The Daily News. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 1918.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 September 1918, Page 4

The Daily News. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 1918.

PREVENTION BETTER THAN 'CURE. The war has taught us many valuable lessons, and not the least is the imperative need disclosed by the medical examination of recruits for thorough enquiry into the causes of such a large proportion of unfitness amongst our people. No country possesses 'better natural conditions for the production of the highest physical type than New Zealand, and there is no reason why, we should not be a race of fit and healthy people—at any rate, quite as fit as, say, the French, who are considerably aher.d of us in this respect. That the general fitness of our manhood should be so unsatisfactory is no credit to us. Health is the basis of everything. As in private life so in public life —it is the basis of all sound organisation. Without health no country can be truly efficient and become great. Prevention is better tha*n cure, as we all know, and it is here that our leaders have failed so lamentably, Certainly spasmodic efforts have been made to protect infant life by thq institution and encouragement of the Plunket Nurse -movement, which has been responsible for considerable benefit, but beyond that little or nothing has been done. School children are allowed to herd together in ill-ventilated, crowded and insanitary buildings, and the casual inspections made reyeal a state of unfitness amongst them that is noffiang short of a disgrace to a cooatry that claims to ,be euligbteaed.

world awakened Jong ago io the ! necessity for regular medical and! dental • inspection of children, | with results that have been invariably successful, but here we do not seem to realise yet that if we are to make our young nation a healthy and efficient One we must lose no time in attending to the health of the children. Britain also lagged behind in this Is ia other matters, but lately the ravage and tragedy of the war have drawn attention, to the necessity for preservation of life, especially of child) life, and to the economic waste caused by physical unfitness due to avoidable conditions. - And a big change is coming over the people. There is a growing appreciation of the fact that the best means of preserving health and curing disease should be available for every citizen, irrespective of his position, and by right and not by favor. It is strikingly manifest in the medical profession. MajorGeneral Sir Bertrand Dawson, in a lecture on "The Future of the Medical Profession," a few weeks ago, for instance, showed how health organisation was following a development similar to that of education, though tardily. He stressed the value of (1) State aid; central control; (2) Co-or-dinated effort—team work; (3) Development of , institutions specially designed for diagnosis and treatment; (4) Curative and pre' ventive medicine brought together in thought, teaching and organisation. He illustrated from the history of the treatment of phthisis the necessity of team work in diagnosis. In the tuberculosis dispensary preventive and sary operation. _ The "middle classes of moderate means who did not think it right to go to hospital fared worse. And even the rich man, who could afford whatever cost was needed, suffered from the investigations not being carried out in a clinic where results could be placed side by side and a collective judgment given. The home, he said, would become less and less suitable for the sick: the custom would grow of the patient going to the doctor instead of the doctor to the patient, j After all, if you wished to be educated you went to school or college; if you wished to see the 'drama you went to the theatre. Why, then, if you wanted to be restored to Health should you not go to a hospital? The hospitals required would consist of local hospitals, central hospitals, and teaching hospitals. A' fact finally established by the war was that hospitals were best built on the hut system, with ample provision for open-air treatment. Local hospitals would 'be related in groups to central hospitals situated in larger towns. The central hospitals would provide the consultants and specialists for the local hospitals of the districts. All the buildings and equipments, such as hospitals, clinics, laboratories, necessary for the medical services would be constructed and maintained by the new health 'authority. On the administrative side there should be a mixture of doctors and trained laymen, but in strictly health matters the men who know must be in control. As to the local clinics serving \ preventive medicine—clinics for maternity care, in part welfare, school hygiene, physical culture, tuberculosis, etc. —all these, except in the larger communities, should be staffed where possible by the medical men of the district on the basis of a,parttime service paid by salary. The most pressing of all reconstructive problems was the formation of a Ministry of Health.' The needs' of the nation required a comprehensive reorganisation, involving, as it must, every branch of the. profession. The Ministry, he said, would need to draw to its counsels representatives from all departments of medicine, both preventive and curative, and these counsellors must have real power, with direct access to the Minister. We have not in New Zealand masses of population to deal with as in England, but all the same some of Sir Bertrand Dawson's suggestions could advantageously be applied here. The first necessity is the proper and regular medical and dental examination of the children and the provision of means for their speedy and effective treatment and an extension of the maternity homes and the Plunket Nurse movement. On such a foundation we can build, in cooperation with the medical profession, a system which in a decade or two will be productive of good results and mate the nation a great deal more fit and healthy -than unfortunatelyis the ease today. :

.The secretary of .the Stratford Copper Trail fund las received a porting offer from a Stra££ord resident to give £SO towards the fund providing, five; other similar contributions are -handed in. «,

Two members of the New (Plymouth, police force, Constables H. Blaikie and L. Q. Parkinson, were appealed "for amongst other constables before the Military Service Board at Wellington on Tuesday, and were granted exemp-

tion- sine die. The selection of candidates for the Wellington Central seat is still under consideration bxy the parties interested, and at least a dozen names have Ibeen mentioned within the last few days "(says our Wellington correspondent). The name of the National Government nominee'-may be 1 announced on Friday. The selection of an official Labor candidate will not be completed before next week, if a ballot has to be taken. Apparently, there is to be at least one iridepende>t candidate in the field.

Eobert Hugh Henderson, a reservist belonging to Taumaranui, pleaded,guilty in the New Plymouth, Magistrate's Court yesterday to a charge of failing to notify the, Government Statistician of

his change of address. Defendant stated that he had come to New Plymouth in July to take his wife and family back home, but,as his wif^had,not been well enough to return ho bad taken work in New Plymouth in the mtantime. He intended returning to bis home at Taumarunui next week. Sub-Inspector Hutton stated that changes of address were required to be notified within 14 days. Defendant was fined 10s (costs 7s). The monthly meeting of the Taranaki Tailors' and Tailoresses' Union took place in Griffiths' Building en Wednesday evening. Correspondence was received from the' Aucldand Soft Goods Employees' 'Cnion, complaining of traction of the Arbitration Court in refusing an award to that union, and asking for assistance. The matter of the forthcoming social was brought up, and the members of thermion promised every assistance towards making it a success.

The New Plymouth borough inspector (Mr. E. ©ay) had occasion, in the Magistrate's Court yesterday, t" "f n v to the frequency with which the r '■•v-laws were infringed by drivers. . .remark was made in the_ cVirse of i . .isecutions against three offenders for driving past stationary tramcars to'the danger of poeple who were alighting- The offences occurred "on the South, Road, and convictions were recorded as follow: Mrs. W, -J- Crocker,, 10s (costs 12s); E. A. Elliott, £1 (costs 10s Od); Austin Yarndley, £2 (costs 10s 8d). On the information of Constable Parkinson, Archibald Laurie (Wellington) was fined 10s (costs 7s), for driving a motor-ear at night without proper lights. For erecting a building within the 'Bofough, of New Plymouth, without first obtaining a permit to do so, Lewis Jackson was fined 10s (costs J 7s).

Tiie inconvenience caused by the Admiralty instruction requiring the navigation of Cook Strait to be undertaken in daylight is to be discussed at a conference, at which the Shipowners' Federation, the Harbor Boards, and the of Commerce will be represented (states our ' Wellington correspondent). The chief protests are coming from, the small ports,, wherfe tides and time-tables cannot be made to suit the new rule. But there is a strong feeling among the commercial communities in the cities that the present ferry service arrangements (between Wellington and Lyttelton ought to be amendeed if nossible.

New Plymouth is noted for its flower showsj and this year, notwithstanding the unfavorable weather of late, the displays at St. Mary's and Whiteley Church have been better than ever. It is a pity these fine shows could not be exhibited in a more spacious building, where they can bo seen to better advantage. The collection of flowers at either show would do credit to any town in New Zealand, but they suffer-from the limited available space. Is it not possible for the two spring shows to amalgamate and exhibit at the Coroiiatio'sOM, enlarging and increasing the classes and appealing to the whole of the community instead of a section ? Surely a, mutually satisfactory basis could be decided upon. The public would be the gainer, for both exhibits are splendid, and, combined, would make a rare show The exhibits at the present Whiteley show, from the' gardens of Messrs Frethey, Gibson, and Goodson, in themselves constitute:.one of the finest displays that could be seen anywhere. <

In "Broadway Bill," Lockwood's latest, Harold's bare feei are exposed, blistered after a long tramp, and this simple

littlo incident adds a touch of realism to the picture—for "acting" for the screen is not all acting and the blisters were the result of much strenuous work on the part of the popular stai. Readers of Hendryx' thrilling novel "The Promise," from which this picture is adapted, will have a vivid recollection of this scene. "Broadway Bill" shows at the Empire to-night, and .tq-mbrrow.

The new spring hosiery for ladies is ready at -Morey's..'- ''■■ In<Jaee of all the difficulties of these' War-times, the assortment, quality and-prices are very pleasing. Turn to* Morey's;-advertise-ment. ' - ;: '

To enable all the kiddies to view the (firs'; Fox sunshine comedy "His Smashing Career," the Empire management havo secured this xeally remarkJaMe picture as one of the matinee films for to-morrow. The Empire has always 'been the popular matinee house"because I the kiddies know they get the best and •funniest pictures there. "His Smashing Career" is one of the funniest evei seen even at this theatre.

If our nation is to hold its own in the coming commercial and. industrial competition between nation and nation, our system of education must be reconstructed with a view to greater efficiency. It is most important, therefore, that parents and all ( interested in education should attend the meeting in the Good Templar Hall to-night to hear Mr. Just explain the proposals of the New Zealand Educational Institute for reform in our education system.

The big Australian motion-picture sensation, "The Enemy Within," is announced for a two-night season at Everybody's next Tuesday and Wednesday. ' The plot of "The Enemy Within" shows the machinations of the German plotters in our midst. It shows in detail tho scheming work of the uninterned foreigners with their Bolschevicism, the men who set the mines off Gabo, ■who sank the Cumberland and Port Kemhla, and only recently committed •that dastardly deed which caused the explosion Wowing up the Wimmera | right at our very doors- Tho picture is i .of particular interest, in £hat it is a> colonial production, and tie [well-known Australian athlete, Bej. Y 2

I The adjourned quarterly meeting oi jihe New Plymouth Chamber of' Com(merce win be held this evening. \-

The balance-sheet cf the Canterbury Farmers' Co-operativo Association, to be. submitted at the annual meeting, shows a,profit for the year of £27,603. The directors recommend the usual discounts on purchases, and dividend of *6 per cent, on preference shares and 7% per cent, mi ordinary shares, free of income tax. The Wellington Hospital Board is so impressed with what the Taranaki Hospital Board is doing with its farm that' it is arranging to send a representative to visit the New Plymouth farm to investigate its working, possibly as a guide to the lines on Which the proposed Wellington Hospital dairy farm is to be run.

A male child about a year old was found in the.Convent grounds at Kilbirnie, oh Wednesday evealnft. The infant; which was healthy and well clad,, and had evidently not come from a poor home, was lying in a smart, new jmshcart. A notp attached to ,the child's clothes asked: "Will you please bring up this child in your faith?" The police took charge of the infant, which, in the meantime, will remain in the receiving dome.—Press Assoc. Mt. Atkinson asked at "the last meeting of the Taranaki War Relief Association that the Stratford i Patriotic Committee should send a member to report ,on the Croydon, soldiers' settlement. He had, he said, received a very unsatisfactory report about it. The chairman (Mr- Kirkwood) said he had approached the Minister for Lands, who had agreed to have the road corduroyed at once. Some of the land had ibeen eaten very bare, and he (Mr. Kirkwood) had. sent up some hay to the settlers. Mr. Atkinson: I am fflad to hear that. > A .practical man told me that the land had been eaten out. Mr! Kirkwood: It was shocking, but with the hay supplied the settlers should pull through. Mr. Stevenson: What kind of land is it? Mr. Kirkwood: It is very good dairying land- I think the men will succeed, but it is unfortunate that they cot'so bad a start. Mr. Atkinson: They struck.th> end of the worst winter wa have had for many years. Mr. Kirkivoodf It. fs hard, to understand the action of the Government. They do jjood work in, cutting up the land, and "then undo it all by letting the land to srraziers.-fjPost. ' Some wonderful yet very believable things oqeur as the' result' of a gown being designed, and it well merited the name, ; "Tha Gown of pestiny," which was given to it. The story is told in the Triangle picture being screened at Everybody's to-night. This picture shows for one night only and i° supported , by the sixth episode of the "Mystery of the Double Cross" and the Gaumont Graphic. The New Zealand (Loan and Mercantile draw attention to their Stratford, sale on Tuesday, 17th inst. 'Full parr tieulars on page 8. '