In the News

Southland Times, Issue 24882, 23 October 1942, Page 4

In the News

Financial Hardship

“Is the Minister aware that many local body employees are finding great financial difficulty in contributing both to Social Security and superannuation funds. Would the Minister ascertain if some relief could not be granted those employees so affected.” This was a question of which notice was given in the House of Representatives yesterday afternoon by Mr W. M. C. Denham (Lab., Invercargill) to the Minister of Health. In a note to the question Mr Denham suggested that to correct the anomaly at its source, compulsory measures now imposed upon employees to join superannuation schemes be abolished and left optional. —Correspondent. Farm Work By Boys

After a discussion on the employment of secondary school boys in essential industries during the summer holidays, the Otago High Schools Board at a meeting yesterday unanimously carried the following motion: “That in view of the critical labour shortage in the country, the Education Department be asked to give the board leave to defer the opening of secondary schools until the beginning of March, and if necessary to shorten the term holidays in 1943, and also that other high school boards be asked to give support to this move. — Correspondent.

Licensing Act Amended An amendment to the Licensing Act Emergency Regulations was gazetted last night making provision for licences to continue in force in cases where a licensee might be unable to observe his obligations as a result of the Government taking over portion of his establishment or through some agency beyond his control. For instance, he may be unable to provide meals or accommodation because part of his premises are occupied for war purposes. The amendment also extends the powers in the principal regulations to cover cases where occupancy is for any Government purpose, such as mental hospital purposes, consequent on an earthquake making a hospital uninhabitable.—P.A.

Where Money Comes From “While we are grateful to the Red Cross Society for packing and dispatching parcels to prisoners of war, it should be made clear to the public that the money for these parcels comes from the patriotic fund,” said Mr P. L. Hodge at a meeting of the executive of the Southland Provincial Patriotic Council yesterday.

Interesting Photograph A variety of documents has been received at the Gore depot for the collection of waste paper since it was opened, and one of special interest to the people of the Gore district was discovered yesterday morning. It was a copy of an old issue of The Otago Witness, and included in the pictorial section was a photograph of the procession at Gore on Anzac Day 1917. It was on this day that the Gore R.S.A. was formed, and the photograph has been handed to the Mayor, Mr W. D. Shelton, who. intends passing it over to the R.S.A.

Mareo Case Expectations that the Statutes Revision Committee of the House of Representatives would be able to sit during the present parliamentary session on two petitions for the reopening of the Mareo case have not materialized. Efforts were made to arrange for a sitting, but they were unsuccessful. It is expected that the committee will not be able to deal with the case until early in December when the House resumes.— Correspondent

Gift Appreciated “I have much pleasure in letting you know that I have received a lovely gift sent to me by Mrs Hutton, of the Sailors’ Rest at Bluff, given by the Women’s Christian Temperance Union and choir of the Women’s Institute at Gore. It is a gift I much appreciate and I wish to convey to all my best wishes for your effort. Being a frequent visitor to New Zealand as a merchant seaman—l have been on this same ship for more than 12 years—l have been greatly moved by the generous gifts of comforts we have received at various ports in New Zealand and in your neighbouring country, Australia. You, one and all, are keeping up the morale of the fighting forces to win through. In these words a seaman of the Merchant Marine expressed his appreciation of a gift of a quilt in a letter to Mrs E. C. Smith, of Gore.

Scripture Lessons The Otago Education Board, at its monthly meeting on Wednesday, decided unanimously to recommend to the Education Department that the time is opportune to give Scripture lessons a definite place in the State schools. The motion, as it was originally put forward by Mr W. Jacobsen, was that the lessons should be given a definite place in the school syllabus. He said this would give some support to the Christian Order campaign, the .youth movement of which was making progress. Many parents did not attend church, nor did they send their children to Sunday schools, the result being that the children were not receiving any lessons in Christianity. Mr Jacobsen said he understood that at present instruction was given in 37 per cent, of the State schools. He suggested that the Scripture readings should be taken from the New Testament only.