OVERNIGHT ITEMS.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXIV, Issue 925, 21 November 1933, Page 6

OVERNIGHT ITEMS.

A Wellington message states that more than 40,000,000 new silver coins will probably have to be circulated before the existing silver coinage in New Zealand is replaced by new coinage, the first shipment of which will arrive in Wellington on Wednesday by the Rangitane. The shipment is the initial consignment of £250,000 worth of halfcrowns, and the balance of this denomination is expected by the middle of December. The Works and Traffic Committee reported to the Christchurch Tramway Board yesterday that the returns for Carnival Week showed that the Riccarton race traffic had resulted in a net increase of £lB over last year, and the Addington race traffic a net increase of £3O, making a total increase of £4B. The committee had decided that a conference should be held between representatives of the Waimairi County Council and the board to see what could be done to improve the condition of Travis Road, as complaints were continually being received from passengers regarding the rough riding through the bad running surface of the road. It was hoped that a combined appeal .to the Highways Board would have beneficial results. The board contributed approximately £IOOO a year in heavy traffic fees and new road tax, therefore it was considered that some assistance should be forthcoming. M M “ The Government placed pounds, shillings and pence before the souls of our future citizens. It is perfectly obvious that the Government has failed to see its duty to these boys,” declared Mr I. Sladen, a member of the Christchurch Boys’ Employment Committee, in addressing Canterbury members of Parliament yesterday afternoon. “ The boys out of work are as good as any others, but undoubtedly many of them -will degenerate into gaol-birds unless something is done for them in the matter of work. If we have any Christianity in our make-up, let us do our best to give these boys a chance. We must make the Government see its obligations to these boys, whose welfare cannot be measured in pounds, shillings and pence.” vt *■% When a return was presented to the meeting of the Christchurch. Tramway Board yesterday showing that in the six months ended on October 9 there was an increase of 627,093 passengers on the trams, E. R. M’Combs, MT., raised the point that the figure was based partly on the persons using the passes. She said she failed to see how it was possible to get a satisfactory return of the passengers through the weekly passes. The general manager (Mr F. Thompson) explained that from time to time the conductors went through the cars and counted the number of pass holders. That information had been collected over several periods and was used as a basis in making up the passenger returns. S 8 8 Thp brightening aspect of business conditions throughout New Zealand was the subject of comment by Mr Harvey Turner, president of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce, in an interview yesterday. Mr Turner is just concluding a business trip through the Dominion, and he stated that he was impressed everywhere with the ‘'improvement in the commercial tone. It would only be a pessimist who would deny that matters were on the upgrade generally. Of course, one could not foretell what would happen tomorrow. and unemployment was still a major problem, but the outlook was certainly brighter. The improving prices of primary produce were mainly responsible for this. » H X Conditions of admission of prematurely aged returned soldiers to the cottage homes established at Bromley by the Christchurch branch of the Returned Soldiers’ Association were decided upon at a meeting of the executive of the association last night. Applicants will be selected from among those men who have had active service overseas in any war waged in defence of the Empire. Men whose character is considered unsatisfactory, those whose financial position is sufficient for their needs, and those whose physical or mental capacity is unimpaired, will not be eligible for admission. Preference will be given to Canterbury and Westland enlistments, then jto other parts of New Zealand, and thirdly to. Imperial and other forces, in that order. The Agricultural and Pastoral Committee of . the House, of which Mr Kyle is chairman, intends to meet on Wednesday to consider what /steps it will take in connection with the statement of the Prime Minister on the deterioration in quality of North Island wools. The Government wishes to hear the opinions of woolgrdwers as to the practicability of contributing to the organisation for research and improved marketing methods, and is prepared to legislate if a select committee makes practicable and wellsupported recommendations on these lines.