Papers Past | Newspapers | Evening Star | 24 July 1945 (2025)

The discussion on the Apprenticeship Commission's report occupied the House of Representatives all yesterday afternoon, and in the evening members debated the Finance Bill, which was before the House last week. Although •urgency was taken for this measure, the adjournment was taken at 11 o'clock with the discussion unfinished. The House rose until this afternoon.

To defend themselves and protect their customers from the type of persons who spend an inordinately long time over their meal during the busiest lunch-hour period, the proprietors of an Auckland cafe have hit on a novel form of propaganda which should prove effective, even if it is not over-subtle. They have posted up a notice worded something like this: "Sure, we'd like to provide a library and a club for members." The notice explains, that the proprietary is doing its best to provide a quick service under difficulties, and appeals to customers to co-operate. The cold weather recently experienced in the South Island was responsible for a northward migration of numbers of swans. Mr T. 11. Boyes, a member of the Wellington Acclimatisation Society, said he had seen flocks of swans in characteristic V-formation flying ur> from the south, through the Hutt Valley toward the Wairarapa. It was thought likely that the birds had come from Lake Ellesmerc. Last week 23 towns in the > Dunedin postal district obtained their national savings quotas, while the district position for the period was as follows: Weekly quota £6,030, investments received £5.686.

Denial of any complicity in the action of the chairman of the Dominion Cricket Council (Mr A. E. Wanklyn) in making submissions to the Royal Commission on Licensing regarding the installation of booths on the grounds in all the main centres for all-day cricket matches was made by the Management Committee of the Otago Rugby Union last night. It was decided to issue a statement to that effect, and to point out that the union, which has the lease of Carisbrook, had not been consulted in the matter, and under the terms of its lease had no power to'allow liquor on .the groimd.

' Objection has been taken by Mr M, J. Kelly, secretary of the Otago Hotel, Restaurant, and Related Trades Union, to a statement in the ' Evening Star ' on Saturday that the special general meeting of the union held last Wednesday was called .as the " result of a writ issued.by Mr Justice Kennedy." The [position was'that in his'reserved judgment, His Honour said: "There must be a writ requiring the defendants forthwith to call, in manner provided by the rules, a special meeting for the electionof officers for the year nominally ending in 1946." In actual fact, the writ was not issued, as, by agreement between the parties, the judge's direction was accepted without the legal formalities being completed. One of the largest hauls of opium ever made in Auckland was effected by a Customs officer when he accosted a Chinese, employed as- a cook on an overseas ship,' when the latter was leaving the central wharf yesterday morning. In the Police Court later Shun Hang Fook admitted before Mr S. Goodall, S.M., a charge of unlawfully importing into New Zealand 51b of prepared opium. Prosecuting for the Collector of Customs. Mr G. S. IR. Meredith said that when Fook was accosted ho first refused to allow the Customs officer to search him, and offered a bribe of £IOO. When he was searched 51b of opium was found. Counsel added that this was by far the largest amoiint of opium found in Auckland for many years. In the accused's cabin a further 31b of opium was found, but this was not the subject of any charge, The magistrate imposed a fine of £125, in default two months' imprisonment. The Hon. W. Perry, M.L.C., chairman of the. Central Executive Committee of the Unrra clothes drive, stated that arrangements had been made throughout New Zealand for the primary school children to conduct a drive and for the use of the schools as depots, from which the clothing would be taken by P.. and T. and army transport to the official depots. In Auckland city the drive would be held on Saturday next, and everywhere else on Friday afternoon, August 3, when the schools would have a half-holiday. Mr Perry suggested that owners of motor cars could assist by taking parcels to the depots in advance of the school drive, and also that drapers and storekeepers might have stocks of clothing which would be difficult to sell, and which they might make available. As there were no criminal cases for trial at the Supreme Court session at Palmerston North which opened yesterday, the presiding judge, Mr Justice Fair, was presented with the customary gift of white gloves. His Honour congratulated the district on its freedom from crime. The theft of a money belt containing about £6OO from a Chinese whare at Haumoana on July 13 last was admitted by two men—William Hanaena, a labourer, aged 19, and Owen Desmond Prue, a mill hand, aged 18—at the Hastings Court yesterday. It was stated by the police that about £l6O was still missing, the greater part of it being in the money.belt when it was thrown into the Tukituki River. The accused were committed to the Supreme Court for sentence. Miss Howard (Christchurch East) has called the Prime Minister's attention to a report that the United Kingdom Government proposes to give local bodies power to take over unoccupied houses tfor the benefit of the homeless. She asked whether, he would grant similar powers to local bodies in New Zealand. Parliamentary reporter.

Common sense, energy, and a good deal of luck were required by the good detective, said Inspector J. B. Young, in a recent luncheon address t<» the Invercargill Rotary Club. People should not judge the everyday work of detectives by the standard of popular fiction, he said. Methods which worked in the crime novel would not be tolerated in a legal system which regarded all men as innocent until proved guilty, and all as equally entitled to the rights of British citizens. Fingerprints, lie said, were a most valuable part of detection, and although their scientifio tabulation was modern, their use was known in preChristian davs. The whorls on the end of a person's finger did not change, except in size, from three months beiforo a child's birth until the body of a dead person decomposed. There were no two sets of fingerprints exactly alike

" We have been singularly fortunate iu the attitude taken by our Government during the last 25 years," said Professor J. A. Allan, chairman of a meeting of the Dunedin branch of the League of Nations Union, last night, when referring to the part played by New Zealand in international affairs. Leaders ,in the Dominion's Government had contributed materially to the formation of the League, and two of them, Sir Francis Bell and Sir James Allen, had served as Dominion presidents of the Jjeague in New Zealand. "Now that the old League has failed and a new organisation has been established to carry out the same type of .work, we are all glad to know that the present Government is eagerly and actively supporting the proposals. AVhatever Government is iin power in New Zealand. wo are assured that the main part of our task will be to support our_ Government in questions of international organisation and to educate public opinion to a more intelligent appreciation of world affairs." On the motion of the chairman, it was decided i» express to the Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. P. Fraser) the branch's appreciation of "his activity and service to the cause of international organisation and justice, at the San Francisco Conference."'

'A tribute to the operation of the communal farms by the Jews in Palestine was paid by Mr J. H. Kempthorne in an address on the Palestine Mandate to the Dunedin branch of the League of Nations Union last night. This system of settlement could be traced directly to the communal form of living once practised in the ghettos of Poland and Southern Russia, and all property was owned by the community. Use was made of every natural facility available, while the most modern machinery had been acquired with funds provided by Jews throughout the world. The result was ■ that- these Jews were restoring the barren country to "a land of milk and honey," while in the next paddock, perhaps, the agricultural Arab was patiently working with his donkey or oxen and fanning a land that produced only a fraction of that of his neighbour. An improvement in the standard of church music throughout the diocese was urged bv the Bishop off Wellington (the Right Rev. H. St. Barbe Holland) in his address to the Anglican Synod. "We don't care enough about it," he declared. " We are content with a very indifferent standard, in spite of the glorious treasures of church music inherited by our people." While he was aware of the many difficulties in that connection in the Dominion, ho believed that a change could be effected. His experience in England, when in charge of a suburban church, a cathedral, and a village church, had convinced him what a great part music could play in presentda£ Christian worship.

The chief postmaster advises that there will bo no air mail to and from Christchurch till further notice. The Union Airways planes are not at present calling at Christchurch, because the ground is not in iit condition as the result of the recent snow, frost, and storms there.

t Milk is in greater supply in Dunedin since the imposition of the rationing system a few weeks ago, and it has now been arranged to relax the restrictions somewhat, especially so far as necessitous cases are concerned. The secretary of the Dunedin Milk Vendors' Association (Mr J. W. Wilson) said to-day that the output from the area supplying Dunedin, extending from the Taieri P.lains to Waikouaitx, had improved because of weather conditions lately. Among the pranks committed on V.E.-Day, when spirits ran high, was the removal of a Union Jack from the Normal School. The loss was felt very keenly by the committee and pupils, as well as ex-pupils, for a sentimental value attached to the. flag. It was one which was sent from England by the late Sir Thomas Mackenzie, High Commissioner, an old boy of the school. On behalf •of his old school he had presented a flag to a school in England, and the English school appreciated) the gesture by sending its flag to the Dunedin school. All concerned wiU be pleased to learn that the missing'flag has been returned to the Normal School. A sugar bag containing* the Union Jack was found near the school gate on Sunday, and the flag Ims been handed over to the school by the police. The Otago Land Sales Committee (Messrs \V. If. Taylor, acting chairman, D. J. Eoss, and R. Walls), considered 60 applications for transfers of properties to-day. Contested! hearings were set down relating to a warehouse in Moray Place, with an adjoining owner appearing as an interested party, and a suburkm house property. " It is impossible to stop bookmakiug in New Zealand and the only solution is to license bookmakers on the course as they, do in Australia. People can then bet vith the bookmakers, or on the totalisator as they please," said Mr Hazlett, president of the Southland Racing Club, at the annual meeting. " Personally, I don't think the Racing Conference will ever favour the licensing of bookmakers, and the Government is naver likely to approve of anything but totalisator betting." Mr Hazlett said an attempt had been made to formulate schemes whereby people could bet at a pool, at the Post Office, or at a booth of some kind. Whether the Government would approve of these was another question. He did not think it would. The totalisator wis an excellent source of revenue for the Government, while the bookmakers as they are at present are required to pay income tax. " I don't think Jhey will get any further ahead, no imtter what happens, or what schemes they put forward," he added. Mr Hszlett said that they would never stop lookmaking in New Zealand, or in anv part of the world. They could put t'lo bookmakers in gaol but there would always be others to take their place.

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