NOTES OF THE DAY.

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 59, 3 December 1920, Page 6

NOTES OF THE DAY.

The conflict of views over Hie school dent«l scheme'tins brought the subject* of dentistry prominently before Hie public of late. Yesterday another aspect cropped up in the request of the "unregistered dentists for facilities for registration. The Minister, in his reply to the deputation, stated that he favoured the appointment of a small com. mission to go into the whole matter. It is a well-established fact that if everybody had their teeth properly attended to the present number of dentists would liw liojjolesisly inadequate. Tlio four years'coarse at Dune'din now required to qualify as a donliofc provides «n excellent training, but has a- decidedly restrictive effect on the number of young men taking up dental work. Moreover, we suspect there aro not very many practising dentists in New Zealand who have dona ft four years' collegiate course at Dnnedin or anywhere else, and yet thi? public linds in their work aM'igh degree of professional skill. An unsanitarj mouth is not only a most objectionable thine; in itself, but injuriously affects the whole system if long neglected: In the interests of public health the aim must be to bring competent dentaj treatment within thfj reach of all. It is by no means clear that this is being effected by the present arrangements fojvthe trainin" of dentists.

Recent criminal case? have been remarkable for the intelligence and thoroughness with which the police have followed up chance clue 9, and indicate a state of efficiency on, which the force- hj to be congratulated. Tho conference of administrative police offiiiers opened yesterday has been busy with plans for still further improvement in the Departmental organisation. The public ah a whole seldom realises the wide varieties of duties that fall to the lot of a policeman, Besides doing his ordinary jiclico work ho may be called upon to collect agricultural statistics, to inspect factories, clubs, weights and measures, and fisheries, to net as a. kauri-gum ranger, an agent for tho Public Trustee, a registrar of births, deaths, and marriages, and a Crown lands ranger. Every Department in tho Public Service appears to consider it has the right to call oh' the local policeman when it requires aii agent or wants an odd job done.

« » t » It ig noit as if the actual police work in itself were not sufficiently onerous with the alertness and knowledge it requires in dealing on the spot with all manner of offences. With every violent ruffian who comes along the policeman is usually expecticd to deal single-handed, at the expense of his skin and his uniform, and not always does he receive tho fcncoumgement and support from the! public which _ his service on their behalf entitles him to expect. With the increasing resort to iirearius, the policeman as often as not takes his life in his hands when pursuing a midnight burglar or other criminal. It is to be hoped that the enforcement of tliu Ariiio Act, l'ur which ihe necessary arrangements are now being made, will lead to a decrease in the number of crimes ol violence which have been c'o frequently recorded of late.

A correspondent ha» forwarde<l au oriuinal suggestion for a "street (lunger sign i'ur pedestrians ami motorists. Arguing that people do not S'.op to read printed' notices and warnings such as the Antomobilo Club bus adopted in its "salolyfirst" campaign, lie reaches the conclusion that tome symbolical warning sign should be used at dangerous e% crossing places, and-affixed to tramcars and motor vehicles. The must appropriate design in our correspondent's opinion would be a duath's head with skull and cross-bones erected on posts or walls in tliu vicinity of danger spots ,and painttid on tramcars and motors. As the meaning of these emblems became generally understood, their presence, it is contended, would bo an effective reminder to vehicular and pedestrian liratHc alike. No doubt the design suggested would be striking enough, but tho Beautifying Association, il it still exists, might havo something to say if tho city and its tram and motor traffic were plastered over with representations of tins grisly piratical emblem—all of them, be it noted, to bo brilliantly lighted at nightil