LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 25 May 1938, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Power Board Profit. At the statutory annual meeting of the Dannevirke Power Board yesterdav, the report disclosed a net profit of £2590 on the year’s operations. Revenue was £33,530, compared with £20,649 in 1928. The number of consumers increased by 116 during the year, and the total now exceeds 3000. London Traffic Control. “The traffic of London is now almost wholly controlled by electric light signals,” said Mr Cyril Sander, speaking at the Wellington Rotary Club luncheon yesterday. "They have practically done away with police assistance, even at important junctions such as Piccadilly Circus, except for the help they give the public at rush hours. The lights do all the work, and it all goes smoothly.” After the Flood. The Public Works Department hopes that traffic will be able to use the main Napier-Wairoa road in about three weeks’ time. There is about two miles of continuous slips to be cleared on the Devil’s Elbow, and if the weather remains fine the task of cutting a road around the face of the slips should be completed within the estimated time. The department is also constructing a temporary bridge over the Waikoau River. It is now possible to travel about a mile and a half down the Devil’s Elbow from the Napier end and as far as the Waikoau stream at the northern end.

Tree Planting in County. During the past financial year the Masterton County Council has planted a further area of land in pinus insignis, the acreage now planted totalling over 12 acres. According to the annual report of the County Clerk, Mr J. C. D. Mackley, there are still a number of suitable reserves owned by the council and available for planting. “This is an activity of the council,” Mr Mackley states, “that could well be extended and would result in creating an asset for the benefit of the present generation and for posterity. In addition to providing shelter and improving the appearance of the locality, the planting of trees is a very effective means of controlling noxious weeds, particularly gorse.”

Motor Drivers’ Licences. “The Government has under consideration a proposal to issue all motor drivers’ licences through the Post Office, the revenue thus derived to be divided between the larger municipalities and the consolidated fund,” states Mr J. C. D. Mackley, Masterton County Clerk, in his annual report. “A protest was made to the Minister of Internal Affairs against this proposal on the grounds that it was not consistent with the Government’s policy in regard to the efficient reorganisation of local government. Moreover, it is reasonable to claim that while approximately 45 per cent of the petrol tax is retained in the consolidated fund, the Government is unfair in bringing forward a proposal that is going to deprive rural local authorities of further revenue.” Admission of Refugees.

Agreement with the view expressed by the British Prime Minister (Mr Neville Chamberlain) in the House of Commons regarding the admission of refugees was expressed by the Prime Minister, Mr Savage, yesterday in Wellington. “I agree with Mr Chamberlain that at is largely a matter for the country concerned,” said Mr Savage. “Britain cannot tell us what we want here. We might have a general sort of understanding, and a general discussion might be helpful, but in the finish we have to decide what to do ourselves. In any case, when the conference comes on we will have a representative there.” Mr Savage explained that under the existing law in New Zealand an intending migrant from a foreign country is expected to make application to the Minister of Customs in the Dominion for admission before he leaves his country.

Labour Caucus. A caucus of members of the Parliamentary Labour Party will be held in Wellington today. The Prime Minister, Rt Hon M. J. Savage, who will preside, said in an interview last evening that the meeting was likely to extend over two days. “Members of caucus,” said Mr Savage, “will be given a rough outline of the legislation to be submitted to Parliament at the forthcoming session. Obviously only a rough outline of the Government’s legislative proposals can be given because the Bills have yet to be drafted. It is only a fair thing to give your Parliamentary supporters an idea of impending legislation and what it is proposed to do in the immediate future. The old idea of things was for a Cabinet to do just as it liked, and only call a caucus of its supporters when it got into difficulties. Our job is to tell our supporters what we are doing and what we propose to do in order to avoid getting into situations like that.” Farmers’ Smoke Concert.

The delegates attending the interprovincial conference of the New Zealand; Farmers’ Union were entertained at a smoke concert in the Dominion Farm-, ers’ Institute last night by the Hutt- 1 Makara branch of the union. Mr J.’ Maher, who presided, said that the farmers of the Dominion had an able spokesman in the president of thei union, Mr W. W. Mulholland, and they could safely leave their interests in his hands.' Mr Lloyd Hammond, in responding to the toast of “The Delegates,” said that the eyes of the people of New Zealand were on the farmers as never before. It was not for him to tell them how to vote, but he was sure that the farmers of the Dominion would not be led away in the future by specious promises, as they had been so often in the past. They had even been misled by a promise to borrow seventy millions, and by promises of the price of butterfat The farmers should attend to nothing in the future but the interests of their farms. Petrol Tax Proceeds. “Support was given by the council during the year to a proposal that the Government provide out of the petrol tax, from that portion of the tax retained in the Consolidated Fund, a £ for £ subsidy for expenditure on roads other than main highways, in lieu of the present out-of-date and inequitable system of rate subsidies,” states Mr J. C. D. Mackley, Masterton County Clerk, in his annual report. "With the substantial reduction in receipts from the sale of wool this year and other factors which have had the effect of raising the cost of production,” he states, "the present time is most opportune to reintrdduce this subject. 'This county, like most other rural local authorities in the Dominion. is finding it extremely difficult, with the increased traffic using the roads, combined with increased labour and transport costs, to keep rates at a reasonable level. He added that a £ for £ subsidy would enable the council to reduce its general rate revenue, on present figures, by about |d in the £, or nearly 25 per cent. I

settlers and friends met at the Orange Hall, Masterton, on Saturday night to bid farewell to Mr and Mrs H. N. McGuiness, Rawhiti Station, who are leaving the district. Dancing took place and the supper arrangements were in the hands of Mrs G. Thompson, helped by other women of the district. During the supper interval, Mr J. M. James, on behalf of those present, expressed his regret at the departure of the McGuiness family. Mr McGuiness was a capable manager and a fine judge of stock, he said. Mr James presented Mrs McGuiness with a chiming clock and Mr McGuiness received a cheque. Mr O. Sykes endorsed Mr James’s remarks.