The Bay of Plenty Beacon Published Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. MONDAY, JULY 13, 1942 THE STAGGERING GIANTS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 05, Issue 77, 13 July 1942, Page 4

The Bay of Plenty Beacon Published Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. MONDAY, JULY 13, 1942 THE STAGGERING GIANTS

LOCKED in a life and death struggle on a front Extending over a thousand miles, the giant forces of Russia are waging a bitter and merciless fight against the reinforced armies* of Hitler's Nazi Germany. The long awaited 'spring campaign' is now at its most brutal ehight. The ruins of Sabastopol tell the story in perhaps the most forceful mannei, of the ghastly nature of this war of total destruction, for about its defences and its approaches are the remains of nearly a quarter million German soldiers and their allies Germany's new offensive opposite the Moscow sector is testing the Russians'as never before, and the rugged Muscovite is reeling under the multiplity of the blows rained on him. Timohsenko, on the other hand remains as imperturable as ever. Reserves, he has by the million, but his front line armies are taking a sore battering at the hands of Hitler's armed divisions. Advance and retreat along thfc Don sector characterises the display of strategy by both forces, though here again the uncanny might of the Nazi fighting machine has made itself felt. What history will be written in the next few weeks may well spell Russia or Gei many's survival or doom. REMEDIES FOR THE ASKING THE list of simple herbal remedies, known to the early Maoris, and printed in this issue,, is worthy of more than passing notice. Here we. have the results of careful experimentation by generations of Tohungas who in pre-pakeha times were regarded as the guardians of the health of the tribes. The list shown has been endorsed by the modern medical profession and all the components are to be had more or less for the taking at any time. Might we in a.ll seriousness suggest that lists be kept by all medical see-* tions of the E.P.S. and Home Guard as a further safeguard in the event of evacuation or the failure of medical supplies. Not knowing what we have ahead of us, the ancient, na,tural medicines of the Maori may yet prove to be of the greatest importance,, in the alleviation of suffering and the healing of wounds. BE LIKE DAD, KEEP MUM WITH the realities of war coming nearer to us every day, New Zealanders are being warned against the habit of careless talk. It is known that agents have in the past been responsible for the swift transmission of vital news to the enemy and that the most astounding information about which even the public of this country had little or no knowledge, has been broadcast from the Nazi and Japanese radio stations. The lesson from these facts imposes a duty upon everyone of us. All news of a military, naval, air or marine nature should be kept strictly to the individual. Even in all innocence an unguarded piece of information may mean the loss of many lives or the destruction of vital supplies. Be like Dad —keep Mum ! THAT FIRE SIREN FOR twenty solid minutes the public of Whakatane were forced to tolerate the ban-shee note of the fire siren last Saturday morning. Is there no method of controlling this ghastly method of fire notification ? No one will complain about the actual alarm but to prolong it from two points so that every man, woman and child is shaken out of their rest and many more nervous types, to say nothing of hospital patients are reduced to a high pitch of prostration, is to our minds completely beside the point. The actual fire, we understand was put out in less than ten minutes, but the wail of the siren continued to blare until the brigadesmen were actually back in the station. Surely some better control than this can be exercised.