General News

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24903, 17 June 1946, Page 4

General News

Strongman Mine Still Idle The Strongman State mine will not work to-day, because of the condition of the road entering the mine property. “The men are apprehensive of the danger of the greasy back there,” said Mr G. English, president of the State Miners’ Union, last night, referring to the matter. He added that in the meantime the Strongman mine would remain idle, the result of a decision reached at a special meeting of the union yesterday. A visit to the scene of the slip will be paid to-day by the Hon. A. McLagan and Mr C. H. Benney, Under-Secretary of the Mines Department, in company with mine officials and union representatives. A mass meeting of the 'union is scheduled for to-night.—(F.O.Clß.) Control of Public Service An investigation into the appointment, power, and control of the Public Service Commissioner was favoured in a remit approved by the Federation of Labour conference. The proposal was submitted by the Southland Trades Council. In recommending the adoption of the remit the committee appointed to deal with it made its recommendation “with a view to curtailing the powers vested in the commissioner.” Unfounded Rumour “Such a suggestion has never been considered for a single moment, and any of the hundreds who have studied the plans for the new building will affirm that there is no such provision,” commented Mr W. G. Welsh, a former president of the Ashburton Returned Services’ Association, in reply to rumours that in the new club building a special room would be set aside for the use Of former officers of the services. Drawing such a distinction was definitely against the policy of the R.S.A., said Mr Welsh. He added that he felt sure that every man, whether he had been a private or a brigadier, would be opposed to it. “Fellowship and comradeship are the heart and soul of the association, and if we began to make such distinctions as these scandalmongers claim we intend, that most important aspect of the movement would receive a death blow,” said Mr Welsh, adding that he trusted members of the association would scotch such ugly rumours at every, opportunity. Price Control Greater powers for the Economic Stabilisation Commission in enforcing a more rigid form of price control will be sought by the New Zealand Federation of Labour, which concluded its annual conference at Wellington. The conference, in resolving to approach the Government in the matter, decided to ask that the price control system should not only be more rigid but also more effective as an instrument of stabilisation.—(P.A.) Value of Publicity “This is an outstanding example of the value of publicity,” said the secretary (Mr G. H. Mulligan), when he read seven letters from blacksmiths interested in establishing themselves in Temuka, and a further letter from a firm with a complete blacksmith’s outfit for sale. The letters came as a result of a newspaper paragraph in “The Press” being copied by many other New Zealand newspapers. “Housing appeared to be the main difficulty,” said the president (Mr J. Woodhead). “The best arrangement Sould be for a blacksmith tc estabsh a business of his own, but failing that farmers would have to take steps to form a company.” Sea Scout Commissioner’s Voyage The launch Ngapui, bn route from Auckland to Dunedin, arrived at Napier at 1 o’clock on Saturday morning from Gisborne, skippered by the New Zealand Sea Scout Commissioner (Mr A. J. Black). The launch stopped at Napier to discharge 650 feet of kauri timber for the construction at Napier of two sailing dinghies for the sea scouts.—(P.A.) Two Separate Races? “Experts here declare that the Japanese men and women comprise two separate, races and I am inclined to agree,” states a New Zealand airman stationed in Japan, writing to a friend in Christchurch. “My experience with both is fairly limited, but I favour the females every time,” he adds. “We have the services of a Japanese batwoman who, like the rest, is very honest and hardworking. She keeps our kit in excellent condition and can even brew tea. The women generally seem to lead a shocking life by our standards and our girl seems pathetically grateful for the absence of bootings when she makes minor mistakes like bringing half-cold shaving water.” Incentives for Workers A share for workers in the control of indystry and a system of incentives to increased production were favoured by the annual conference of the Federation of Labour. The conference endorsed the general principle of partici-• nation by workers in the control of industry. The conference considered this an effective means of achieving the most efficient use of the resources of the Dominion. The conference considered that a policy of incentives for workers was intimately bound up with increased production, and was an integral part of any practical plan to increase the value of goods and services against the wall of nominal purchasing power.—(P.A.) Diphtheria Immunisation More than 3000 children' between the ages of six months and seven years received their' first injection, when a 12-weeks’ diphtheria immunisation .campaign, conducted by the Health Department in conjunction with the British Medical Association, opened in 34 Auckland schools on Saturday morning. Doctors and nurses were in attendance at special clinics set up in the schools. Two injections are necessary for immunisation. The first injections will be given in the first six weeks of the campaign, the latter half of which will be devoted to the second injection. The campaign is a voluntary one, and members of the British Medical Association have given their services in support of the plan.—(P.A.) Power Systems in Japan • Although there were synchronous electric clocks “all over the place,” none of them ever told the right time in Japan, comments a New Zealand airman in a letter written to a Christchurch friend from Iwakuni, near Hiroshima. “Apparently the universal Japanese power system is two-phase 100 volt of 50-60 cycles,” he states. “The low high tension seems to be 3.0 to 3.5 k.v., and the average wiring is lethal. Except on the station, where some safety measures are taken, one finds the odd 3.5 k.v. line draped casually over a stick down to an unenclosed transformer which delivers the 100 volts.”