In the News

Southland Times, Issue 25505, 27 October 1944, Page 4

In the News

Christmas Dinners

The National Patriotic Fund Board has decided to make a grant of 2/- a head for New Zealand servicemen and women overseas to provide extras for their Christmas dinners. A similar grant was made by the board last year. (P.A.)

“Churchill” Month One suggestion was to have 13 months in the new world calendar, said Dr C. M. Focken, of Dunedin, in an address on calendar reform to the Southland branch of the Royal Society. When the 8.8. C. Brains Trust discussed the proposal one of the members suggested the new month should be called “Churchill”. It was easy to realize the grave difficulties in obtaining agreement between all nations, he stated.

Import Control in N.Z. The Prime Minister’s statement that as long as a Labour Government is in power import control will be maintained was discussed at a meeting yesterday of the Invercargill Chamber of Commerce. It was stated that import control was the No. 1 item on the agenda paper for the annual conference of the Associated Chambers of Commerce to be held next month and that a very full discussion would take place on the subject. World’s Food Resources

“Before the war half the people of the world did not have enough to eat. That came out at the conference held at Hot Springs, America, on the food resources of the world,” said the Minister of Finance, Mr Nash, in his address at Riverton last night. “Experts were convinced that the resources of the world were sufficient to give everyone enough to eat provided they were properly developed and distributed, Mr Nash added. Removal of Dugout

A decision to remove the dugout near the comer of Dee and Esk streets on Saturday was reached at a special meeting of the City Council yesterday. The Mayor, Mr A. Wachner, explained that the traffic inspector, Mr E.« Stopford, had drawn attention to the danger of the present position. The Southland Metropolitan Patriotic Fund Board is to have the dugout reconstructed to half the present size and placed on wheels. It will be brought out. when wanted and removed when not in use.

Country Quota When he was asked about the abolition of the country quota at his meeting at Riverton last night the Minister of Finance, Mr Nash, said that the question had been discussed intermittently, but the Government had not considered the question. It had not been discussed at the recent Labour caucus as had been alleged, but it might be discussed at the Labour Party conference on November 6. In the ordinary way he would say that one man’s vote should be of equal value to another man’s vote, but he had not weighed up the advantages and disadvantages of abolishing the country quota. Housing Programme

“We intend to embark on a programme beginning with 12,000 houses a year,” said the Minister of Rehabilitation, Mr Skinner, at Bluff last evening. “We are now engaged in filling the gaps in the ranks of the artisans required for such a scheme. We require 16,763 carpenters, and are at present short of that figure by 9365. A further 1208 carpenters would be re-, quired annually for replacements. We need 1140 joiners to make the required total of 2229, also 254 plumbers to make up 2011, and 1759 bricklayers to bring the total up to 2011. We need another 2850 painters to make up the 4375 required and of 1173 tilers we still need 1091, apart from yearly wastage.”

Difficult Job “The policy of the Labour Party is in favour of the abolition of the Legislative Council, but it is not so easy to do. It is not just a question of saying, ‘Let us abolish the Legislative Council’,” said the Minister of Finance, Mr Nash, in answer to a question at the meeting which he addressed at Riverton last night. “The Legislative Council would have to consent to any Bill that was brought forward to abolish it, in other words it would be asked to commit suicide and it might not be willing to do that,” Mr Nash added. “Another way of abolishing the council would be by making no fresh appointments as appointments ran out, but that would be pretty tough because a time would arrive when only two or three members would be left.” Insurance Plan

A scheme to safeguard a wife and family in the event of the death of the husband when they were living in a house they were in the process of purchasing' was unfolded by Mr Holland, Leader of the Opposition, when speaking at Ryal Bush. He said it was the aim of the National Party to help the people to own their own homes. The party proposed to introduce a scheme whereby from 1/4 to 1/10 a week could be paid into a common pool, as an insurance. If the breadwinner died, the balance of the money owing on the property, no matter what if amounted to, would be automatically wiped out. This would apply even though only £1 had been paid off the mortgage. Such a scheme would at least provide a permanent roof over the heads of the wife and children. Washing Machines

“Washing machines made in Canada, streamlined and with all the latest gadgets, cost £9,” said Mr Holland, Leader of the Opposition, during an address to residents at Ryal Bush. “It costs another £9 to pay import duties, making £lB. We sold the machines in New Zealand for £25. I was interested in washing machines as a manufacturer, but I found it wasn’t economic to produce them, when we could import them so cheaply. However, what did the Labour Party do? It immediately stopped the import of "these machines, and started an uneconomic industry within the Dominion, with the result that washing machines, at the period when they could be purchased, cost from £55 to £7O. We want to reduce the drudgery of the home, but trying to build up an uneconomic industry was not the way to do it.” . Duty to Returned Men

The importance of the psychological side of rehabilitation was emphasized by the Minister of Rehabilitation (Mi - Skinner) to members of the Returned Services Association yesterday. The State, he said, could give returned men opportunities, but the individuals must assist. It was no use the Government financing a returned man into a business if local business competitors were going to tell commercial travellers that if they supplied the newcomer they need not expect orders from their old customers. These men had made it possible for business people to carry on their businesses, and it was their bounden duty to assist in every way in the task of rehabilitating returned men. It was an extaordinary thing that many people gave lip service to rehabilitation, but once their pockets were touched they were not so willing.

JUDGMENTS BY DEFAULT—Judgment by default was given for plaintiffs in the following civil claims heard in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday: — Calder, Mackay Company, Ltd. v. M. Shields (Cobden), for £4/6/4, costs £l/7/6; Butterfields (Invercargill) Ltd. v. W. R. Bromby, for £4/7/-, costs £l/5/6; Parkinson (Invercargill) Ltd. v. W. R. Bromby, for 5/-, costs 10/-. Clarence Bush (Winton) was ordered to pay G. R. Harvey £l6/9/6 and solicitor’s fee £l/1/-, in default 17 days’ imprisonment.