In Town And Out

Southland Times, Issue 23839, 9 June 1939, Page 8

In Town And Out

Publicity For Southland The important question of the best possible publicity for the attractions and potentialities of the district of Southland had always received the close attention of the executive of the Southland Progress League, states the league’s annual report. Actually this branch of the league’s work had been hampered at times because of a shortage of the necessary finance. In the past 12 months, however, the league had been fortunate in still having on hand sufficient supplies of previously-pub-lished publicity booklets, and these stocks had been meeting demands in the meantime. Quantities of these booklets were from time to time placed on the Maunganui, while this ship was engaged in the Melbourne-South Island passenger shipping service. The proper distribution of suitable publicity literature was one effective way of attracting the attention of outside people, whose interest in the district might well prove valuable and of indirect benefit to the community as a ' whole. No Dismissals There have’been no dismissals of members of the business staffs in Invercargill during the first and second periods of the import restrictions, according to replies received at a meeting of the Invercargill Chamber of Commerce yesterday to questionnaires sent out by the Associated Chambers. The various replies by business firms were read to the meeting. One firm stated that it was likely to close down unless more definite steps were taken by the chamber and another said that at present it was difficult to tell what the effect of the restrictions ’would be. “What’s the use?” was a terse reply that was the cause of much amusement. Farmers’ Tax Strike “I would not advise a strike,” said the Dominion president of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union (Mr W. W. Mulholland) at Oreti last night when asked whether a farmers’ tax strike would be effective as a protest against excessive taxation. Before striking a body needed to be reasonably sure that it could win, but the Government had so many legal remedies that it would be difficult to make a strike effective. The Government could take a farm and sell it to recover taxes. Standardized Holidays The standardization of holiday observance throughout New Zealand to facilitate the smooth running of business and the better enjoyment of such holidays was favoured by the New Plymouth Harbour Board today when it considered the draft of proposed legislation to make statutory an annual holiday of two weeks for all workers. The board considered that the matter could be dealt with by the Government in conjunction with the proposed Bill. Members expressed the opinion that to be satisfactory the co-ordination would have to embrace such occasions as bank holidays, statutory holidays, anniversary days and union holidays.—Press Association. Fanners on the “Dole” “Is a farmer without any income entitled to the dole?” asked a member of the audience at Mr W. W. Mulholland’s meeting at Oreti last night. The question provoked some laughter and . Mr Mulholland remarked that officially there was no dole. The only provision which could be called a dole was for unemployment relief. “I don’t think you could class a farmer as unemployed even if he had no income,” Mr Mul--1 holland said. Whirlwind at New Plymouth Torrential rain at New Plymouth • yesterday morning was interrupted in i the central part of the town by the passing of a whirlwind, which, however, ; did no damage. Stratford experienced the deluge at the same time and the ! railway yards were under water. In • the past four days nearly 12 inches of i rain has fallen on the northern slopes of Mount Egmont.—Press Association. i Preservation Of Native Bush. ' The Southland Progress League has ’ always been interested in any pro- • posals for the preservation of native '■ bush areas in Southland, states the an- ! nual report of the league. Gratification ■ was expressed to the Minister of In- : temal Affairs (the Hon. W. E. Parry) i upon his announced intention to take ; steps towards attempting to conserve : the native bush and the bird life on ; Stewart Island. Support was also extended by the league towards represenl tations made by local residents of the Haldane district for the preservation I of a block of bush in that locality.

Effect of Restrictions That Australia had been very seriously affected by the New Zealand import restrictions was a remark made in a letter received at a meeting of the Invercargill Chamber of Commerce yesterday from the Australian Trade Commissioner (Mr C. E. Critchley). The seriousness of the position had made it necessary for him to report personally to the Federal Government, he stated. Ban On Horses From U.S.A. Because of the prevalence of disease among horses in the United States of America and Canada, the importation of horses from those countries into New Zealand is now prohibited. Similar prohibition was imposed by Australia a few weeks ago, and New Zealand in effecting the embargo, the necessary authority for which appears in last night’s Gazette, is acting in co-ordination with the Commonwealth. Because of this disease (equine encephalomyelitis) there has been a considerable mortality rate in horses in the United States and Canada recently, and the New Zealand embargo will remain in force until the position is reviewed. The only horses imported from the United States into New Zealand are trotters, but it is considered the precautionary embargo will not seriously affect trotting interests in the Dominion.—Press Association. Extension of Air Mail The Southland Progress League had been concerned about the delay in the extension of the trunk air mail service to Invercargill during the year, states the league’s annual report. Inquiries had been made, and the league was assured that every endeavour was being made to have the new airport at Invercargill ready for service as soon as possible. Confessions Must be Witnessed “I have indicated previously that I want confessions to be witnessed by solicitors or justices of the peace,” said Mr R. C. Abernethy, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday when counsel asked for judgment by confession in a civil claim. “Anyone can write in saying that he consents to judgment or that he confesses the debt. It may be all right or it may be wrong. Some people will sign anything put before them. If the confession is signed by a justice of the peace or a solicitor, the Court has evidence that the defendant knows what he is doing. It is only fair to the defendant that the proper course should be adopted.” The case was adjourned to give counsel an opportunity to have the confession signed in the proper manner.