POLITICAL NOTES

Hokitika Guardian, 13 July 1929, Page 7

POLITICAL NOTES

IMMIGRATION BAN REMAINS. WELLINGTON, July 10. An emphatic* statement that the Government had no intention of raising the ban on immigration was made today by the Prime Minister, Sir Joseph Ward, who said there was snfficent unemployment in the country to exercise the minds of Ministers without adding further to the present difficulties. If more assisted immigrants came in troubles would mul'tiiUy\ As far :as lie could see there would be difficulties for some time to come.

The Minister in charge of the Immigration Department, the Hon. J. G. Cobbe, said that only a few immigrants, who came in under the Salvation Army, Church of England, and Flock House schemes, had been permitted to enter. Some others had been allowed in owing to cases of hardship, but the total was not great, being only 1908 last year as against 11,239 in the year ended March 1927. During the coming year the number would be much lower than last year’s total.

SIX MILLIONS FOR ROADS. So far in the Address-in-Reply debate very little of a constructive nature had been offered by way of relieving unemployment, said Mr Fletcher '(Grey Lynn), but he had a suggestion to make, and he appealed to members to lay aside their newspapers and-listen to him, He deplored the fact that there was a surplus of £479, 000 in the Main Highways Board’s account last March, when thousands of men wanted work. That was altogether wrong. What he would suggest was the immediate undertaking of a big roading scheme. dart of the funds of the board could be taken and capitalised, and if that were done, a sum of £6,000,000 could be raised. That amount could lie spent on roads and highways. It was useless to say that motorists paid for the roads, because everyone was a motorist at some time or another, and that meant everyone paid.

GROWTH OF THRIFT. The annual statement of the post Office Savings Bank accounts reveals the interesting fact that the lumber of savings bank branches increased from 46 in the year 1867 to 879 in the year ended March last. In 1867 only 6977 deposits were received, but deposits last year numbered 1,618,656. In the same period total deposits rose from 96,372 to well over £27,000, C00. More gratifying still, the average amount of deposits increased from £1? 16s 3d to £l6 16s 9d. In this connection. however, it should be noted that the average amount of deposits has fallen steadily since 1924, when it was £23 9s 4d. Tile depression of last year is reflected in the fact that there was an excess of withdrawals over deposits of £858,599. This is a great improvement on the previous year’s position, when withdrawals exceeded deposits by the record total of £2,973,931.

FEWER IMMIGRANTS. .During the past twelve months, tin restricted immigration policy has been continued, and the number of assisted migrants has been further reduced b*' nearly 50 per cent as compared with the previous twelve months. The total number of arrivals in New 7ealand from the United Kingdom and Ireland during the year ended March 31. 1929, was 3814 (1938 males and 1875 females). Out of the total number of persons arriving, namely 3814, 1968 were assisted to New Zealand by the Imperial and New Zealand Governments. The number of assisted immigrants was made up of persons nominated from New Zealand and of persons themselves applying for assisted passages in London, states ilio annual report of the Immigration Department.

PUBLre SERVICE PENSIONS. The usefulness of the Public Senior superannuation scheme is revealed in the annual report of the board, tabled to-day. During the year pension® totalling £32,0.35 were granted, the sum of £25,625 being in respect of 11.5 members who retired owing to ntre or length of service. Twentyeight members were granted pensions amounting to £2654 by reason of medical unfitness for duty. Widows and children of deceased members received allowances totalling £3605 per annum, seventv-one widows and fiftyfour children obtained this benefit. There are now 17,177 contributors, whose salaries total £4.621,795 per year. Their annual contributions amount to £254,3131. The total investments of funds- amount to £2,669 620, and the average rate of interest earned was £5 17s 6d per cent.

NATIONAL PROVIDENT FUND. “It is satisfactory to note that private employers are showing much practical interest in the fund s new superannuation scheme and are taking advantage of it,” states the Hon. J. 13. Donald, in the annual report of the National Provident Fund. At the end of last year contributors to the fund totalled 30,870, and the total income for the year was £410,686, of which £115,769 was earned by way of interest. The fund has now passed the £2,000,000 mark, as it amounted at the end of last year to £2,275,681, an increase of £318,455. I he late of interest earned was £5 12s 6d per

cent, and expenses of administration wero only 22.02, as compared with 22.8 for the previous year.

CONVICTED MAN CLAIMS £2OOO. Asking that he be compensated for alleged wrongful imprisonment, Edward John Henry, formerly of Wyndham and now of Invercargill, lias petitioned Parliament stating that he was unlawfully imprisoned by the Supreme Court for an alleged serious offence against a girl under sixteen years. He claims that he should not have been convicted, since sub-section two of the Crimes Amendment Act, 1922, stipulates that no prosecution under Section 216 can be legally commenced more than nine months after the date of tho alleged commission of the offence. In petitioner’s case the prosecution commenced on November 13, 1925, although the alleged offence was stated to have taken place in January, 1925. Notwithstanding counsel’s defence in regard to the lapse of time, the prosecution proceeded, and petitioner was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment. He was released on November 30, 1928, and now claims £IO3O for loss of earnings in business and £IOOO general damages.