DOMINION NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 19 July 1927, Page 3

DOMINION NEWS.

(By Telegraph—Per Press Association

NEW PLYMOUTH PROTEST NEW PLYMOUTH, July 18. lhe Local Body Loans Board was the object of trenchant criticism tonight. when the Mayor, .Mr F. E. AYilson. and Councillors S. G. Smith and P. E. Stainton. commented on the hoard s refusal to suction a loan of LTSfi.OOO for the hydro-electric and waterworks extensions recently authorised by the ratepayers at a poll. The Loan Board said the Borough ( onncil might make a fresh application tor provision for water supply alone. Cr Smith strongly criticised what he characterised as the scant courtesy accorded the Council’s representatives by the hoard, and said that the Borough scheme was being stilled because of a projected Government scheme. Cr Stainton considered it. tho duty oi the Council to voice a strong protest to the Prime Minister over the indignity accorded the Mayor as the representative ol the New Plymouth citizens. It was evident, from the Board’s resolution, that the merits of the case did not enter into the question at ali, and it made one wonder over the Reform slogan about “Less Government in business, and more business in Government.”

The -Mayor stressed the point that though the Borough representatives wore peppered with questions, and though no reasons wore given for refusing sanction, one member of the Board observed: ” The scheme is a good one for the town of New Plymouth.” Mr Furkert had then said: "TVtiikaremoann will lie available in eighteen months.” In these two statements. said the .Mayor, there could, in his opinion, be found the reason for the Board's decision. He was convinced that t!i<' policy of the Government, with its present advisers, was not to allow the electrical authority to borrow with a view to increasing the output. The idea was that the Government should eventually take over all the bulk supply. It was a very strange thing that the Loans Board had refused the completion of this scheme, which was recommended by the Public Works Department, and on which iccomiiienilation the Council undertook' the original expenditure. The Council finally passed a resolution that the Borough Engineer be authorised to formulate a scheme to improve and extend the present Borough water supply and to submit estimates of till' cost.

CHRISTCHURCH LOAN. (Ti ll I.STCI I UR( TI, July JO. Alter a Icngtliy discussion last, night tho City Council by eleven votes to five decided to take immediate steps to raise a loan not exceeding £25,000, for various public works, to be undertaken for the relief of the unemployed. The loan which will he subject to a government subsidy of approximately £7.200. will be expended on street improvement. The division was on purely party lines. AH’ flic Labour members voted for the loan and the Citizens’ Association members against it.

VALUELESS CHEQUES. CHRISTCHURCH, July 10. “ The public should be gradually educated up in these matters, but it seems to take a long time,” said Magistrate .Mosley, in committing for sentence A\ illiam Seholes. who pleaded guilty to ten charges of fraud by means of valuei’ess cheques on tradesmen. MISSING MAN FOUND WORKING. GRKYMOUTH. July ID. The missing Italian. Gressani Severino, whose money was discovered on the river hank at. Dobson on .Saturday, has been found working at AVaiuta.

THE TRAVIS BEQUEST. • CHRISTCHURCH. July 19. , fn connection with the Travis bequest mid medical research. Sir Louis Barnett. of Otago University, says money for the purposes of medical research lias long been a crying need. In this fair country medical research is costly, and although much lias been done m Now Zealand, particularly at the Otago Medical School, work has been sadly hampered, owing to lack of funds. Our Government is sympathetic, hut its financial contribution is a mere bagatelle, compared to what is really and urgently needed. I have now retired from practice, so that 1 feel at greater liberty to work, and to write in tlie lay press on matters of public welfare, and 1 would like tlie people of New Zealand to know that the Dunedin Medical School, which be it remembered, is a dominion, not a local institution, is doing its best, though perforce in frugal fashion, to help not only in c-aneer anil tuberculosis campaigns, hut in many other problems of vital importance to tin- community. All that is wanted (or the further devei’opment of a successful research is money, more money, to pay salaries, and provide equipment. If, therefore, in the wisdom of the trustees, part of the Travis bequest should be devoted to research work at Otago University, the public may rest assured that the money would be well invested.

GAMING ACT. AUCKLAND. July 19.

The Council of Christian Congregations passed, iinaitimnuslv, a resolution expressing the conviction that the Gaming Amendment Bill is inimical to the national welfare on the ground that it would increase- the facilities for gambling. It called upon all who sought the higher interests of the Dominion to resist to the utmost the amendment to place “this pernicious retrograde legislation upon the Statute Book.”

apprentices fined. GREVMOUTH. July 19. Two apprentices were fined os each with costs by Magistrate -Meldrum today for not attending evening classes at the Technical School as ordered by the 'Westland Engineering Trades Apprenticeship Committee. The Magistrate said a more severe penalty would be inflicted on any further cases.