Five-Point Plan Devised Old Leper Island to be By Chamber of Commerce Heavily Fortified will Washington, Oct. 15.
Protect Table Bay The United States Chamber of Commerce today outlined a business re-Mr. Pirow, South African Minister covery programme which will be pre-of Defence, recently announced his sented for action in the next Con-long-awaited scheme to strengthen gressional session. the Dominion's defences. Speaking The programme calls for broad in the House of Assembly, he stated revision of the Government's current that the Government intended to policies in finance and labour rela-spend £5,000,000 on additional arms tions. and equipment and £1000000 on The outline proposes: strengthening South Africa's coastal 1, Sharp curtailment of Government defences,- The scheme would extend expenditures. over a period of three years.
2. Revision of the Wagner Labour Act "to assure fair and equitable treat-The Empire's principal interest ment for all interested. parties." will naturally be in the steps to 3. Easing the restrictions protect South African ports, parti-the flow and investment of capital. cularly Cape Town and Durban.
4. Chances in the Social Security Act to eliminate the next scheduled increase The Government has decided to in payroll taxes. make Cape Town proof against at-5. Reconsideration of the wage and tack by battleships, despite the re-hour bill "to end confusion over the commendations of the 1928 Com-extent of application required under the law. mittee on Imperial Defence to protect the harbour only against cruisers.
The Chamber's programme said that one of the most urgent problems Guns on Robben Island facing the country was the necessity for placing the Government's "finan-Robben Island, which lies seven cial house" in better order. The pro-miles off Cape Town in Table Bay, gramme commented that the threat and is at present unpopulated, is to of higher taxes was the-major de-be made into a. "Heligoland of the ierrent to business improvement at South," with batteries of 15in. guns. the present time—United Press.
This island was used at one time as a prison and later as a leper asylum. The leper colony was re-New Drive on moved to Pretoria seven years ago.
For the past two years, since it was Monopolies reserved for military use, the public have been denied access.
"Washington, Oct. 19. The Department of Justice today in-Gun Range of 35 Miles augurated a new policy of Federal-State ce-operation designed to halt The guns on this island, which monopolistic practices in. s will have a range of 35 miles, will Justice Department officials believed protect the entrance to Table Bay. the, new policy might eliminate Similar guns will be mounted on monopolies in their infancy and might the shore, overlooking the Bay. develop a new technique for settling Durban, the terminus of the Em-jurisdictional troubles between pire flying boat service, will be Federal and State authorities.—United similarly fortified, and, East London
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.