January 1, 1972

NY Times survey on newly-won rights for 18-yr-olds finds little change in actual practice; finds youths making little use of right to enter contracts, serve on juries, sue in ct and marry without parental consent; youths find they still cannot make major purchases without parental consent because they cannot get credit; 10 states have lowered majority age; move to lower majority age seen resulting from enactment of 26th Amendment giving 18-yr-olds right to vote; comments from youths, businessmen and various state officials

NYC Chief Med Examiner Dr Helpern's office discloses statistics showing that more people were slain in city in '71 than ever before; 1,625 persons were homicide victims in '71, with 172 being slain in Dec, record for single mo; previous recorded highs were in '70, when 1,250 persons died in homicides, and in Aug '70 when 158 persons were killed; statistics; graph '60-71, on homicides in city

Assembly Speaker Duryea and Assemblyman Steingut are hopeful that deferment of action on NYC transit fare pkg will not complicate transit negotiations

TWU and NYCTA reach agreement on new contract shortly before 3 AM, averting strike; settlement calls for 18% wage increase over 27-mo contract with initial increase of 6%, effective immediately, 6% increase in Jan '73 and 6% increase in Jan '74; earlier, TWU pres Guinan presented details of contract to his 100-member negotiating com; MTA Chmn Ronan, NYC Mayor Lindsay and Guinan then made formal announcement of contract's acceptance; settlement is subject to approval of unions and Fed Pay Bd; cost of settlement is not immediately known but it appears likely that subway and bus fares will rise to 35c or higher, depending on action taken by NYS Legis on NYC transit pkg; earlier, Lindsay scored failure of NYS Legis to act on transit pkg before expiration of transit contract, thus complicating transit negotiations; NYS Sup Ct Justice F X Smith denies motion by dissident group of transit workers to stop contract negotiations between NYCTA and transit unions; group, Rank and File Com, sought stay pending determination by ct of whether election should be held to determine proper bargaining agent for NYCTA employes

AP repts Brit sources say Defense Sec Lord Carrington is ready to resume negotiations as long as demand for immediate payment of $11-million for use of base facilities is dropped