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Evening Star, Issue 24332, 22 October 1942, Page 4

Replying in the House yesterday to an urgent question by Mr Denham, the Minister of Health announced that all persons on the lists of doctors operating the medical capitation scheme, those on the lists of friendlysocieties obtaining refunds of medical contributions, and those living in special areas set up under the scheme were entitled to obtain the refund of 7s 6d provided for specialist services in recent legislation.—Parliamentary Reporter.

Contrasting the rates of pay to girls/ ou trams with those of voluntary aids employed by hospital boards, Mr Barnard asked the Minister of Health to review the position. A written reply by the Minister tabled in the House yesterday stated that hospital boards were being recommended to pay not less than 30s a week for the first year of service of voluntary aids working in hospitals, and 3os weekly in the second year, with an additional 3os if the aid lives out. Most boards were also providing uniforms and paying travelling expenses.—Parliamentary reporter - .

A published statement brought to the notice of the Prime Minister by Mr Lee in the House of Representatives recently alleged that a confidence trickster from Mount Eden was authorised by the National Security Department to stay in Rotorua and spend public money to build up files against innocent people. Mr Lee asked whether the estimates of the department would be presented to Parliament. The Prime Minister replied yesterday that the accuracy of the statement was being investigated, and it was regretted that it was not advisable in the interests of public safety to discuss publicly the means adopted to ensure public safety.—Parliamentary ReporterAll the appeals of Italians against vegetable-growing service under the Department of Agriculture, which were heard by the Wellington Industrial Man Power Committee on Tuesday, were dismissed. The appellants were directed to employment at Palmerston North with the department.

It was not correct that Home Guard officers were given no opportunity of obtaining commissions when they were called up for other military service. On the contrary, they received special consideration in this respect, stated the Minister of Defence, Mr Jones, in a written reply, tabled in the House of Representatives yesterday to a question asked by Mr Roy. The Minister explained that when a Home Guard officer was called up by ballot for service in the Territorial Force, he was recommended for immediate appointment to a temporary commission (if it was decided his capabilities warranted such action). In other cases, if an officer was considered unsuitable, he was sent to officers’ or n.c.o.s’ training course, and posted in due course to a Territorial Force unit as an officer or u.c.o. according to the ability shown by him.—Parliamentary reporter.

A Press Association message from Wellington states that owing to alterations in the sailing hours of the express steamers between Wellington and Lyttelton, all passengers booked for sailings between October 26 and the end of October are requested to communicate with one of the Union Steam Ship Company’s offices.

A complete agreement in the Dominion bricklayers’ dispute was reached in the Conciliation Council at Wellington yesterday. The hours will be 40 a week. The minimum wage for journeymen will he 2s 10Jd an hour, with overtime at the rate of time and a-half for the first four hours and double time thereafter. The award will come before the Arbitration Court for approval.

A scheme for a library service for teachers of the Dunedin schools, which proposed making the facilities and books of the Training College library available for this purpose, was submitted by the principal of the college (Mr E. Partridge), and came up for consideration at a meeting of the Otago Education Board to-day. The proposal was that 20 boxes be provided and that hooks he sent in these at regular intervals to the various schools for the use of the teachers. The scheme outlined by the principal provided for an expenditure of £l5O on additional books and that a committee be set up to go into the matter more fully. The board (Mr J. Wallace presiding) agreed in principle with the scheme and the setting up of the committee. At 10.37 p.m. yesterday the Fire Brigade received a call to a threcrootried wooden dwelling, occupied by Mr J. J. Pete, situated in Ilankeilor street. The back wall and kitchen roof were damaged. , In the Magistrate’s Court this morning, before Sir H. W. Bundle, S.M., judgment by default, with costs, was given in the case A. C. Miles (Portobello) v. T. W. Simmons (New Brighton, Christchurch), £l3 10s 9d, for groceries supplied. In a reserved decision where Daniel Lyons claimed £95 19s 3d damages from John Colder Mowat as a result of a collision which took place at the intersection of Jubilee street and Hawthorn Avenue, the magistrate ruled that plaintiff was entitled to succeed and gave judgment for him to the amount of £B3 19s 3d. Court costs £2 16s, solicitors’ fees £5 3s. and witness expenses 25s were allowed.