ITEMS OF INTEREST

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 8, Issue 28, 28 November 1944, Page 3

ITEMS OF INTEREST

National War Savings Last week 231 towns attained tlic.ir quotas ol' national war savings. Seventeen of the principal centres were 'successful and in each of the 18 postal districts, the l'.ull district quota was recorded. In the, Greymouth, Oamaru Timaru and 'Westport districts all towns again recorded their individual quotas. A total of .18 places in the Dominion have now reached or exceeded their annual quotas. The number of accounts opened up to October :U is -1-17 098, representing an increase of 20,-17!) . j'or the preceding three months. Tuberculosis Sanatorium [n accordance with a recommendation at a conference held in Auckland in November last year arrangements are now being made by the Health Department for a further conference of representatives, of hospital boards to discuss the proposed establishment of a tuberculosis sanatorium of l.>o beds for the Waikato Auckland and Bay of Plenty area. The authorities concerned are the Auckland, Waikato ? Thames Tauranga, Bay of Plenty and Opotiki Hospital Boards. Advice has been received from the Di-rector-General of Health Dr. INI. H. Watt that it is proposed to hold the conference at Hamilton on December 7. Painless Childbirth The fact that the medical profession was still not clear concerning the merits and or even the dangers of the comparatively new method of eliminating pain from childbirth was stated by Dr. F. R. Smalc in a lecture to the post-graduate course in 'obstetrics and gynaecology which has opened at the Auckland Hospital. " Regret was expressed that the method had been publicised before it had been fully reported upon. After previous great enthusiasm it had been abandoned .at several American hospitals on account of unexplained deaths, he stated. Army Christmas Leave The Army has arranged for Christmas Day Boxing Day, December 27, January 1 and January 2 to be regarded as official holidays for members of the Regular Forcc. The position of Expeditionary Forcc reinforcements who might be in camp over the same period has not yet been Although the official holidays have been specified for other than Expeditionary Force personnel, it wi;l be. necessary to retain in camp and at the re-estab-lishment such personnel as are required for duty.. Instructions liav also been, issued that as many personnel as pos&ible arc. to be give their annual leave before. Christm and after the, New Year. Those taking leave on December 28 29 and *50 will have three days deducted from their annual leave.

I Unusual Friendship Every evening a kindly lady may be seen feeding seeral eats at the reai- of an writes a correspondent ol' the Forest and Bird Protection. Society. Recently I .saw four of these cats and a liealtliy-looldng rat all eating contentedly together. Tlie rat was a little, disturbed at my presence, but appeared to be on the very best of terms with the cats. m kindly lady realise that she is feeding a rat.