WELLINGTON NOTES.

Hokitika Guardian, 21 January 1925, Page 4

WELLINGTON NOTES.

IN FA N TILE PA lIA LYSIS. (Special to “Guardian”.) WELLINGTON. January 10. Tliore is no doubt that in spite of the efforts of the Health authorities this dread disease appears to be spreading in the City, and it may be due to the weather conditions for it is a long time since Wellington has enjoyed such a long .space of fine hot weather. If there is no abatement of the disease the school* will not he reopened. and the prolonged holiday will be enjoyed by the healthy children. Mr Robert Xewton of Okoroire, in a letter to a. Wellington paper states that three years ago his 10-year-old daughter suffered from the disease—her right arm became painful, could not be straightened, and had little power and as the trouble seemed to be spreading to her hand and shoulder she was taken to King George’s Hospital. Mr -Newton writes:—"We thoroughly appreciate the care, skill and kindness of the doctors and staff of the hospital who did their very best for the child. The arm was X-rayed, and when under chloroform the arm was straightened and put in splints, which were kept on fpr some weeks, except for a short time every day, when they were removed for the arm to lie worked. However, - all strength seemed to have left the arm, and on the doctor’s advice she was brought home, nml for some months her arm was bandaged in splints every night, with no apparent improvement. An old friend had advised us long before to try a bread poultice, so in desperation one night the whole arm was placed in a bread poultice and by next morning she was able to Ilex and straighten the arm—the first time for many months. This treatment was continued, i.c., a bread poultice every night, and nothing in the day except that she was encouraged to use ter arm. In a week it was reasonably strong, in three weeks is was quite cured, and the child has been in perfect health ever since.” MOTOR 1 STS DISSATISFI F.D.

Motorists im the Wellington district are very much dissatisfied with the bungling of the. Government m connection with the registration o! motors. The regulations . require the motorists to purchase annually a number plate, and the cost of the same is .is, this to cover the cost of the American made number plate, ol which Hie colours alfer annually, in order that the police might detect dclaulteis. ft is estimated that there are IO.Oi/J motor vehicles in Wellington district, and the number plates lor the motors will mean an expenditure of -MX) annually. The Postal authorities have undertaken tl.e registration at Is P.l a car. the Police Department, it is suited want L'l,ooo for the job. It is pointed our that if the registration were taken over by the police at iheir price there would lie no necessity lor the issue of a number plate annually as their records would sift out the defaulters. Therefore there would be a saving oi 1:1,500. It appears that the Government is asking the motorists to pay the 1:2,500 to save the iiiflcience between the .Post Office price and the Police charge. II U-. 500 w wasted in Wellington alone, the waste lor the Dominion 'will approximate to LTD,OOO. It is contended that the present number plate in no way fdotects the law-abiding motorist, Int simply opens the door to tran-p/os-sors who are far too common at present. Furthermore the use ol the words " Xew Zealand ” throughout the Dominion is absurd, and no rso for identification, and an additional expense to the motorist, and while it means nothing much individually it means a great deal when all are counted in. It is urged that a better system of registration (Oitld be devised umler police control. There are about I , dt: Dm i . bt the Domin’,in and il each dn.inri were a place "I registration and ’given a number say, Auckland 1, Wellington 2, Christchurch ,‘t, and Dunedin I, and so on the number plate would read I li-j0 or 2—351). which would he distinguishable to the authorities. I Aider such a scheme there would be only one number plate required, instead of one annually under Postal registration.

DEPRESSED BETTER MARKET. The fall in the price of New Zealand butter in the London market is causing a good deal (if discussion in business circles. A fall in values was expected for it iisunlll.v occurs at this period of the year, but on this occasion it seems that the pressure of supplies is rather more severe than it was in the previous year and interested ones are wondering how far the price recession will proceed hefort it is pulled up. The imports of butter into the United Kingdom totalled loo,oooewt, or IOO.OOOcwt (equal to 5,000 tons) more than in December 1923, and from all accounts the shipments afloat and nearing destination are very heavy. It is stated by one authority that about 1.000,000 boxes are due to arrive during the next few weeks. If this is correct it is difficult to see how the market can be maintained at 1(5 Is, the price at which it stands at the moment of writing. Last year the price dronoed to about 150 s, and then recovered, and merchants are wondering whether that experience will he repealed.