NEWS OF THE DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 221, 17 September 1940, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Silvered Halfpence. Silvered halfpennies are being passed for shillings in Auckland at present. During rush hours some shopkeepers and barmen have been deceived, but, owing to the difference in size between a shilling and a halfpenny, the deception is readily perceived on a moment's examination. The fact that a shilling has a milled edge, whereas the rim of the halfpenny is smooth, makes it more difficult to pass the coins for shillings. Local Body Elections.

No local body had any mandate to remain in office longer than the period for which it was elected, said Mr. J. Guiniven, when the Waitemata Electric Power Board yesterday was considering the desirability of holding local body elections during the war. He contended that the elections should be held as usual. After a brief discussion the board decided to advise the Minister of Internal Affairs, the Hon. W. E. Parry, that it was in favour of the elections being proceeded with next May.

Railways Patriotic Fund. The. Railways Department advises i that an amount of £759 18/8 has been I contributed by the Railway Department's staff to the National Patriotic Fund for the four weeks ended August 17 last. The amount will be apport'oned to the various provincial patriotic councils on the basis of contributions actually received from the respective districts. Arrangements are being made to pay an amount of £244 9/9 to the Wellington Provincial Patriotic Council as its quota.

Aviatrix Remembered. As Pan-American Airways' American Clipper was passing south-east of Howland Island on its trip to Auckland, one of the "first flight" passengers, Mrs. Clara Adams, of Long Island, New York, as an honorary vice-president of the Women's International Association of Aeronautics, cast into the sea a large wreath of bronzed magnolia leaves in tribute to Amelia Earhart Putnam, the American aviatrix, who was lost in that part of the Pacific in 1933 with her copilot, Fred Noonan. The wreath was tied with a red, white and blue ribbon, and attached to it was a small bottle containing a paper with the signatures of the president and principal officers of the association. Practical Gas Training. Wearing respirators in a gas-laden atmosphere, a party of 30 trained nurses went through the final portion of an extra schedule in gas training last night, when they were passed through the gas chamber erected by the Army Department at the Epsom Showgrounds. It was the culmination of a series of lectures begun five weeks ago by the St. John Ambulance Association instructor, Sister Dods, who holds the Home Office certificate in gas instruction. The Health and Army Departments are cooperating with the association in the scheme, and about 110 nurses are taking the course to familiarise themselves with the symptoms produced by poison gases. All will have experience in the chamber.

Woman Acting-Professor. A woman has been appointed actingprofessor of modern languages at the Auckland University College. She is Miss D. Li Miller, who has been senior lecturer for a number of years; and who will occupy the chair of the late Professor Maxwell Walker pending the calling of applications to be considered in March, 1941. When the College Council met yesterday, Mr. L. K. Munro expressed the view that a salary of £250 a year for a junior lecturer in itiodern languages was not in keeping with the character of such a position. The education -committee recommendedthat applications be called for two temporary junior lecturers tor one year at salaries of £350 and £300. The president, Mr, W. H. Cocker, said he thought the proposed salaries were too similar in scale, and on his suggestion they were made £400 and £250. Longer Hoars Refused. It, was disclosed, in a letter read at yesterday's meeting of the executive of the Auckland Manufacturers' Association, that the Labour Emergency Committee, of which the Minister of Labour, the Hob. P. C. Webb, is chairman, had refused to permit an extension o£ hours at normal rates of pay to a foundry engaged in important munition work. In his letter the Minister said the evidence for the extension beyond 40 hours was not deemed sufficient. The chairman, Mr. W. J. Truscott, said the foundry workers concerned favoured the application mat 1 ; by 100 per cent. It was obvious, added Mr. Truscott, that the Government did not intend to give way on the 40-hour week unless a definite industry or firm put up an overwhelming case in support. "It is a good thing our soldiers do not think that about their hours," said a member. On the suggestion of Mr. F. N. Ambler, it was decided to ask the Minister what evidence the Government wanted when workers were prepared to work extra .hours in order to increase production. Mr, Ambler said many firms were prepared to work overtime, but they were not going to do so when they were required to pay time and a half and were not permitted to pass on the extra cost. Electricity Accounts.

A scheme proposed by the general manager, Mr. R. H. Bartlev, embracing a proposal that the branch offices of the Bank of New Zealand be empowered to accept payment of electric power consumers' accounts on a commission basis of li per cent was defeated at yesterday's meeting of the Auckland Electric Power Board, and finally the suggestion was postponed until next meeting. Mr. Bartley reported that in consequence of the new method of rendering accounts owing to meter readings being made once every two months, instead of once a month, many consumers were deprived of the opportunity of paying the meter reader at the door. A considerable increase of cash transactions at the board's offices had resulted in many people having to be kept waiting. If the scheme were adopted, the 17 branches and agencies of the bank in the board's area would become receiving offices for the payment of the accounts. The chairman, Mr. S. J. Harbutt, said that something would have to be done to relieve the congestion at the main office of the board. Caution was urged ' by Mr. S. I. Crookes, who pointed out i that on tile board's sales the commis- I sion to be paid to the bank would amount to a considerable sum. Additional cash registers at Alie office might help the position. Mr. E. H. Potter thought the scheme practicable, while Mr. J. Deinpsey expressed the view that the additional work could be done by temporary assistants at "rush" times. On the motion of $lr. J. Sayegh, consideration was deferred until next meeting, when additional information will be brought before the board by its officer*. '7