BRITISH & FOREIGN ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 28 June 1923, Page 2

BRITISH & FOREIGN ITEMS.

AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z CAULK ASSOCIATION. N.Z. FRUIT INDUSTRY. LONDON. June 26. Mr Attwood, President of the New Zealand Fruitgrowers’ Federation, read a paper at the Colonial Institute m primary products of New Zealand, with special referotue to fruit. Sir . L Allen, who presided, eulogised Mr Allwood's activities for the promotion of a national efficiency organisation, which probable was unique m the Empire. Some day, when the story ol that- organisation was told, it would interest the world. The Fruitgrowers Federation had become a powerlnl body, ami the fact that it was willing to tax itself prove’ll is intent to benefit tho lndusU Mr Attwood said that New Zealand fruit prodcution far exceeded the local eon sumption, and it would be necessary to double the export in the neat future. ENGLISH BOOKIE’S VIEWS. LONDON, June 26 Mr David Crimp, of' Kadbrook s hookniakiug firm, giving evidence before the Betting Committee, said Dial him firm was not opposed to a moderate tax on betting. Lt would not injure business. He said that any estimate „[' the yield of a tax based on tno question nf the turnover or the number of transactions would be worthless. It would be ill the interests of the public to have all bookmakers licensed, Jw which a fee should be charged. Tnt-tei-sall’s Committee should be consulted before any license was granted. This fee would not be responsible for a largo revenue, but it would eliminate the rogue who established an office for the purpose of taking the money of the public without any intention of paying out losses. There was a great many rogues in England. Betting would bo greatly curtailed if it were made illegal for bookmakers and tipsters to advertise. The witness argued that the totalisator was not appropriate to England. The bookmakers supplied the public want. Reputable bookmakers welcomed suggestions by which their profession would be purged of those who were not upholding its honour. AT itness suggested that a considerable revenue would be obtained by making the bookmakers obtain a license to bet with a minimum of a guinea and a maximum of 23 guineas.

DIVORCE PUBLICITY. ENGLISH JUDGE’S VJRV. LONDON, .Tune £6. Justice Duke, giving evidence Lotov the House of Cummins Committee with regard to the publication of the details of divorce eases, said: It is very desirable in the interests of morality, that something should he done with regard to the awful and nnserpipulniis publication iff indecent, matter for the purpose of gain; but the administration of the law should be carried <n in absolute publicity.’ He would net support the prohibition of the publication of anything concerning a divorce case except the result, a.s th.'s would he dangerous. He had come to the conclusion that the mass cf people who were brought under the jurisdietii nof the Divorce Court had a sense of shame and a repugnance of publication of the conduct into which they had been betrayed. He personally thought that this was a most wholesome state of things. If the administration of the divorce law were treated as a secret or private all'ii.ir tis between the parties, tlu* persons who woul-.l he relieved would he those who most deserved public (ondumnaticn. The. publicity was a real deterrent, but no good purptso was served by relating to the general public the indecent details tliat sometimes came before the ('outt. It was tine that this portion of law was now being conducted in camera in foreign countries but the English standards of conduct were different, arid the foreign methods of procedure might not he suitable The experience of the past did not recommend that change. *

SMALLPOX SPREADS. LONDON, June 27. Seven cases of smallpox are reported in Tvlor's Town, in Rhondda Valley. People returning there from Gloucester, brought with them a little girl, who first developed the illness. Tho inmates of the house were then afreeted. . . Another ease has occurred in a lions. 1 nearby. . Two children, visiting Mdlom. m Cumberland, are tibo affected.