COUNTRY NEWS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 298, 12 September 1919, Page 10

COUNTRY NEWS

NOTES FROM VARIOUS CENTRES (From Our Snecial Correspondents.) wairaYapa The monthly mooting of Hio Lansdownc School Committee was- held on Wednesday night, thero being present Messrs. ]). A. Pickering (chairman), Kxton, B. Welch. E. Collie, J. Caverhill, and V. Darrocli.' Mr. J. H. Naylor tendered his resignation owing to lis removal to another school district, ami Mr. Cunningham was elected to the vacancy. Mr. V. Darroch was elected delegate to the School Committees' Association and treasurer of tho committee, positions vacated by Mr. Navlor. Mr. Pickering gave a lengthy report of the business transacted at the School Committees' Conference. Messrs. Caverhill and Darroch were appointed a visiting committee for the month. Tho following havo been elected olhcers of the newly-formed Masterton Trottins; Club, the membership of which numbers over four hundred:—President, Mr. C. Traill; vice-presidents, Messrs. W. Oomptoii. E. Hodgins, and G. H. Yates; stewards, Messrs. W. G. Lamb, C. S. Ball, V. W. l'ointon, W. Jones, 11.. Nee, D. Walsh. B. Brown, A. Irvine, A. M'l-lwnn, T. Plnnnortv, T. Caverhill, and >0. Percv; secretary, Mr. A- J- Hathaway. A deputation from the club will wait on the Minister of Internal Affairs with the obiect of obtaining a totalisator permit. Should this be granted the Opak.i racecourse . will be at the disposal of the club for its meetings.

MAiiAWATU

Recently the chairman of the Palmerston .North' I'ospitai Board (iiiif James Wilson) dispatched the following teleEra m to the Department of Public Health (Wellington).—"Two deaths lrom slecp-in"-siekacss have occurred in the Palmerston North Hospital. Tho board thinks a thorough investigation by a Health officer should be made forthwith ol the homes, conditions, etc., of tho patients. The public we nlarineu.reply, the Department telegraphed tmtt a medical officer would visit PalmcrsUm NurtJi to investigate the .sleeping-sickness cases. "Experience in other centres ut other countries," the telegram continued, "did not show causo for alarm about this disease, which is a remote sequel ot the influeuz,", epidemic. Pull inioriuation was circulated to all-medical officers some months ago." It was reported Unit a Departmental inspector had already made his inspection, but had yet to submit his report. It was pointed wit that contrary to tho Departmental theory tho patients in the two cases in point had not suffered from influenza, nor had any ot fci'.eir family. . A short discussion on noxious weeds took place at 'Wednesday's meeting ox the Oroua County Council, arising out of a letter from tne Parmcrs' Uniuu requesting the council to declare goat's-rue a noxious weed. Councillor Morrison, speaking out of his past experience, urged tlio council to go cautiously in the matter. Government officials insisted "" grubbing out reeds, which was an expensive process, while it had bceii proved that cutting down was quicker and more oli'ecuvc. Councillor iV j.ennaii said that if settlers had to grub goat's-rue it would ruin some of them. On the right-hand side of the Alaiuuvatu Gorge, on the Woodvillo sido of the river, the Hat was covered with goat'srue. It was decided that the matter bo held over until .the next meeting, so as to allow time for investigation. At yesterday's meeting of tho Palmerston North Hospital Board the Bistnct Nurse-Provisional Committee at \\aikanac wrote applying for a district nurse to bo appointed ior tho Waikanaelieikorangi district. The district was prepared to guarantee ii's to J-S0 per year towards the''salary and expenses. Part of the district was in the Wellington Hospital area. The conumtteo was assured that an arrangement could bo made between the two bodies concerned whereby tlio Palmerston Board might be the ruling power as far sis a nurse was concerned. After some discussion tho board.decided that providing satisfactory arrangements be made as to the guarantee, applications would be called for a nurse for the district referred to. At a Salvation Army meeting at Palmerston .North. Commissioner Dodder ■stated that it was hoped to proceed shortly with the erection of new army barracks in Broad Slreot, plans for which wore now well in hand by the architect. The'work had been delayed owing to the war, but he thought it possible tlio block could now be completed in the next financial .year. The Commissioner paid a compliment to the splendid work being carried on locally by tho Salvation Army. lu a letter read at the Hospital Board meeting at Palmerston North yesterday, the Hon. G. W. Unwell, as Minister of Public Health at the time of writing, after chiding the board for refusal to do, its dutv, intimated that the Government could iiot see its way to establish a St. Helens home in Palmerston North. Members were not impressed with the Ministerial admonition, and the opinion was expressed that now that Mr. Uiissell was politically deceased something might bo done in the desired direction. Sir James Wilson pointed out that the duty of providing such a home was much more in the hands of the Slate tlinii in (he hands of local bodies. It was the State's duty to look after the children oi tlio State. He would be glnd to see a homo established herb. The board passed a resolution urging on tho Minister of Public Health the advisabilily of establishing a St. Helens home in Palmerston North;

: Illterviewf.il at Piiliiierston North, n returned soldier, v,;ho paid some attention to tho distribution vof fvown mcatwhilo in London, gave some particulars wbich aro not generally known in New Zealand. In tlie course of his iuriuirios lie visited Smithficlcl Market, mul >mv both New Zealand and Argentina mutton exposed for sale. ITo was shown soma fine, plump carcasses of wether mutton, from New Zealand, which lie was astonished to lenrn were being sold at from 2d. to 3d. per lb. below Argentine mutton, which -was by no means as good and which had. a skinny appearance. On making; inquiries ns to how this came about, lawas informed that the Argentine product came to hand in a condition more acceptable to the cvo than that from NewZealand. It was pointed out to him that while the bass covering the carcasses from this Dominion were d;rt;and unsightly, those from South America were clean aiid without stains. He found that this was dne to the fact that the Argentine meat left the freezing works enclosed in duplicate covers. On reaching the distribution stores in London tho outer cover was removed, leaving tho under ono perfectly clean. Tlv friends of Mr. A. V. Wi insert will regret to hear that his eldest fon Ogilvio is nt present confined to Nurse Robya nrivato hospital, having umlergono a serious' Operation. This is the second operation within a few months.