NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

Taihape Daily Times, 28 December 1918, Page 4

NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

FATAL COACH ACCIDENT. MASTERTON, this day. A coach from Mastertou capsized down the bank at Blairlogic yesterday. A passenger, J. N. Campbell, aged 61, manager of Breakneck station, was killed. PREVALENCE OF GOITRE. AUTHORITIES INVESTIGATING. WELLINGTON, Pec. 27. No doubt many persons feel concerned as to the prevalence of goitre, or enlargement of the thyroid gland, among New Zealand inhabitants, says the Journal of Public Health. The frequency with which goitre, manifested by an enlargement of the neck, is observable, more patricularly in girls and women, at the present day cannot be altogether ascribable to the present fashion of open neckwear. Many medical men believe there is at least in some districts in New Zealand an unusual prevalence of this trouble, a disfigurement which may lead to the need for surgical attention. The causation of goitre (is still a matter of doubt so far as New Zealand is concerned. The Minister is satisfied that the disease is sufficiently prevalent to demand thorough investigation as to its causation and prevention, but war activities at present do not allow of the Health Department entering upon such a detailed investigation as the problem demands. For the present, steps are being taken by the act-ing-chief health officer and the district health officer at Auckland, working in conjunction with Dr. Drennan, professor of pathology at the Otago Medical School, which will it is hoped help to elucidate some of the mysteries of this disease now affecting three families in one district in the North Island. In time the Minister hopes to have the fullest possible statistical and other matter to enable a definite opinion to be formed as to the prevalence of this disease, and as to the steps to be taken to prevent its occurrence.

VESSEL BURNT AT SEA. ONE BOAT MISSING. WELLINGTON, this day. The general Post Office received the following wireless from the Chathams today: It is reported that the ship Aryan, bound to Wellington from San Francisco, was burned 300 miles east of Chatham Islands and abandoned on Christmas evening. Captain Larses and 13 of the crew in two boats were landed at Kaingaroa at 12 p.m. yesterday. One boat, with the first and second mates and six men, is still at sea. The local Customs officer is endeavouring to send out a local launch to search. The weather is favourable.

MISLEADING WAR BULLETINS GERMAN METHODS EXPOSED An example of how the German army and public were misled as to the course of the war is given by ia NewZealand intelligence officer in the course of a letter to relatives. A German intelligence summary, which he copies, reads: —

"On July 15. at 4 p.nj., the enemy infantry attacked in strength, with from SCO to 1200 men, penetrating our outpost line after very heavy artillery fire. We counter-attacked at o a.m. on the 16th, and succeeded in clearing part of the sector, taking many prisoners, At 4.3 G the enemy renewed his attack with overwhelming forces, and after heavy fighting succeeded in again penetrating this portion of the sector. In consequence we slightly withdrew our position." The correct account of the operation, as shown by the British records is:—On July 15 we attacked the German trenches with a tosal strength of not more than 200 men, and went beyond our objective, establishing posts in the Jena trench beyond. The Germans counter-iattacked at 3 a.m. They retook some ground and one prisoner—'wounded—who was attended to in a dug-out in No Man's Lund with three wounded German;. Oir counter-attack cleared out th'i enemy and the wouni-d man crawled bark to our lines, >i\r\ \g been left in ire dugout. Subsequent (activity was confined to patrolling, which caused the enemy to withdraw his forward zone. We captured 30 prisoners in these operations.