LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 20 July 1939, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Alsatian Dog Bill. The Alsatian Dog Bill 1939, was introduced in the Legislative Council yesterday by Mr Carrington (Auckland). Motorist Fined. A fine of £l5 was imposed on Athol Lashmar Press, Day’s Bay, a salesman; aged 26, when he appeared before Mr W. F. Stilwell, S.M., in the. Magistrate’s Court, Wellington, yesterday, charged with being intoxicated in charge of a car in Cuba Street on July 15. His* driving licence was cancelled for 12 months. In imposing the fine,' the magistrate remarked that the circumstances of the case were removed from the ordinary in some respects. Waterfront Bureau. 1 Continuance of the waterfront labour bureau system at Auckland was approved in a secret ballot of members of the Auckland Waterside Workers’ Union, the result of which was announced yesterday. The bureau system. which has been in operation in Auckland since September, 1937, was favoured at the ballot by an overwhelming majority. A similar ballot held in Wellington last week approved continuance of the bureau system there. Car Runs Off Road.

Journeying to Castlecliff yesterday to see the stranded Port Bowen, Mr B. R. Spurdie, cable sub-editor of the “Wanganui Herald,” received injuries from flying glass when his car ran off the road and collided with a telegraph post. He was taken to hospital, and his wife, who was also in the front seat of the car, received minor injuries, shock and bruises. Other occupants escaped with a shaking. Mr Spurdie’s condition last night was reported to be comfortable. Mrs Spurdie was able to go home after receiving attention.

Police Ambulance. As evidence of the increased interest which is being taken in the work of the St John Ambulance Brigade throughout the Dominion, a Police Ambulance Division is now in process of formation in Christchurch. About 30 members of the force who are holders of the association’s- first aid certificate have signed registration forms. The Air Aaids Precaution Reserve Division, Otago, with both male and female sections, has now been established as an addition to the St John Ambulance Brigade in Dunedin. The members consist of people who have attended courses of instruction in air raid precautions, and who hold the necessary certificates. Education System Praised.

“You in New Zealand have an educational system to be proud of. There is no need to make any apologies about it,” said Dr A. K. Botts, New York, when addressing the Auckland Education Board yesterday. For a year Dr Botts has been acting lecturer at the Teachers’ Training College under exchange. He expressed thanks of an opportunity to .visit the South Island and other training colleges. “The comparisons I made on the southern tour were not to the disadvantage of the Auckland Training College,” he said. He added that while in the United States there was a three or fouryear course for teachers, the two-year course adopted was intensive and efficient.

The Voluntary System. A reply to suggestions made at various times that the Chief of the General Staff, Major-General J. E. Duigan, was responsible for the continuance of the voluntry military training system, was made by the Minister of Defence, Mr Jones, when speaking in the Address-in-Reply debate in the House of Representatives last night. “Various attempts have been made to attribute the continuance of the voluntary training system to General Duigan,” Mr Jones said. “That, however, is perfectly wrong. The question whether or not any particular training system shall be in force is a Government responsibility, and the head of any department is responsible for carrying out the policy of the Government.” Licensing Laws. The licensing laws and the liquor trade were urgently in need of revision, said Mr Robbins (Auckland) speaking in the Address-in-Reply debate in the Legislative Council yesterday. Though he had been a prohibitionist all his life, he concluded from the voting on the issue over a number of years that prohibition, no matter how desirable, would not come in New Zealand in his lifetime, said Mr Robbins, but he hoped to see many of the existing, evils eradicated. The present distribution of licences were unjust and had led to the creation of practices which were not in the interests of the people. Since it appeared hat the liquor could not be abolished altogether it should be brought under State control, said Mr Robbins, who added that the conditions under which the liquor trade was conducted in many towns were a scandal.

Automatic Telegraphy. Thirty Post Offices in New Zealand are now equipped with the Creed teleprinter, and 90 of these modern instruments for the quick handling of telegrams are being used. The introduction of this system has brought to many of the smaller centres the advantages of high-speed telegraph. It has replaced the Morse key, and has increased the rate of transmission to almost treble that of the Morse, while the ratio of error has been reduced. The Creed teleprinter is a British instrument embodying some modifications suggested by New Zealand telegraph men to suit lhe requirements of Dominion conditions. Both sending and receiving are automatic and simultaneous transmission in both directions is possible.

Fertiliser Supplies. An assurance that the Government would see to it that supplies of fertiliser were available for market gardeners, was given by the Prime Minister, Mr Savage, in reply to an urgent question asked by Mr Massey (Opposition, Franklin), in the House of Representatives yesterday. Mr Massey asked whether, in view of the stoppage of supplies of superphosphate on account of fertiliser works in the Auckland province having ceased operation, thus seriously affecting the work and planning of market gardeners, the Government would arrange for the importation of the urgently necessary fertilisers and make available credits for their purchase. Mr Savage said that the Government had already given the matter consideration. If supplies were not available, the necessary steps would be taken.