NOTES OF THE DAY

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 152, 22 March 1919, Page 6

NOTES OF THE DAY

1, .Hecbnt from Sydney conwy the impression that in spite of the 'drastic measures resorted to •influenza is spreading in New South Wales and may yet develop to dangerous dimensions. It may still he hoped that the precautions taken will enable the State authorities to minimise the '.spread of the more . virulent form of the disease.,. The • news, indeed suggests that such is likely to be the case,- (be discouraging report relative to the increase in the number'of new cases reported being relieved to sonic'extent by the ..fact that a large .proportion of the cases are of a mild nature. There appears- to have been a slight recrudescence of influenza'in New Zealand, or perhaps it would be more correct to say. a slight increase lately in the number of cases reported. So far the- position is not at all serious, and but .for the experiences bf .last year would not have attract' ed any attention. In the-light of the past, however,.it-is-highly necessary that no needless risks should be taken, "and it is satisfactory -on [ that account to learn of the activii ties'.of the. .Health.Department; and I of. organisations, throughout -. the Dominion which rendered -such immense service on the occasion of the. recent outbreak. The meeting held here cm Wednesday last under the auspices of the. Hospital ■ Board, which has been entrusted with the task- of arranging for emergency accommodation and medical and nursing help should need arise, made a good beginning. The old organisation, will be held together as far as possible, and will be extended and improved .in certain particulars. The proposal io afford opportunities to w6mcn_ for practical training in the essentials of nursing should not be allowed to bang fire. Apart from any need that may arise through allot her outbreak of influenza here , the experience to those who underiro such a course of training .would al- ; ways he of value. 1

A good deal of s'cicntific interest lifts atti telied to the question of the limit to which man can ascend into ilie heavens and live,-and it lias been assumed that the recent (light of two 1 colonial airmen which registered a world's record for altitude decides the point. Even when specially, equipped with the latest devices provided by modern science these plucky airmen could not get ouitp tn six miles above sea level. "It would seem," remarks one commentator, "from the physical these two gallant airmen. Hint six miles is near the limit to which 1 man will ever ascend, unless new devices are found for cold protection and oxygenisation." Mount Everest, 2!),000ft., is the highest mountain peak in the world, and one which lias never been climbed, nor does it see'tn likely that it ever will lie : but the I wo airmen succeeded in reaching a greater altitude than this sky-picreing moun-

tain, namely, ISO,sooft, They risked their lives in the feat, and narrowly escaped the losers' chance. Both men (one was ail Australian, Captain Lanu, and the other a Canadian, Lieutenant Blowes) were specially clad for the occasion, and carried special clectric heating apparatus, and als'o oxygen cylinders. The need of these special precautions was shown by the fact that when the machine reached its maximum altitude there was a tempera-' ture of about 70 degrees of frost Through a fault in the oxygen apparatus at 20,000 ft. the Canadian collapsed, and at ;io,sooft. the machine was brought to a stop through lack of petrol-pump pressure owing to rarefaction of the air. The trip was a rough one almost from start to finish, hut through the dogged determination of the pilot ended as stated in the men heating the world's altitude record, one of them being in a state of complete collapse when the engine stopped and the downward (light began. It "is noteworthy that the achievement lies to, the credit of two of the overseas members of the British Flying Forces and that it was accomplished in a British-built, British-enrincd De Haviland bombing biplane.

ViiKV naturally the primary producers and the freezing companies are displaying anxiety regarding the immediate outlook for shipping capable of carrying our frozen produce to England. The fact that in Canterbury a few days ago buyers for overseas export declined to bid for fat stock because of the glutted' state of the freezing works and the shortage of shipping in sight is serious enough to disturb the equanimity of the most optimistic. Minis-, ters appear to be doing their best to secure further vessels for the Now Zealand trade, but in spite of their efforts the situation continues extremely unsatisfactory. The Acr-isc-Pnniß Ministkb states to-day that there is a good deal of exaggeration in the hints set about that Australia is getting more thau her share of steamers. He may be correct, but the fact remains that Australia is stated to be much better off than this Dominion in the shipping available in proportion to the quantity of frozen produce ready for export, and this view is strengthened by the absence of complaint on the part of shippers in the Commonwealth. A feature of the situation which certainly calls for explanation is the failure of the Minister in Charge of Imperial Supplies, Mb. Guthrie, to receive any replies to his cabled requests for information. The only remedy in this respect is to cable again and with an emphasis that cannot be ignored.