The Manawatu Herald. Thursday, January 15th, 1914. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 1196, 15 January 1914, Page 2

The Manawatu Herald. Thursday, January 15th, 1914. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Thk Mayor and Councillors are to be co turn ended for tbe resolution passed at Monday s meeting, calling tbe Minister for Marine's attention to the unsatisfactory state of tbe port and tbe Harbour Board’s inability to improve the waterway to the wharf. If the Board controlled the wharfage revenue, which is wrongfully diverted to tbe profits of the working railways account, such obstacles to shipping with resultant loss and inconvenience to those engaged in the hemp industry and commerce, would be permaueulf}’ removed. The Board requires the moral support not only of the Foxton, Borough Council but also from Feildiug, Palmerston and Levin, because the commerce of all these centres are detrimentally affected by the blocking of shipping. The Board has been, and is, lighting an uphill battle in order to place the port in a more satisfactory posi tiou, and it requires all the support local governing bodies can render it in this connection. We understand that the new Manager lor Railways will shortly visit Foxton, accompanied by the Minister for Railways in connection with the wharf-purchase question. In these circumstances it is fitting that the Minister for Marine should also be asked to visit the port.

Thk new General Manager of Railways is considering the question ol speeding up the Main Trunk trains between Wellington and Auckland. The time is opportune, therefore, to bring under bis notice the necessity for linking up the line between Marlon or Grealford and Levin. If this were done, the saving in lime sought to be effected could be accomplished without causiug any serious alterations to the present time-table. The link presents no engineering difficulties, and the cost of construction would be comparatively small. From a national and economic point of view the liuking-up is a necessity, and steps should be taken to bring the matter under the notice of Mr Hiley. The subject’is not being lost sight of by the Levin Chamber of Commerce. According to the Chrouicie, the matter was revived at Tuesday night’s meeting, when Mr Brown moved, and Mr E, S. Lancaster seconded, a motion which was unanimously agreed to, as follows ; —“That this meeting wishes to place before the new General Manager of Railways the advisableness of having the North Island Main Trunk railway line deviated at Levin. At present it runs from Levin to Palmerston along a hilly track. By deviating it, from Levin to Foxtou, a level run through good country would be gaiued, and the journey to Auckland would be shortened by several miles iu length and also in point ot time. Further, the level track would result iu a great saving of wear and tear to the rolling stock.”

With the summer at its height the metropolitan newspapers are, as usual, discussing very Jiercely the question of mixed bathing. Views on both sides are expressed by scores of correspondents, and Kvcrylady’s Journal has been to the trouble of collecting the ideas of such notable people as the Ford Mayors of Sydney and Melbourne, Archbishop Manuix and Cannon Hughes, the Commissioner ot Police and a lady doctor, the American, French, and German consuls and Mr “ Snowy ” Baker, the famous surf champion, ihe views of the varied folk, it may be added, are illustrated with a number of magnificent camera views that seem also to offer arguments on both sides of the vexed question: “Should Mixed bathing be encouraged? ihe majority of people asked replied in favour of mixed balhiug-with-in reasonable limits. Ihe Ford Mayor of Melbourne thinks that “the sea is quite big enough lor both men and women to swim in and his sympathies are entirely iu'favour of those who advocate mixed bathing, provided they do not overstep the boundaries of moderation. The Ford Mayor of Sydney, however, whilst heartily endorsing the practice of surf bathing, condemns the too lax oversight of certain beaches where indiscriminate bathing is indulged in This article is well worth reading. Mixed bathing in all seaside resot Is has, however, now come to stay.

So.mk pertinent remarks were made at the New Zealand IvJucational Institute at Auckland, when a remit suggesting the establishment ot special schools in the large centres, for the education ol sub-normal children was under discussion. A feature of the discussion was the keen interest shown in the subject by the lady delegates, Mrs Shrewbnry (Auckland), said that the medical congress was to be held in February, and it was most important that something should be done to enlist the support of that body in respect to this matter, and to bring the matter before the Government, An objection to the suggested scheme of establishing special schools was raised by Mr O. I). Flamank (Dunedin), who said that sending children to these schools would brand them as subnormal and therefore the opposition of parents would be roused. His idea was that a special teacher should be appointed to the staff of each large school to train these defective children. Mr F. T. Kvans (North Canterbury) remarked that though under the Kducalion Act parents were liable to punishment if they did not provide education for their subnormal children, it was hardly possible under the present system. “ Two per cent, of the children attending the Auckland schools are sub-normal,” said Miss Newman (Auckland). “By subnormal I mean that they are suffering from some physical or menial defect which makes it impossible for them to acquire instruction in the ordinary way, and it is necessary that special training should be given to them.” “If,” she added, “they were to do anything towards securing this special training for these children, they should enlist the support of medical men and collect evidence to back up their statements.” It was finally decided to ask the head masters to supply the evidence required, and also to ask for the co-operation of the medical congress in the matter.