DOMINION NEWS.

Taranaki Daily News, 27 July 1918, Page 2

DOMINION NEWS.

OTIRA HEADINGS JOINED.. V ; By Telegraph.—Press Association. ! Wellington, July 2.8 The Minister oi Public Works has i e?n advised that the heading's of tho VA'<rn tunnel have now been actually joined most satisfactorily, reflecting great credit on tho engineers, whose work approaches a record for accuracy. The alignment was only thrcc-qoartcrs of an i'nclii out, the levels differed by only 1 1 -Sin. and the cimmagc was correct within 3(!inTAXATION FOR PATRIOTIC FUND. Dunedhi, July 20. A deputation of Dunedin citizens wait- .! on the Hon. G. W. Russell to-day and urged the introduction of direct taxation as the method of providing patriotic war fi'nds. They pointed out that the present system wa 3 haphazard, inequitable, j and tainted with gambling methods. I The Minister opposed the proposal \ without compromise, stating that Parliament would revolt against any such: idea that the people of small means should be deprived of the opportunity oi • voluntarily helping tho soldiers. The ! proposed tax would place the whole I burden upon income tax payers, who' were a very small minority in the country and who would probably be called upon to pay heavier taxation for the war. The Minister mentioned that .-£4,'77Uv80 , l had already been raised for patriotic purposes, and of this sum £l,6i>o,7GG was still in hand. What was giving him anxiety was what societies were going to do with the money. He suggested that a further tax for patriotic purposes should be placed on totalisator investments. JiAINTENANOE OF ARTERIAL ROADS. Wellington, July The annual meeting of the New Zealand Automobile- Club agreed that the roads of the Dominion should be made and .maintained at the joint cost of those using the roads, those owning lands the value of which is increased or maintained by tho existence of the roads, and the Government. It was resolved also that the main, or arterial roads, of the Dominion should be managed and controlled by a nonpolitical National Rioad Board, and that the several classes of taxpayers contributing to the cost of mintenance of these roads should have just representation on the board. A committee was appointed to arrange a conference with representatives of the Counties Conference and Good Roads Association, with a view to discussing the above resolutions. INTERNMENT OP ALIENS. Wellington, July 2G. Regarding the discussion by the City Council as to the suggested internment of all enemy aliens, Sir James Allen to-

day, spoke emphatically against indiscriminate internment,-which would 'be unjust to numbers of .peopla. < Veil aa foolish and needlessly cosir Persons now working usefully for ■ --. community wnnld be withdrawn, aim tlie country wm> T .l lose not only their labor, but voula have to provide* a large number of gTuiHs. Regarding tlio argument that enemy aliens .should be forced to work at military rates of pay, Sir James said that this forcing of persons who were civilians, and not prisoners of war, could not be done. The Government had received advice from the Imperial authorities on Hint matter. Sir .Tames Allen instanced. ciif.es of loyalty of Germans, and said .that aliens'who gave any indication of disloyally were interned-