LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 1, 26 September 1919, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

During the month ended September 10, 81 eases of infectious diseases were reported in Wellington and district. The cases were as follow, tho figures for the previous month being given in parentlieses:—Scarlet fever, i (,-t); diphtheria-, !M (31); tuberculosis, S (5); enteric fever, 0 (.1); influenza, 2!) (26); pneumonia. 8 (11); cerebrospinal meningitis, I (1); lethargic encephalitis, 2 (2); measles 2 (•)); blood poisoning, 2 (1). Totals, 81 (83).

The Wellington Land Board during the past two days dealt with 193 applications made by discharged soldiers to purchase residential properties in various parts of the district, and G9 applications for tho purchase of farms made under iho, Discharged Soldiers' Settlement Act, ISII7.

A new scale of costs and fees for wortRa»es under the Discharged Soldiers' Settlement Act appear in the Gazette. Under tho Lands Transfer Act the law costs of perusing'title and of preparing, completing, and registering mortgages are for advances not exceeding „C 750, j.'l Is.; .£750, but not exceeding -£1500, £1 lis. fid.; .£ISOO, but not exceeding JJ&SllO, .£■2 25.; and for advances exceeding JG2300; <C 3 3s. Mortgages under tho Deeds Registration Act begin at .£2 2» and ascend to"<£s-'ss.

Reference to the endowment of beds at the Public Hospital for lodge members was mndo at yesterday's • meeting of tho Hospital Board. The chairman (Mr. F. 'Clastic) said that in tho past some lodges •uidowod beds for their members, paying a sum of ,£3OO. It had been felt that that, amount was inadequate, and that something was being given to, a section of the community by way of a privilege. Tho matter would be coming before tho board again. Instead of accepting a lump 6iim as an endowment in perpetuity, it might he desirable to nccopt an annual sum, or a modified fee for each individual occupying a lodge bed. Mr. i\ T. Moore said Jio hoped the board would be wary in dealing with endowments for lodge members' beds. lodges, ho contended, were not guided by humanitarian ideals; they were distinctly "capitalistic institutions." The lodges wanted to obtain treatment for their members at. the lowest possible expense 60 that they might be enabled to accumulate large sums of money for investment. He trusted that every lodge niombor who was treated lit the hospital would be "pursued to.the very limit" for payment of fees, for nothing short of that would induce the "greedy" societies to

"shell out" the thousands ; of pounds which they had'in hand, and which they should use for the benefit of their members and not for "profit-mongering." In connection with this matter, a letter was received from the Department of Public Health, Hospitals, and Charitable Aid, pointing out that it did not think tho board should accept any trust which pledged it for all time to give benefits, tho value of which could not be actually assessed. It was quite business-like for a board to provide treatment for members of certain societies on the under' standing that the societies guaranteed such fees as would cover full cost of maintenance.

"I obicct very strongly to introducing militarism in our schools," remarked Mr. F. I'irani at the Hducntion Boards' Conference yesterday. The delegates were discussing an Auckland remit recoinmondinL' that the Junior Cadet system he reinstated in the public schools' curriculum. Mr. Pirani went on to urge that if they wanted, to introduce anything of the kind they could not do bettor than adopt the Boy Scout system. In thn Old Country the work of the Scouts during the war had been simply marvellous. Tim Junior Cadets simply trained the children in drill. As Hoy Scouts they would be trained in intelligence, observation and behaviour. Tho remit was lost after a very close division.

The Hospital Board decided yesterdny Hint the attention of the Education Board be drawn to the advisability of appointing an additional teacher to instruct the children in the Children's Hospital. At present only the infantile paralysis cases are receiving instruction, and it is proposed that children suffering from chronic bone diseases might bo included.

A correspondent writes to a Christchurch paper as follows: Duirng the dry weather towards the end of the winter some of the sinnll Peninsula .creeks ran very low. I was visiting a frieiul one evening, and during tho conversation my host told mc that lie had a cat which was in tho habit of going down to the creek below the house and catching young eels. It would then bring the eel home and share it with a well-grown kitten.' Knowing tho aversion of the -ordinary cat to water, 1 thought it rather remarkable, hut on parting from my friend Inter on, I found the old cat and the kitten on tho back vcrnndah. They had an eel about, eight, inches long, which was being attacked fore and aft, and slowly, but surely, disappearing.

Anticipation of a shortage of playing grounds is causing concern among Christchurch cricketers. "Wo won't he ablo to get on to Lancaster Park this vear." Faid the chairman at a meeting on Tuesday evening of (lie committee of the Cricket Association, when it wa* pointed out that the East Christchurch and Linwood Clubs would be seriously handicapped." Another menioer said Itnu ou visiting the Park recently he found it had been sown down in grass which was now high and" fairly thick and grazing 150 sheep. Ultimately it was decided to seek information from the Board of Control.

The Victorian revenue from the Bettimr Ticket Tax totalled 0:69,132 for the year.—Press Assn.

The AVestmere Settlement—Masterton and Wairarapa South Counties—Blocks 14 and 15 Otahoua Survey District, and Blocks 2 ami 3 Wainuioru Survey District, containing' in nil 3091 acres, arc gazetted as being set apart for disposal to discharged soldiers.

There was very brief mention of picture shows at the Education Boards' Conference yesterday, when after little or no discussion it was unanimously affirmed: "That the Government be urged to purify and elevate the standard of moving picture entertainments by equipping in each principal centre one picture theatre for the free display of educational and instructional films for the school children." It was suggested that the scheme to bo successful must be carried out by the Government.

Regulations relating to baking powder and custard powder are published in tho Gazette. The word "egg" must not he ''written on or attached to any package which contains custard powder or baking powder. On the-label or package containing baking powder the nnrue of the principal aciil material employed in tho manufacture must be stated, and the name must be the one most generally understood by the public.

A total of forty applications for loans were dealt with at a meeting of the Wellington Repatriation Board on Tuesday. Sixteen of the applications were for loans for furniture, two for transport, twenty for businesses, and two for tools of trade. Twenty-nine were granted, nine were deferred for further inquiry, and two were dediiwd. Eighteen applications for subsidised wages r.nd grants by way of fees were granted.

New regulations prescribing the conditions under which licenses to construct electric lines may be issued are published in this weed's Gazetle.

A. somewhat remarkable anomaly was disclosed at"the Education Boards' Conference yesterday in the course of a discussion on a remit urging that school committees be elected by the parents and guardians of children attending tint school. A delegate, in assuring the confercuce that in soma districts there was more interest in the election of school committees than in the election of members of Parliament, said ho had good reason to oppose the indiscriminate issue of miners' rights, which gave the qualification to vote at school committee meetings. Under this system, he pointed ouj, a child of 14 years could secure a miner's vight on payment of the necessary fee,, and vote accordingly. The remit was adopted.

Section 11, Block Hi, Weber Survey District, containing 103 acres, and Sections 7 and 10, Block -1, llrntawa East Survey District, Hawke's Bay, containing 9101 acres, -are gazetted scenic reserves.

The shortago of sugar is interfering with the jam-making industry in Auckland. It is expected that some manufacturers will be unable to till orders for jam t» ba iorwarded to England by the t'orinthio.

Tlic ■Wellington Harbour Board has decided not to accept a lender for contract No. 171, Pipito Wharf, but tn cany out the work itself iimlcr Hie supervision of the board's chief engineer.

The Master Pastrycooks' Association. Wellington, at n recent meeting decided to increase the retail prices, in keeping with the advanced prices of ingredients.

Yesterday was the Jewish New Year (SGSO), and n special service was held h. the Synagogue yesterday morning by Habbi'lT. Van Staveren.

Sir. F. W. Furkert, Hngincer-in-chiof of tho Public Works Department, and Messrs. A. J. Hunter, civil engineer, of Auckland, and i'. ,C. Hay. of Gisbijrne. are appointed a commission to inquire into the question of preventing tine flooding of lands by the Waihou River, in the Oliincmuri and Thames counties.

"I am satisfied that the Macarthy Home is =?rving n useful purpose," 'remarked Mr. (i. ,1. Petlicrick at yesterday's Hireling of tho Hospital Board. "I hone it will be occupied as fully in the future as it lias been' in the past." Mr. Petlieriek added that tliero were at present, thirteen children in the home. On the recommendation of the Hospital Committee it was resolved that a nurse be attache;: when necessary to the home, in order to attend certain chronic and other cases which may be sent there for a change from the Children's Hospital.

Tho chairman of the Wellington Hospital Board (Mr. F. Castle) announced at yesterday's meeting: of the board that the new fever hospital was completed, and furnishing was in progress. If required, tho institution could be furnished in less than a month. Mr. C. H. Chapman moved, and Mr. G. J. Petherick seconded, that, an official opening of the institution ho made. The new fever hospital, said Mr. Chapman, was up to date, and evoryonn would be proud of it. Tho citizens knew little of what the Hospital Board was doing, and by having an official opening of tho new hospital an opportunity would he afforded of "enlightening 'tho citizens." The resolution ivas carried, and it was decided that the house steward ho authorised, subject to tho approval of the •chairman of tho Hospital Committee and chairman, to purchase the necessary furniture and equipment for the new hospital.

The matron of tho Wellington Hospital has been authorised to expend up to J3IOO for tho purchase of tqys, presents, and extras at Christmas for the inmates of the Hospital and its institutions.

A well-known Auckland business man, writing from London under date of July 23. states; "This is not tho time for enjoying a trip to London, as everything is very unsettled. What with strikes and labour trouli.es generally, I personally shall 1m glad to get back, to Now Zealand, but how to do so is a positive conundrum, as there are no passages available until 1 January and February, 1920. I have haunted every shipping office in London in the endeavour to get a passage, but without result, so if you knew anybody contemplating a run Home, just put them wise aa to the difficulties, and toll them to postpone it until things are normal, or at least better."

Under the auspices of the Victoria University College Graduates' Association, an instructive public lecture was delivered last night by Dr. Alton Thomson, Director of tho Dominion Museum, on "The Organisation of Scientific mid Industrial Research." The lecture, which was given at the college, was followed with great interest, and proved very enlightening.

How to evolve a "thoughtJul, industrious, and reverent child," if such is not a psychological impossibility, occupied the attention of delegates of the Educational Conference yesterday for a few minutes. An Auckland remit naively suggested flint the conference request the Council of Education to consider in a satisfactory degree "whether tho resultant of our education system is a thoughtful, industrious, Jtnd fevereut child, and, if not, to suggest a remedy." According to Mr. E. C. Purdio the question was of eupreme importance to the people of NewZealand. He suggested that there should be a conferenqe between the Director of Education, inspectors, ontl heads of vairous educational institutions, The majority of members, however, preferred to leave the delicate mission of moulding the model child to tho Council of Education, no other suggestions being forthcoming. The remit, as it, stood, was adopted.

With reference to the establishment of 11 permanent home for foundling and indigent children, the Chariioblo Aid Committee recommended to yoslu'duy's meeting of the Charitable Aid Board that, with iratrd to the foster homes of children boarded out under the Industrial Schools Act, representations should be made to the Education Department In the effect llial, inasmuch as the latter emplovs prisons outside of its own staff us iiu'-iorat >• visitors mid inspectors, it should cu'vider the claim of the board to have :i I'T.-inoe appointed to sin-li an office. SM-ii'u that the board contributed some .i'Glfid per annum towards lht, luniiiteuniue of those _children. With rcfeicii.e io In? provision c,f a home for indiwnl children Ihe commilto? was u!' opinion that il was desirable that such should he established, provided that il could be done upon slrirliy oxrcrimcnlnl lino*. It recommended Ihit il V'av thiiriscd io prepare definite piM|os.'i!s in Ibis dirrctinn. and In submit them lo the board. The report was ndopti\.