Deputy Mayor Removed from Office

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22986, 15 September 1936, Page 8

Deputy Mayor Removed from Office

Following upon a telegram sent by Cr J. Hodgens, M.P., to the town clerk regarding the conduct of the inquiry into the staffing at the gasworks, the Palmerston North City Council last night, at a special meeting (reports a Press Association telegram), passed resolutions removing Cr Hodgens from the position of Deputy Mayor, chairman of the Lighting Committee, and as city representative on the committee negotiating with the Power Board in the electrical dispute. Cr Hodgens was not present, as he was obliged to be in Wellington as chairman of the Industries and Commerce Committee of the House. Cr W. B. Tennent announced that as a result of the wording of the telegram he was taking court proceedings against Cr Hodgens.

Elderly Men in Demand A very interesting and satisfactory feature of the weekly return furnished by an officer administering the Labour Department’s placement scheme was a list containing the names of 29 men for whom employment had been found. That fact in itself was (tot remarkable, but the tally of their ages induces the belief that the middle-aged and elderly men whose services have not been greatly in demand for some years are still considered to be capable of giving satisfactory service Eight of the men were between 40 and 44 years of age, nine between 45 and 49, four between 50 and 54, three between 55 and 59. and five between 60 and 65.

Public Health Returns A patient who had been suffering from scarlet fever was discharged from the Logan Park Hospital during the week ended at noon yesterday, leaving seven cases of the disease still in the institution. There are no cases of infectious disease in the Dunedin Hospital.

Dunedin Drainage Board

Formal business dealt with at last night’s meeting of the Dunedin Drainage and Sewerage Board, over which the Mayor (the Rev. E. T. Cox) presided, included the adoption of the reports of the Finance and Works Committees. The tender of Messrs Napier Motors, Ltd., foj. the supply of a 14ton Ford truck fdr £385, less an allowance of £25 on the old vehicle, was accepted. False Alarm

The City Fire Brigade responded to a justifiable false alarm from the Cadbury Fry Hudson factory at 8.32 last night. Interruption in Power Supply

For over five minutes last night a section of the city between the converter station and Princes street was plunged into darkness when a bad short circuit occurrred a few minutes after 11 o’clock in the wiring system at the Strand corner in the Octagon. The whole area was suddenly cast into darkness, and then for a second or two the lights would flicker on, only to fade out again. This went on for several minutes before the City Electrical Department was able to switch the section on to another line, when steps were immediately taken to have the faulty transformer repaired.

Record Car Mileage A six-cylinder service car travelling between Christchurch and Dunedin is stated to have covered 459,000 miles and to be still in good running condition. This probable New Zealand record was mentioned at a meeting of the Automobile Association (Auckland) by the secretary, Mr G. W. Hutchinson, when the performances of cars came under discussion. Mr Hutchinson said he was told that the remarkable performance of this service car was due to the fact that the engine never got cold and the oil was always on the cylinders. The association’s best mileage performance for one vehicle was 101.000 miles. Mr F. G. Farrell said he knew of a service car which had travelled. 40,000 miles without having to replace one of the tyres.

Executive Officer Placed Among the men registered under the placement scheme are representatives of various professions, highly-trained and capable men who have not yet been reabsorbed in commerce and industry. That openings for such men are becoming available was demonstrated last week, when a country firm inquired whether 'a placement office could provide an accountant, who must be a qualified book-keeper and general costing accountant, able to act as financial adviser to the firm and as right-hand man to the firm’s manager. The credentials of several highlyqualified men were forwarded for consideration. and though some difficulty was experienced in reaching a decision, owing to their general all-round ability, a selection was finally made by a' prominent local accountant, and the successful applicant will shortly commence his important duties.

Puzzling Signatures “Are you sure you made a separation agreement with the right husband? ” Mr Justice Callan asked a wife who was petitioning for divorce in the Supreme Court at Auckland. It would be a terrible thing, he said, if the papers had been served on the wrong man. His Honor’s attention had been attracted by very marked differences in two signatures purporting to be those of the husband on different documents. “He does not even make his capital M’s the same way,” said his Honor. In other respects also the signatures were entirely different. ‘'One would think,” he said, “that a grown man would have settled down to one way or another of writing the capital letter in his own name." However, I suppose it is all right.” His Honor granted the decree asked for.

Communism and Labour “Within a short time the Communist Party of New Zealand will apply for affiliation to the New Zealand Labour Party. The Communist Party does this in the interests of the unity of the working-class movement;” says a circular issued by the Central Committee of the party. “In order further to strengthen unity against the forces of reaction,” the circular adds, the Communist Party “will fully support the Labour Party to prevent any party of capitalist reaction achieving power.

. . . Prior to 1924 members of the Communist Parly were among the most active members of the Labour Party. It was about this time that the leaders of the Labour Party began a campaign of expulsion of the Communists from the Labour Party. There was introduced a special pledget the sum of which was to prevent members of the Communist Party becoming members

of the Labour Party. . . . We believe that the time has now come to close this breach in the ranks and to this end we apply for affiliation.”

An Inaccurate Testimonial The head of a large business organisation, the staff of which had been selected from men registered under the Labour Department’s placement scheme, mentioned during a recent conversation with the local placement officer that of the large numbers of men appointed to the staff only one had proved unsatisfactory. On investigation it was found that a former employer of this man had, possibly through a mistaken kindness furnished a totally inaccurate testimonial as to his integrity and industrial ability. The harmful results of supplying such misleading information cannot be too strongly stressed, and, commenting on this matter, the manager said he thought that undoubted benefits would accrue to employers generally when they realised that under the Labour Department’s placement scheme every possible effort was made to obtain thorough and accurate reports regarding the integrity and industrial capacity of applicants for employment.

Financing Dairy Produce Evidence of Reserve Bank activity in financing the marketing of dairy produce under the control of the State is to be found in the latest return gazetted, showing assets and liabilities at the close of business on Monday of last week. The item “Advances to the State or State undertakings” has increased by £646,697. compared with the level of 9 week before. The first return in the history of the bank in which any figure appeared under this heading was that gazetted on August 20, covering the position on Monday, August 17. The figure then was £49,434. A week later it was £47.754, a decrease of £I6BO. In the return issued on August 31 it had risen by £17,364 to £65,118, from which level it had increased by Monday of last week to £711,815.

Guarding His Identity The first prize of £2OOO in the “ Lucky Joker ” art union has been claimed, but in such a manner that the identity of the winner is not disclosed. It is understood that he is a relief worker with a wife and three children, and that he is keeping his good fortune secret for family reasons. The claim for the prize has been made through the Bank of New Zealand, which will not disclose the winner’s identity. The bank forwards the claim to the treasurers of the art union in Wellington, and the prize is paid out by the bank on the winner surrendering his ticket. The Christchurch agent for the art union, Mr D. M’Cormick, stated on Saturday that there was nothing to stop the winner keeping his identity a secret. The bank would not disclose it, and the treasurers of the fund would also respect his confidence.

Loch Levon Trout

An interesting association with New Zealand was claimed by Sir James Steel-Maitland, who arrived at Auckland oy the Tamaroa to settle permanently in the Dominion. Sir James said his grandfather (Sir James Maitland) was one of the first to send a large consignment of Loch Leven trout from Scotland to New Zealand. That was about 45 years ago, and these trout had no doubt assisted in making the country famous for its fishing. Sir James Steel-Maitland said that, like his grandfather, he was very keen on trout fishing, and he hoped to do a good deal during his spare time. “ The Old Firm ”

A plea for support for inter-imperial trade was made by the GovernorGeneral, Lord Galway, when he proposed the toast “The Day We Celebrate” at the anniversary smoke concert of the Wellington Commercial Travellers and Warehousemen’s Association. Far-sighted persons were now agreed, his Excellency said, that it was necessary to purchase as much as possible from the United Kingdom The reason was that the United Kingdom purchased the greater proportion of the primary produce of the Dominion, and to preserve the necessary balance of trade New Zealand must buy as much as possible from the United Kingdom. One reason why this was desirable was that in nations like New Zealand and the United Kingdom there was a standard of living not approached in some other lands, and Japan and other countries of the kind were hardly likely to buy from New Zealand to nearly the same extent because the standard of living of their populations did not demand the comparative luxury provided by the quality of goods produced in New Zealand. “ I come among you representing the old firm of John Bull and Co., a firm that I hope you will continue to deal with, because it is still the soundest firm in a somewhat uncertain world.” Lord Galway added. “I hope and I hope you all hope for a continued development of interimperial trade, because by that we promote the common prosperity, a prosperity in which I trust you will all share.”