DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 17 August 1923, Page 3

DOMINION ITEMS.

[llV TELEGRAPH—-PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.]

PROTEST AT DEBENTURE TAX

WELLINGTON, August 17

The Secretary of the Harbours Association lias communicated with associated Boards advising n strong protest against the increase in the debenture tax to -Is Cd. on the ground that it will be a distinct breach of faith with investors. Among the arguments used is that it will reduce 5'V, to whereas Government is paying 5)",, on debentures issued at £97, which pay no tax at all. It. is claimed the effect on Harbour Boards will be to increase the port charges, despite the criticism already levelled against them in England.

A CAR ACCIDENT. PALMERSTON X.. August IC. A charabanc eu route from Wanganui to Palmerston North capsized on the Sanson side of .Mount. Stewart through skidding on the road. A passenger. .1. Nolan, .sustained injuries to the he ul and was removed to the hospital. The others escaped without serious injury. ACQUITTED. WELLINGTON, Aug. id At the Supreme Court. Wallace George Robert Wilson, on a charge of receiving a quantity of cigarettes by means of false pretences was acquitted. Accused's defence was an alibi. BIBLE IN SCHOOLS. WELLINGTON. Aug 17. A conference of cliurihes wa*> held this morning to dismiss Mr 1-itt s Bill on liible instruct ion m Stale school*.. The Primate of New /calami prodded. A resolution was moved by Doctor V.ihli mill seconded by tile Bi-imp ol Auckland “that this Conference thanks Mr bsitt for his efforts on behalf ot hi hie iii schools, ami approves of tin* Bill now under consideration, ami urges Mr Isitt to do all in lies power to secure it* adoption by Parliament this session.

The motion was cordially agreed to and arrangements were made to further tlu* Bill in variant ways.

A DISQUALIFICATION DISCUSSED.

TIMAKC. August 15. The question of the disqualification of member- of Hospital Board- on their becoming diieeturs ot companies with twenty or more shareholders was discussed at the meeting of the South Canterbury Hospital Board this morning. when Mr William Geddcs, Waimate, tendered his resignation as a member of the hoard, ami as chairman of the Waimaie Hospital Committee, a- the law debarred him as being man-

living a chair in tin* meetings. The chairman (the Rev. '1 . W . Potts) regretted that the A'l time, --it.'Hed such a step, and trusted tint an amendment in the- law would he made shortly. No one on the board had earned tile L'rniiiTimn's respect- and iidmiration

more than the resigning member, who had given of his best. He moved that the resignation should be accepted with profound regret, and a motion should he placed in the minutes teem ding with appreciation the sj leitdid work of Air ! ieud-es.

The (Itait mui also moved: “lliat the attention ot .Messrs Biteliencr. Burnett. ami Roltc.-tnn. M.P. s. lie called to tlu* great loss stttiered by the hospital interests in South Canterbury thy the disqualification of Mi’ M * Goddes as a member of the South Canterbury Hospital Board through the failure of the 1921 amendment to mention with borough, councillors member- of hospital boards as competent to sit if there are twenty shareholders to the company ul which he may be a director.” The motion wasiarmd unanimously. DUNEDIN MUNICIPALITY. DI'NEDIN. August 10. Tim Cite C’orpoi ation's net profits Iron, trading departments for the past year totalled cm.OhO. Its income "as £.Til .770. The Town Clerk, in his annual report, -ays: Money at even the relatively low i-ate of interest of 5 per cent, cannot be prudently u.-ed on certain noil-repro-ductive classes of pn’hlie works without having to resort to all increase of rates. An increase in the rates i- never at a„v time hailed with satisfaction, and s „t*l, a policy is especially obnoxious at a time when taxation, both general an'tf local, i- pressing with sueli iort-o upon a very considerable section ol the community'. These very obvious truisms seem .sometimes t" ,H ’ 'b" nml l,y the critics, who demand u more rapid rate of progress in one or other directions. Cheap money l»r pubic works, and more particularly for public works of a purely lion-ropmduet i v.e »m----is essential if we are to avoid the , tl ,ceding burden of local government taxation that prevails in some countries. notably in England. Prudence demands, therefore, that for the time , ~t Icasi more than ordinary c:ue is‘exercised in the investigation of any public wmks policy that calls for_ new capital outlay of any magnitude.

SAWMILLF.RS’ CON F F.R F.NC!•

TACM AR i NCI, Aug. H \t the animal general mooting "I members olHie Main Trunk Innher Trade Protection Guild heel belt >« tmalav practically all the sawmille.s on lhe Main Trunk ami Rotorua lines were represented. The following resolution.*, were carried i.ilanimou -1 v '1 > ’tat war regulations making it nnlawiul lor settles to >ell and sa win i llers to pureliase without the consent of the Minister, timber standing on P>‘'-><’ laud- are unnecessary and should hi withdrawn: (2 that regulations governmg the eximrt nl timber should also be withdrawn as they now result, prac- , ii,.l!v. in the prohibition of export ami causing huge economic loss to the Dominion : Cl) That this meeting strongly was oppo-ed to Government control and the administration of private tramways as forecasted in the annual report of the Director ol Forestry as replied in the- Viv-s and protests gener.,||v wains’: the growing system of Government com ml of the industry winch, if persisted in. will eertamk destroy private initiative and enterprise v copy of the foregoing resolutions j was sent In each Minister of the Crown j every member ol Parliament.