FROM THE WATCH TOWER

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 236, 24 December 1927, Page 8

FROM THE WATCH TOWER

By “THE LOOK-OUT MAN” A NICE XMAS GIFT Laggard taxpayers *have this week received nice little Christmas greetings from the Commissioner of Taxation, in the form Tof an assessment notice, and a command to furnish a return annually, on or before June 1, in future, or be rendered “liable to prosecution under the penal clauses of the Act.” If some people were as careless about their business or their work as they are about sending in their income tax returns, there would be no necessity for them to make returns at all. ■■S.S.” The statement made by Sir Alfred Ewing that during the war Britain intercepted and decoded all German wireless messages and was thus fully acquainted with every enemy naval movement, has been answered as might have been expected. Berlin claims that all the movements of British warships during the war were known, and that all the British ciphers were decoded, no matter how often they were changed. Allowing for a little exaggeration on both sides, there is no reason to doubt either claim. Thaj&nost difficult codes are decipherabl»by patient brains, and the last thing the Germans can be accused of is lack of intelligence. FOR INDUSTRIAL PEACE

A thousand million sterling is represented by industrial magnates who are to confer with the General Council of the British Trades Unions for the furtherance of industrial peace. It is hoped by direct negotiation between Capital and Labour to increase the competitive power of British industries in the world’s markets. Recent events (in which British tenders have been worsted by German) show the urgent need for meeting foreign competition. It is promised by the great employers that if the restoration of industrial is brought about there will be a corresponding improvement in the standard of living. This co-operative movement on the part of Capital and Labour is the answer of British commonsense to the foreign propaganda that has aimed at disrupting British industry. DOG-RACING AND GAMBLING

Evidence of the huge increase *n the gambling evil brought about by dog-racing in England is causing the Home Secretary such concern that he proposes to introduce a Bill to make this form of betting illegal, among juveniles at least, and he warns people about investing in new companies which have the commercial exploitation of dog-racing as their object. At once there is a heavy slump in shares—plain proof that investors realise that people who go to dog races do not go for the love of the racing, but to bet. There is no sport which has proved so popular with the workers, or so demoralising and ruinous, according to -Mr. J. H. Thomas, M.P. Moneylenders appear in factories to lend the workers money with which to bet; wages are mortgaged in advance; and, “damnable thing, the Sunday dinners of thousands of children are dependent on dog-racing on Saturday night.” This is the kind of thing certain people wished to promote in Auckland —-to inculcate a love of “sport” among our juveniles! <