The Manawatu Herald. Saturday, May 16, 1914. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 1246, 16 May 1914, Page 2

The Manawatu Herald. Saturday, May 16, 1914. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

The Foxton Harbour Board, despite the antagonism met with from the Government, is not relaxing its efforts to bring the Foxton wharf under its control, and at the last meeting it was decided to convene another conference of representatives from all the local bodies and chambers of commerce in the district, to further discuss the question, and to arrange for a representative deputation to wait on the Prime Minister and Minister? for Railways and Marine in connection with same. At the present time the bar is in a very unsatisfactory state, and difficulty is being experienced by shipping in working the port. If the wharf was controlled by the Harbour Board the profits from wharfages, which now amount to roughly ,£1,500 per annum, would be spent on improving shipping facilities, whereas at the present time they are diverted to the working railways account. As a result of the attitude taken up by the present and past Governments, the extensive district served by the port is suffering, and in the interests of the whole district it is absolutely essential that some satisfactory arrangement should be arrived at whereby the Harbour Board will be assured of a certain revenue, and thus be in a position to improve the channel and bar. We hope that, as a result of the conference and deputation, the Board will be placed on a satisfactory footing.

The following report on infantile paralysis from Drs. Putnam and Peach, was read at the Palmerston Hospital Board meeting on Thursday : “ Infantile paralysis is essentially a disease of early childhood affecting most frequently children between the first and fourth year, and is rarely seen after the sixth year. It is therefore advisable to as far as possible isolate the cases from other children for the period of at least two weeks after the acute symptoms (which generally last about a week) are over. The infection is chiefly contained in the discharges from the nose, throat and intestines. As it is known that many children suffer from the disease in a mild iorm without paralysis which are capable of infecting others it is almost impossible to effectively isolate all infective cases. The most that can be done therefore is to isolate as far as possible all definite cases from contact with other children for a period of three weeks, disinfect all discharge from nose, throat and intestines, and at the end of the period named effectively fumigate the house.”

It should not be necessary to remind ratepayers of the referendum to be taken on Tuesday in connection with the proposed water and drainage loans. The Council is asking the ratepayers to give an expression of opinion as to whether the whole borough or only that portion which it is intended to reticulate, should be pledged as security for the loan, and the decision of the majority will be given effect to. We understand that no vehicles will be running for the purposes of conveying voters to the poll—a condition of affairs that should be in evidence at all elections. It is not often that a referendum is taken and all the ratepayers should, in this instance, show their appreciation of the action of the Council in deciding the matter by popular vote, by rolling up and recording their votes. The polling booth will be open from y a.m. to 7 p.m.