The Manawatu Herald. Thursday, June 8, 1911. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 1002, 8 June 1911, Page 2

The Manawatu Herald. Thursday, June 8, 1911. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Our Palmerston evening contemporary bewails the fact that Kapiti Island, a Government sanctuary for flora and fauna, has not been brought into prominence as a tourist resort and goes on to say that “if the Foxton people had shown a little more enterprise we are sure that the town might have profited considerably as the starling point of a regular excursion, in which people from all points of the province could be induced to take part. . . . Considering the island’s many charms it is a matter for regret that so little enterprise has been shown by steamship companies in giving the public an opportunity of enjoying excursions. We are aware that a trip from Foxton to the Island is attended by a certain amount of risk from sea-sickness to those who are susceptible to that unpleasant complaint, but that is, of course, inevitable in all sea excursions. There are boats calling at Foxton large enough to take excursionists, and if Foxton would only realise the possibilities of such a movement the town would wake up and do something.” In reference to the above we fail to see why Foxton should “wake up and do something” in this matter. It has not yet municipalised local shipping neither does it act as local agent for coastal shipping firms. Apart from this we sincerely hope the Government will not allow this sanctuary to be disturbed by bands of irresponsible holiday-makers. Such a sanctuary would no longer be a sanctuary if our contemporary’s suggestion was actedupon —which, of course, would not be seriously considered by the Government.

The Department of Public Health is issuing a small poster on how to assist the apparently drowned, which is to be hung in a conspicuous place in every post office throughout the Dominion. The headings are : “ The Apparently Dfowned. The Right Way of Restoring Animation. Hurry Up! Don’t Waste Time !” The information is good. It reads : “ Immediately after removal from the water, try to clear fluid from the patient’s lungs by turning him face and head downwards, so that it may run out of his mouth of nose. Open mouth and clear it or any weeds or foreign matter. Draw the tongue forward. Loosen or remove all clothing round his chest, waist and throat, but no time should be lost in doing so. If he begin to breathe, take off the wet clothing and wrap him in any dry clothing or blankets. Rub briskly, and move limbs to promote circulation of

blood. Keep patient warm and quiet for some hours, to avoid collapse.” Then follows more valuable information as to how to artificially restore breathing, with two illustrations to show how the pressure should be applied to the body of the sufferer. Finally the poster says: “Do not give up trying this method of performing artificial breathing until a doctor arrives, or for an hour or more. Will the reader be good enough to try to remember what he or she learns here. Read ! Learn ! Remember ! You may thereby save a human life on some occasion.”

A somewhat painful incident occurred on the Palmerston to Mastertou railway on Tuesday. The remains of the late Mr William Blinkhorne had been placed in the mortuary van at Wanganui, and were being brought to Mastertou for interment. At Woodville the van was shunted off to make room for horse boxes. Members of the friendly societies and others had assembled at the Mastertou Railway Station to attend the funeral on the arrival of the train, and they were naturally perplexed when they discovered that the remains did not arrive. The funeral had to be postponed. It is reported that this is the second occasion during the past fortnight on which a similar incident has occurred. One can imagine the feelings of the deceased’s relatives at the carelessness of the railway officials, and no doubt the Department will make full enquiry into the matter and prevent this scandalous state of things happening in future.

Apropos of the above a contemporary reports a similar bungle which it alleges took place at Auckland last week. It states that an aged lady died up North and as it was the wish of the relatives that she should be buried in Wanganui, arrangements were accordingly made with the railway authorities at one of the branch stations for a van to convey deceased to that township via Auckland. Everything was carried out satisfactorily until the van arrived at the latter station. Here one or two relatives were desirous of placing some wreaths on the coffin, and enquiries were made as to where the van could be found. Each railway employee in turn professed ignorance, as to its whereabouts. Further search by one of the relatives revealed the missing van, side-tracked, and empty, with the address still attached. Naturally, the absence of the coffin caused a painful sensation, and a search was at once instituted. Eventually, the missing remains were found concealed among general merchandise !

The keenness of the land hunger in the North Island was one of the things which greatly impressed Mr C. H. Ensor, a well-known Canterbury farmer, during his visit to the North Island of the Dominion- Laud which was opened for settlement was rushed, and he was satisfied that the State was not developing aud opening the country as it should. One could not help feeling that it was the Maori who was going to be the rich man in the future. The whites built roads and railways to the land lying near the native areas, and were cultivating their own land. The labours of the white settlers were increasing the value of the laud in their neighbourhood, and the uncultivated land of the Maoris was sharing in the increment, though of course, in their case, it was neither earned nor paid for by them. In one case a European settler had paid 2s an acre rental for Maori laud, aud spent £3 an acre clearing it. When his lease expired the Maori landlord would be worth something like The Maori landlord was going to be a great menance to the North Island.