Mauritius Times 60 Years Ago – News and Views
• Punch and Judy
Goodness knows how the controversy raging between NMU and JNR is going to end. Its light aspect, however, cannot be overlooked.
JNR started by saying that NMU wanted to play the Polka and he helped conjure up a picture of a “hag following the gallant”. In answer NMU asked JNR to have the controversy either in “Le Cernéen” or “Advance”. That brought quite a different picture to our mind: the Tahiti belle whispering in front of her tent: “Won’t you come under my wigwan, JNR dear?”
No sooner had JNR accepted the invitation that the Tahiti belle got fed up with him and last Tuesday, with a broom in one hand and a rolling pin in the other, kicked him out, yelling: “Go away, you nasty brute, you’re disgusting.”
• The Sale of Rum
Last week a group of traders drew the attention of our Editor to the fact that there exists today a monopoly in the retail trade of rum. That monopoly existed in the wholesale business too but an end was put some time ago.
The distilleries can produce as much rum as they like. As many wholesale dealers as possible can sell that rum to retail traders. But the number of retail traders is limited. Why?
Shopkeepers who are without a licence to sell rum are eager to trade freely, they consider it unjust that a handful of people only should benefit from the retail sale of rum. Those who have licences cannot transfer them or sell them with their goodwill because of the existing monopoly.
Will an end be put to that monopoly?
• Commission of Enquiry on Local Government
The Secretariat has published a Press Communique requesting that written representations from individuals or corporate bodies should be submitted in triplicate at latest by the 28th November, 1955.
Any persons or representatives of incorporate bodies who desire to be heard by the Commission are also invited to send in an application in writing by the 21st November 1955, stating as briefly as possible, the more important points they wish to place before the Commission.
It is intended to collect as much material as possible before the arrival of the Chairman of the Commission Mr Keith-Lucas from the United Kingdom, because he has to return on the latter half of January 1956.
The other members of the Commission are Mr Neerunjun and Mr Maigrot. The latter has been appointed to replace Mr Rivet who did not accept the office.
The necessity of a Commission of Enquiry was felt because the last municipal elections left many under the impression that fraud had been committed. And now a Commission is going to examine not only the question of municipal elections but also other local government elections.
The ill wind has blown some good after all.
• Hostel or Hospital
A giant concrete building is nearing completion in the compound of the Victoria Hospital. We have learnt that it will be used as hostel by female nursing students of the hospital.
The number of hospitals has not been increased for years while the population has been rising at an alarming rate. Every hospital has a long list of patients who are waiting to be admitted.
Will it not be more advantageous to use the proposed hostel as a hospital? Priority should be given to the suffering public. The question of hostel for student nurses is not so urgent especially when Government provides them with travelling facilities.
We hope that responsible authorities will consider this question.
• The Education Department Once More
Here is a grievance deserving consideration which has been communicated to us.
“As from July last Head Teachers of the North area are paid the cheque of their school at Central Girls Government School. Consequently teachers have to walk a long distance from the bus stop to the paying centre and back to the Barclays’ Bank.
Why put these teachers to so much inconvenience, is it not possible to effect the payment at the Superintendent’s office which is at Church Square or cannot the Department of Education make arrangements with the manager of the Bank to allow the Pay Clerk to pay the teachers in a corner of the Bank. We are confident that the Manager of the Bank will have no objection to give a few minutes hospitality to an officer of the Education Department. Will the Director of Education be kind enough to give a favourable consideration to our humble request?
Head Teachers have also been warned that payment for the Month of October will be made on Friday the 28th. Will that be possible seeing that the VIth Std Examination will be held on the 28th? All the Schools will be closed and a good number of teachers will be busy with the Examination.
Mauritius Times 28th October 1955
* Published in print edition on 15 July 2016
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