In the News

Southland Times, Issue 24833, 27 August 1942, Page 4

In the News

About a Horse Towards the end of 1938 a horse became a beneficiary in the will of a wellknown citizen of Dunedin, Mr David Wilkie, who left a sum of money for the maintenance of his friend, who had served him faithfully for more than 26 years. Now the old horse is dead. He died last Friday in the Logan Park district near the paddock in which he had browsed ever since his master’s death. The horse was 32 years of age when he did and had enjoyed every day of his term of retirement, during which officials of the Public Trust Office and' the person who looked after him at Logan Park had seen that be received every attention and c&mtort in his declining years. He roamed around seeking special cronies in adjacent paddocks and ruminated over old times in some secluded nook, and it was after having had an equine “chat” with a bunch of pals that he breathed his last. The old horse was well known in the district and will be missed.—Correspondent. Massage Treatment

The announcement that the Minister of Health had appointed September 1 as the date on or after which massage benefits will be available was made last night by the Director-General of Health, Dr M. H. Watt. Up to the present free massage services had been available only at a public hospital, he said. Patients attending masseurs in private practice had to meet the full cost of the treatment. On and after September 1 approximately half the masseur’s fee would be payable from the Social Security Fund. Before they could avail themselves of this benefit patients must obtain a written recommendation from a doctor that they needed massage treatment and must receive treatment from a masseur who had undertaken to afford massage benefits in accordance with the conditions laid down by the regulations.—P.A.

No Wear on Tyres The motorist who has reasonably good tyres, and is allowed to purchase only the ration of petrol, has no need to worry about not being allowed to buy new tyres, states The Radiator, the journal of the motor trade in New Zealand. Half a coupon a month permits a car on an average to be run 40 miles a month, or about 500 miles a year, whereas tyre manufacturers claim a useful life of 18,000 miles for their products. Thus, in theory, a tyre at the present rate of use would , last 36 years, disregarding deterioration through accidental damage, age, and exposure to air, oil and dirt. Even a tyre three-quarters worn would ■ last nine years.

Safety Indoors “No rule or advice can meet all circumstances, but, generally speaking, the margin of safety for those who remain inside buildings has been proved to be so much greater than that for those who attempt to rush outside to supposed safety that the general advice must be that people should remain in their buildings during earthquake shock.” That was the opinion expressed recently by the Commissioner of Police, Mr D. J. Cummings, speaking from experience of the disastrous Hawke’s Bay earthquake in 1931 and from reports and examinations on the spot of lesser earthquakes since then. Mr Cummings, then inspector, was in charge of police operations during the earthquake period in Hawke’s Bay.

Young People in Forces The rehabilitation in civil life, of young people who join the forces immediately after leaving school or before they become established in an occupation was discussed by the committee of the Christchurch Returned Services’ Association, and it was decided to call a conference of representatives of interested organizations, including education authorities. Mr D. W. Russell pointed out that members of the Air Training Corps had an advantage in that when they completed their training they would be skilled tradesmen. The discussion followed a request from the New Zealand Returned Services’ Association for information on the subject, of which it was making a special study with a view to making suggestions to the Rehabilitation Board and Council. Wheat-Sowing Device A new device which sows wheat in bands instead of in rows was demonstrated at a meeting of the committee of the Wheat Research Institute in Christchurch. The device consists 'in the removal from the drill of the present coulter tips, which sow the grain in rows, and their replacement by special tips made out of wide grubber tines. The grain falling down the tubes and reaching the tips strikes a plate shaped like an inverted teaspoon, causing the seed to scatter evenly over the whole width of the coulter tip. The director of the institute, Dr F. W. Hilgendorf, said, the device was thought to offer some possibility of increased yield.