THE OTAKI MAIL. Published on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 1920 EDITORIAL NOTES.

Otaki Mail, Volume XXVIII, 8 September 1920, Page 2

THE OTAKI MAIL. Published on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 1920 EDITORIAL NOTES.

! Electricity; | Wkat it Saves. j The report furnished by the Mir S- -- ter for Public Work* fHor.. J. L. i t'V the Lake Coleridge electric iou. j for the financial year endin'; j V'ting m it- bearing on the enormou* j . .'living of coal effected by tr.i- electric I . power scheme. I&*}. output from the ' i poirerhuu-tc for the vear «a- f-ve- : j units. To nave genera:eu j j this in a large economical steam plant, j l lining the da-.' of coal now available. I would have taken 4oJX>O tons of fuel | worth from £l(to r OO >to £l2O H„ 1 • the steam plants that have actually f been replaced by Lake Coleridge ? power were by no means a- efhtient aeconomical t»ov.gf nlant. and in i>raetica! running they e.etualiy sor-times t*j* to three or four tin:* ' the el-, omount of coal or its value in oil. kerosene use* petrol. Thus the savi rm • in fuel to the public of Canterbury is : robabh* in the rteigl 1 >uti * ~= * £3*>>.oov. f or v.-hieh, they hi* ve :.e the Depart men: £40,531. or. allow*;;;: ; for the ec?is of the cli e reflirt - • of the above 45/k» tons of coal per j year (150 ton* per day) would have j bv€2 & large item. And, apart from

ihe saving, the comfort that has bewi giv cn in ton tho\isaiul Jlohics, the in- 1 creasing elliciency hi dozens uj w orkskops ami factories, and the security and reliability of the hydro-elec trio power supply during the trying period of the railway restrictions, are advantages of even greater importance to the consumers than the cash saving of £11(10.000. Allowing for working expenses. interest and depreciation, the Coleridge scheme showed a net prolit on the year's working of £ouSs. This conclusively proves that electric power not only confers an immense boon on the users, but is economical, and, most important of all, effects a great saving of coal, which is in such short supply the world over. The example furnished by Lake Coleridge should stimulate the Government to e.xpedite'the completion of the. Mnngahao and other big hydro-electric schemes now under construction. Medical Attendance For Back-blocks. in the House of Representatives week, x i guru us protests against the , neglect of baekblock districts, in the matter of cottage hospitals and medical tit tendance were made by Messrs Hudson (Motueka) and Jennings < Waitomo). and v,e think those members were justitied in their protests. Few people are aware of the hard ships endured by the sturdy backblock settlers in eases of accident. | sickness or childbirth. Under these conditions, is it any wonder that there is less and less inclination for people to go to these out-of-the-way places.' Vet it is imperative, if the country js to be developed as it should, that the trend of the population towards the cities should be checked and that the waste and undeveloped country should be broken in and made productive. One wav to encourage settlement in the countiv districts is to assure the people that they will get better medical ami nursing attention. The Minister for J'ublie Health < Hon. U. J. Farr), speaking in reply Jo criths in the House last week, said they w entraining maternity nurses as quickly as they could and sending them into the back districts whore their aim unto establish small hospitals, where a patient or two could be taken in ease of need. One nf the dillicuhies was that they could not always obtain accommodation for nurses. They" wished to have a Mate system of nursing right through the hack districts. The policy ot the .Department for provid ing medical aid was that they no: ! i have a modified fr irm ot State meiiicai I .-ervii-e. anil it should commence in tinback lilocks. That appeai'iai to Ik- the only way in which they could get dietort, to go tonic districts. Tile pcool'' were certainly entitled to attcinior. and it .seemed to him that they would have to make it a condition ot' the bursaries granted that the holders, alter receiving complete medical training. largely tit tie* expense of the S't ate. should repay the Department in part liy giving one or two years’ \vuik to the (tack (docks. it was the «!u‘v of hospital board, in the first place ■■ j

'motet to mi- needs ot the districts.'• It appear.- to u- that the _Mitii-t.r' proposals tire on tight lines, and prosure should be tuottgiit to bear on tie(ioverntnent to cany out ,-ome sach -cteui:.- to (n‘‘ct the urgent need that undoubtedly exists tor iinproverni'n’ i” -'O' pM-e-'t ,'O.U difi on s. under whi» i meu eantiot be expected to take thee "ive- and families.