showers. Warmer day, but still cold night temperatures with some frost.

In the Police Court on June 11 Michael James Forde (Mr A. F. Hogg) licensee of the Commercial Hotel, Winton, was charged with selling liquor after hours on May 25. The Magistrate (Mr W. H. Woodward, S.M.) after hearing the evidence reserved his decision. This was given in the Police Court yesterday when the Magistrate entered a conviction and fined defendant £2 and costs.

An application for relief under the Family Protection Act was heard by his Honour, Mr Justice Kennedy, in the Supreme Court yesterday afternoon when John Withington (Mr Eustace Russell) proceeded against Charles Herbert Withington (Mr Gordon J. Reed) and others (Mr W. A. Stout). Mr Russell dealt with the affidavits filed and said that John Withington was suffering from war disabilities and was unable to work. He was relying entirely on a war pension for support. The estate they were claiming against was a comparatively small one, but the plaintiff was the only member of the family who was absolutely in need. Except for the sum of £5 he had had no provisions made for him under his father’s will. Seven hundred pounds was available on mortgage to the estate, and counsel submitted that plaintiff should be granted £5OO. Mr Reed dealt with the funds available to the, estate and alleged that plaintiff’s conduct had caused his father distress and had influenced the casting of his will. Counsel submitted that the court should not undertake to re-cast the will. Mr Stout said that his clients considered that the application was a genuine one and they held that the plaintiff should have received the first consideration under the will. Counsel submitted that the first burden of relief should fall on the defendant, Charles Herbert Withington, and upon plaintiff’s sister-in-law, Mrs Jeannie Withington. Mr Russell rase to answer the allegations made by Mr Reed regarding the conduct of plaintiff, but his Honour said that the conduct alleged was no excuse for a just father making no provision for a crippled son. His Honour reserved his decision until this morning.

Probate was granted by Mr Justice Kennedy on August 19 in the estates of John Hogg Millar, farmer, of Seaward Downs (Mr B. W. Hewat) and Edmond Cosgriff, farmer, of Lilburn (Mr B. W. Hewat).

In the Dunedin Police Court, William Henry Brauman, charged with the murder of his wife at St. Clair by shooting on August 7, was further remanded till September 11.—-Press Association message.

Letters of administration in the estates of the following deceased persons have been granted by his Honour Mr Justice Kennedy: William Vessie Lindsay, late of Dipton, farmer (Mr Alan Macalister); Patrick Joyce, late of Riverton, labourer (Mr E. B. Patrick); Robert William Brown Stevens, late of Lumsden, farmer (Mr J. L. McG. Watson); Alexander Anderson, late of Thornbury, farmer (Mr T. R. Meredith); Kenneth Blair Mohr Mclntyre, late of Invercargill, farm labourer (Mr J. L. McG. Watson).

Probate has been granted by his Honour Mr Justice Kennedy of the wills of the undermentioned deceased persons:—George Kelly, late of Invercargill, retired’ stonemason (Mr F. G. Hall-Jones) ; Susan McCallum, late of Invercargill (Mr F. J. Lillicrap); Duncan McLean, late of Invercargill, retired sheepfarmer (Mr J. L. McG. Watson) ; Marcus Edward Wyatt, late of Greenhills, fellmonger (Mr C. S. Longuet) ; Joseph Langford, late of South Hillend, farmer (Mr F. G. O’Beirne); Charlotte Robertson, late of Riverton (Mr J. A. C. McKenzie); James John McMath, late of Riversdale, farmer (Mr R. B. Bannerman).

Agnes Faulds Edwards (Mr J. L. McG. Watson) applied to his Honour, Mr Justice Kennedy, in the Supreme Court yesterday afternoon for relief under the Family Protection Act, William Anderson Stout (Mr W. A. Stout) and another (Mr H. J. Macalister) being named as defendants. Mr Watson said that the plaintiff had a life interest in her husband’s estate, but the amount of the interest was not sufficient for her support because of illness. Counsel submitted that the allowance from the estate should be increased to £3 per week net. Mr Stout said that the trustees were charged to administer the estate according to the will, but they looked sympathetically upon the application. Continuing, counsel dealt with the expenses on, and the income from, the estate. Mr Macalister said that as far as the plaintiff was concerned, his client did not wish to limit her in any way, but his client contended that the application was not so much from the plaintiff as from the family. The plaintiff had means of her own and the purpose of the application was to enable her to conserve these means and distribute them as legacies as she thought fit. Counsel contended that the provisions of the Act were never meant to serve such a purpose. His Honour reserved judgement until this morning.

On June 19 Stanley Taylor, a builder of Invercargill was charged in the Police Court that within three years of the commencement of his bankruptcy he failed to keep such books of account as were usual. and proper in the business carried on by him and so as to set forth sufficiently his business transactions and disclose his financial position, this being an indictable offence. The Crown Prosecutor (Mr H. J. Macalister) prosecuted. The accused was represented by Mr B. W. Hewat and entered a plea of guilty. Mr Hewat said that the offence was one of omission, and explained the unfortunate circumstances surrounding the offence. Taylor at the meetings of creditors had frankly disclosed his true position. He had been subjected to a public examination and the prosecution had followed. After hearing counsel the Magistrate (Mr W. H. Woodward, S.M.) convicted Taylor and deferred sentence for three months. Taylor came before Mr Woodward again yesterday and was sentenced to fourteen days’ imprisonment. ‘There is no doubt you have suffered an ordeal at the meetings of creditors,” said the Magistrate in sentencing the accused. “The suspense of being remanded for sentence for three months would also be an ordeal. I intended it to be part of your punishment, but it is not sufficient punishment. It is not so much necessary to punish you personally,/but so that your punishment may be a deterrent to others who might be tempted to gamble with other people’s money.”

Brassieres are a necessity with the present fashions: Elastic back 1/9, back fastening 1/9, strong side-fastening 3/9. Try one of these at Miss Noble’s, “The Baby Shop,” Dee street. —Advt.

You cannot go wrong by shopping at Charles Lewis’s, Hosiery, Lace and Novelty Specialists Low prices, courteous attention. Grand Corner and corner Dee and Esk streets. —Advt.

Generous to a fault. See Baxter’s advertisement over leader, where sliding scale of prices of far-famed Rava Tea are stated, where sugar is cheap, cheaper, cheapest and Choice Chocolates in beautiful boxes given free, free to purchasers of Rava Tea. S.P.Q.R. — Advt.

Ladies’ and Children’s Vests: We specialize in these goods and ask you to inspect our range first. Wicks’ Hose and Vest Shop, Dee street. —Advt.

“Whiskies come and whiskies go, but Dewar’s still holds the market. Quality tells.”.—Advt.

My missus is a splendid cook, And the other.night for tea, She provided Hitchon’s ham with eggs, As nice as nice could be.—Advt.

“It is the first real children’s classic since Alice in Wonderland," so wrote Hugh Walpole of Dr. Dolittle. ■ And now from the same gifted pen we have Dr. Dolittle in the Moon. Here is the complete series written by Hugh Lofting: The Story of Dr. Dolittle; The Voyages of Dr. Dolittle; Dr. Dolittle’s Post Office; Dr. Dolittle’s Circus; Dr. Dolittle’s Zoo; Dr. Dolittle’s Caravan; Dr. Dolittle’s Garden and Dr. Dolittle in the Moon. 7/6 each (London price) 8/- Posted from the N.Z. Book Depot, Esk Street, Invercargill.—Advt.

“Hot air” may be all right—when it’s well compressed. Big Tree Motor Spirit is much more convincing—there’s a "kick” behind every "word.”—(Advt.)

Blanket Ends. Thomson and Beattie’s Manchester Department offers 100 Blanket Ends of various sizes, some large enough for stretchers, others suitable for cots, prams or ironing blankets. Pure white, special sale prices range from 3/11, 4/11, 5/11 to 7/11 each—Advt.

BEMAX —Nature’s most powerful vitamin food, is a new substance, prepared by scientists and approved by doctors for providing those elements which your ordinary food lacks. One tablespoonful of Bemax contains more Vitamin B than a 41b loaf of wholemeal bread. If you are feeling tired and out of sorts you will probably find that the vitamin contained in Bemax is precisely what your system is crying out for. Bemax is pleasant to take, children love it. Large tins at 3/6 each obtainable from Stewart’s Pharmacy, corner Dee and Don streets. — Advt.

Everybody looks forward to the spring weather with eager expectations. To the mothers and children it affords opportunity to enjoy open air activities; to the business man it gives promise of a greater volume of trade and to the farmer it means the commencement of a busy season after the comparative quietness of the winter months. Thus the spring opens up new vistas for all. Members of the farming community especially will therefore be pleased to know that as heretofore the well known firm of Andrew Wilson Ltd., will again be cash buyers of all farm oddments. Years of honest effort and an unvarying policy of always giving top market values have earned for this organization the confidence and respect of a wide circle of clients in all parts of the province. When bringing or consigning oddments to town don’t forget to make Andrew Wilson Ltd. your destination. —Advt.