PASSING NOTES.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXX, Issue 5497, 6 November 1929, Page 2

PASSING NOTES.

In endeavouring to turn round on the Turua-Netherton road a motorist backed his car into the roadside drain on Labour Day through missing the bridge he was attempting to back on to. The motorist was obviously not a Plains resident, for no driver of any experience of roads flanked by deep diains attempts to turn round by backing on to a bridge. He runs forward, so that he can clearly see where his car is going, then reverses on to the road. •*• f • The need of a settlers’ association for the purpose of discussing all matters of vital importance to the district as a whole is badly needed in Hikutaia, as has been only too well revealed of late through the poisoning and spoiling of the beautiful Hikutaia stream with the opening of the gold mine batteries, a calamity that could possibly have been avoided had there been such a society to make proper representations to the correct authorities.

The populace of the Hauraki Plains have something to be thankful for in the excellent weather that at almost all times prevails in the district. Almost every othei’ part of New Zealand has this year experienced visitations of severe hale and snow storms, cyclones, and floods. No country in the world could wish for or boast of a more beautiful spring, with so many bright, sunny days as this district has had this year. The winter was a particularly mild one, and the weather that has held throughout the spring has been truly genial.

At the last meeting of the Ohinemuri County Council Mr B. Veale, of Tirohia, speaking as one of a deputation on the water supply question for that district, and referring to the Tirohia school, said : “The school water supply comes from tanks, and is often rendered undrinkable through birds nesting in the spouting.” Last week in Auckland, while speaking on his term as headmaster between 187992 of the Mt. Eden school, the Rev. W. Smallfield used exactly the same words anent the water supply of that school in those days. Mr Smallfield was speaking of about 50 years ago, Mr Veale of to-day.

A Frankton resident claimed recently that he had discovered that kerosene cured cancer. Immediately the medical profession took up arms, and without any investigation, pronounced the method useless. In all probability it was—there have been so many spurious “cures” for cancer and tuberculosis that one naturally fights shy of any new ones propounded. But in all fairness to the propounder and to suffering mankind at large every suggestion, however apparently trivial, even from laymen, should be thoroughly investigated before condemnation. The medical profession is to be respected and honoured, but the fact remains that as a body their mental intelligence is on a no higher plane than the rest of the community. Study brings the degree, and when in practice the onerous duties of a doctor’s life leave little or no time for research work. Conscious and sensitive of these facts and their own limited attainments in laboratory work, practising medical men, in protection of theii- failings, band together and instantly decry any theory oi' discovery announced by a layman. The fact remains, however, that a great many of the most important and far-reaching medical and surgical discoveries in the world were conferred on mankind by laymen.