In the News

Southland Times, Issue 24210, 21 August 1940, Page 6

In the News

Revenue From Racing The Government was the biggest winner of Grand National week. Its share of the betting as totalizator tax of 5 per cent, and dividend tax of 5 per cent, was £33,503, while owners passed over 1 per cent, of the stakes.

Mail From Egypt Mail from Egypt and The East which arrived in Invercargill on Monday and was delivered that afternoon came in very quick time, taking only 10 days to go from Egypt to Auckland. The letters were posted by New Zealand soldiers only 15 days ago, and of those 15, three were taken up in the journey from Auckland to Invercargill. Empire air services connecting neatly with the trans-Tasman service were responsible for this quick delivery.

Gifts Of Vacant Land Not Wanted The executive of the Southland Provincial Patriotic Council has decided not to accept any more gifts of vacant land for sale or raffle for patriotic purposes. At its last meeting the executive discussed the matter and members agreed that although the generosity of those making gifts of land was appreciated, there was a risk that if the properties did not have a ready selling value they might become a liability on the Patriotic Fund. It was also decided to ask the Southland branch of the Real Estate Institute if it would sell without fee the sections of land already given to the fund.

Gift To Library.. A gift of 27 volumes of Lloyds Register of Shipping from 1914 to date has been made to the Invercargill . Public Library by Sir Robert Anderson. The gift was accepted by the City Council last night and Sir Robert was thanked for his generosity. Cropping On Park

Mr D. Marshall and the officers in charge of the Reserves Department were empowered by the City Council last night to arrange for the cropping of Turnbull-Thomson Park this year. They were also requested to inspect a property on the council’s endowment at Seaward Bush which the tenant had suggested should be taken over for a piggery.

Amusement Tax On Patriotic' Match

Although there is no provision in the Amusements Tax Act to permit a refund of an amount of £39/8/4, the amusement tax on the Rugby match at Invercargill between the Burnham Army and Southland teams, the executive of the Southland Provincial Patriotic Council will make another attempt to get the Southland Patriotic Fund credited with that amount. At a meeting of the executive it was decided to request the secretary of the National Patriotic Fund (Mr G. A. Hayden) to make more representations to the Treasury about the matter. Expenses Of Patriotic Efforts

The executive of the Southland Provincial Patriotic Council in an announcement states that it is most appreciative of the efforts of the members of the committees who arrange dances and other functions, the proceeds of which are devoted to the Patriotic Fund. It requests, however, that the expenditure be kept to a minimum, otherwise there is a danger of the total disbursements forming too high a percentage of the takings. The experience throughout Southland, generally speaking, is that expenses are kept very low indeed, but there have been one or two cases where functions have been held and possibly because of unforseen circumstances, the surplus for the Patriotic Fund has been a disappointing one.

No Authority For Exemptions “There is no authority under the National Service Emergency Regulations to exempt any person or class of persons from being called up for military service,” stated the associate Minister for National Service, the Hon. D. Wilson, M.L.C., in a letter received by the Patea County Council. “The question of exemption for any person called in a ballot will be a matter for determination by the armed forces boards, which will be set up shortly.’, The letter was in reply to a question by the council whether public works or other classes of employees who had not had previous farm experience and who undertook farm work would be excluded from the ballot for military service.

Hockey Players Enlist Because a number of players have enlisted for military service the Southland Men’s Hockey Association advised the City Council last night that it would not require to use the Doon street playing area this season.

Minister In Motor Collision The Minister of National Service (the Hon. R. Semple) was a passenger in a private motor-car which was involved in an accident at the Fendalton tramway terminus, Christchurch, on Saturday morning. No one was seriously injured, but one woman received a slight injury to the head. The Minister was being driven to the Riccarton races in a car owned by Mr B. Perry, licensee of the Occidental Hotel. The driver of the car was Mrs Perry. The fourth passenger in the car was a sister-in-law of Mrs Perry. There were two people in the second car, residents of South Canterbury, and the wife of the driver was the person who received a slight injury to the head. First Grand National A claim to have the first Grand National Steeplechase' held at Willowbridge in 1875 put on the official list as the first Grand National meeting is to be made by Mr E. C. Studholme, of Waimate. Mr Studholme states that steeplechases were held at Willowbridge, near Waimate, in 1873 and 1874. A copy of the programme of the first Grand National, held the following year, has recently come into his possession and it shows that the stake for the race was £lOO. There were two other races, one a maiden steeplechase and the other the Waimate Steeplechase. The names of all the officials and the rules of the Grand National Steeplechase Club are printed on the programme. “I am one of several persons still living in this district who attended the first National,” Mr Studholme said, “and I consider that in justice to those who inaugurated the race, it should be placed at the head of the official list.”

Conscription .Of Wealth The following resolution was passed at the meeting of the Dunedin Federated Furniture and Related Trades Industrial Union:—“That this meeting considers' that the necessary revenue could be obtained by implementing to the full a declared policy of the conscription of wealth, and that this meeting protests against the recent taxation on the workers, and also protests against the granting of £1350 a year, plus expenses, to members of the War Cabinet, and against the high salaries being paid to newly-created boards and commissions, and to members of the Public Service receiving in excess of £5OO a year.”

EXHIBIT AT SMYRNA.— Messages of goodwill will be broadcast in the Turkish language by Lord Lloyd (Secretary for the Colonies) and Mr L. 8. Amery (Secretary for India) to inaugurate- the British Broadcasting Corporation exhibit at the famous Smyrna Fair, which takes the form of a pylon 20 feet i.igh from which British, Turkish and French news bulletins from London will be relayed throughout the day. (Rugby.)