No to shorter week

Minister for Supply, Mr A. Fairhall, has said demands for a shorter working week are '‘completely unreal'’ in the face of the world challenge to Australia's economic future. ‘'Those who add to the cost of Australian production, do so thoughtlessly and irresponsibly,’' he said. Mr Fairhall said workers rightly demanded a fair share of increasing prosperity. But they must be sure the prosperity was the ‘'real thing’' and not a statistical mirage.

Footway folly

The Sydney City Council has recommended hand-rails at the end of the Domain footway as a precaution. There have been several accidents since it opened 16 months ago. Since the footway was installed it has dragged a rubber overshoe from a woman’s foot, torn the leg from a man’s trousers, injured the knee of a four-year-old boy, caught the hind leg of a Pekinese pup, dragged off a man’s trousers and injured a four-year-old girl.

Police get a lead

Four policemen followed a dog through the streets of Lidcombe last night in an attempt to catch a bird thief. The chase began after Mr C.G. Bratby of Mills Street, Lidcombe, disturbed a youth trying to steal canaries from his backyard aviary. The youth fled but left behind a dog. When police arrived, Mr Bratby told them someone had been calling the dog from a park near the house. Police released the dog and followed it. Later, they detained the youth.