OVERNIGHT ITEMS.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 708, 8 March 1933, Page 3

OVERNIGHT ITEMS.

An Unemployed Ex-service Men’s League was formed at a meeting in Wellington. The organisation embraces the Mercantile Marine, Navy and Army. The object of the league is to obtain better conditions of living for members. It is understood that yesterday all available labour on the Wellington waterfront was called up, some calls not being answered because of the men being all engaged. This is a most unusual occurrence, as there is nearly always a surfeit of labour offering. In an address given at Riccarton last evening, Mr James Thorn, national secretary of the Labour Party, advocated national banking control. He said that purchasing power in New Zealand should have been maintained. To do this now would necessitate a rearrangement of the financial system. The credit resources shofild be under the control of the Government, giving national banking control. It was only by a constructive programme such as this that prosperity would be brought back. There is no truth in the suggestion that the Government intends to impose income taxation on municipal trading undertakings. This was made clear by Mr Forbest in the House yesterday. *-z A total of £5900 in city rates was paid into the treasury department of the City Council yesterday. This is slightly more than on the corresponding day of last year, but represents a drop on Monday’s takings. The total payments are now £130,105, representing 39.029 per cent of the total levy. By the corresponding date of last year £112,422, or 33.686 per cent of the total levy, had been received. The fact that many of the beautiful willow and oak trees in and around Christchurch were badly affected by disease was stressed by Mr R. B. Owen during the course of the Beautifying Association’s tour of inspection yesterday afternoon. Mr Owen said that the trees could be cured by spraying, but although the City Council estimates for the past three years had made provision to the extent of £4OO for the purchase of a spraying plant, nothing had been done. If some action were not taken, many fine trees would be killed. By an amendment to the pensions law approved by the House last night absence from New Zealand on account of service in the naval, military or air forces, will not disqrialify a person from receiving old-age pension. The Finance Bill, which effects this change, makes several amendments also to the law governing superannuation funds. Contributors who desire to elect to contribute to the funds on the basis of their salaries before the imposition of the salary cuts may do so until the end of May next. It is explained that a number of contributors failed to make the necessary application before September 30, last, the date on which the provision expired.

New records in butter and cheese production in the Dominion ■were set by the gradings for the seven months of the season to February 28. Butter shows an increase of 19.71 per cent and cheese an increase of 11.82. the equivalent in butter-fat giving an increase of 17.599 per cent, compared with the corresponding period of last season.