DOMINION ITEMS

Hokitika Guardian, 6 July 1931, Page 6

DOMINION ITEMS

U.S.S. COY. ( By Telegraph—Per Press Association) WELLINGTON, July 4 Captain V. G. Webb, has been ap. pointed Marine Supt. of U.S.S. Coy. He became acting Mamie Supt. last October. RELIEF SCHEMES. WELLINGTON, July 4. An a litigation that local bodies wore getting ordinary work done by the relief workers at the relief rates of pay, was made by a deputation from the General Labourers’ Federation of New Zealand which'"waited on. Hon. Mr Smith (Labour Minister) to-day. The Minister was asked to protect the unskilled workers on relief jobs. The Minister expressed sympathy with the unemployed. He said that he would place the. deputation’s represen tations before the Cabinet. The deputation urged the repeal of Section 155 of the I.C. and A. Act, stating that the local bodies were taking an unfair advantage of it. INTEREST RATES. IS CUT PROPOSED ? WELLINGTON, July 4. Mr Forbes to-day announced that he was unable to state the result of a conference between himself and the bankers regarding a reduction of the rates of interest, but the matter would; be dealt with in, the budget.

MURDER CHARGE. AUCKLAND. July 4. Pahara Rameka Kere (Georeg Ranieka) was discharged from the hospital to-day. He appeared at the Police Court, charged with murdering Mrs Gwendoline Alice Johnson, on June 24. He was remanded to appear on July 13, when the case will probably he heard. REMANDED. AUCKLAND, July 4. Early this morning, Paul Hnmintolf, 35. a Russian farm labourer, walked into the police station and asked to he locked up, saying he had just tried to take his life. A constable found a wound over- the heart, and a bloodstained knife. The man had £72, but had been depressed and lonely. The Magistrate remanded him for observation. OBJECTIONS TO ART UNIONS. AUCKLAND, July 4. The Auckland Chamber'ol Commerce has endorsed its previous view that the Government should not issue any more permits for art unions. The Chairman Mr A. M. Seaman, suggested that the Government should impose a tax, not less than the totalisator tax, on the takings. Mr S< Takle moved that while the Chamber was opposed to art unions, if they were to be allowed to carry on, they should be devoted to charitable and hospital purposes. The motion, however, was the opinion being that it was contrary to the Chamber’s previous stand.

UNEMPLOYMENT. DUNEDIN, July 4. Mrs Ross, a prominent social worker, expressed the opinion that the new provisions of the Unemployment Bill would dry up the fount of philanthropy altogether. In the past most people in a position to do so, had subscribed to various appeals made, such as the unemployment funds, earthquake relief, the cancer campaign and the obstetrical fund, but tile new Bill would have a very bad effect on the generosity of the public. The Bill would bit the average individual pretty bard. WHEAT DUTIES. AUCKLAND. July 4“This is the last shot we can fire. AYe have used every argument we can for the abolition of the sliding scale of wheat duties; but the Government ba s not controverted any argument against this unfair and iniquitous scheme of taxation,” said Mr A. G. Lurin, at the Auckland Chamber of Commerce. A reply bad been received irom the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. G. AY. Forbes, to a letter from the Chamber urging the abolition of tile duties. Members described the reply as unsatisfactory. It was decided to reply to the Prime Minister’s letter deploring that under the seriously depressed conditions at present prevailing the Government is not eliminating the sliding scale of duties in the national interest, and expressing the hope that Parliament’s desire for the public good will cause it to reduce the rate of duty to a reasonable basis.