Compulsory Unionism.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 23 March 1939, Page 6

Compulsory Unionism.

A feature of this year’s annual meeting of the Pukekohe branch of the Farmers’ Union was a vote endorsing the principle of compulsory unionism for farmers (states an Auckland exchange). The meeting was well attended and the question was discussed at length. Several members spoke against the principle of compulsion, but a greater number gave it their support. On the vote being tbk--3n no one recorded dissent, and the claim is made that the proposal for compulsory unionism received the unanimous approval of the meeting.

Auckland City Valuer’s Post. A suggestion that the positions of city treasurer and city valuer should 'n future be combined was made by Mr J. J. Sullivan at a meeting of the Auckland City Council. Mr Sullivan said that the city valuer, Mr P. F. Notely, was due to retire shortly, and that the opportunity should be taken to combine his office with that of the treasurer, under the control of the latter officer. The close alliance between these two departments favoured such a combination, which should produce excellent results in practice and effect savings to the council. The suggestion was referred to the finance committee for consideration. faxi-cab Business. “I think the time has come when taxi proprietors should waoe working for the car agencies, on the one hand ■>nd giving away their legitimate profits to the general public on the other hand. The time has come when work:ng hours of 70 to 100 a week should be reduced to semething anproximat:ng the hours worked in other inclus’rics.” said Mr W. P. Kemp’horne. secretary to the Otago Taxi Proprietors' Association, at a meeting which earned a motion requesting the Dunedin City Council to take immediate step<o bring taxi control in Dunedin under the transport regulations and to make the matter one of urgenev. From a decision given in the Magistrate’s Court at Dunedin, the position lyid emerged that there wore at the present time actually no by-laws to control taxis in Dunedin. Mails Under Many Flags.

Pending tne completion of Empire mail communication entirely by air from New Zealand to England, the Post Office utilises every possible opportunity for despatching mails across the Tasman by steamer to connect with the air mails leaving Sydney three times weekly. In February, mails for the Empire service were sent across the Tasman in seventeen vessels. They included American French and Dutch steamers, two British tourist cruise liners, five British cargo steamers, and the usual intercolonial and Pacific liners. The Post Office has a statutory right to take advantage of facilities for overseas mail transport provided by any vessel leaving New Zealand, the Post Office Act providing that the Customs clearance (without which vessels cannot leave port) may be withheld i.f the master of a vessel has declined to take mails when officially requested. This newer has never to be enforced as the world-wide operation of the Postal Union Convention, to which eiglhyfour countries including New Zealand are signatories, gives the mails a saf' and assured “right of road" along every suitable sea route.