LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 December 1918, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Tlie Tnglewood Record reappeared yesterday, after a fortnight's suspension, caused by all its staff going down with the influenza.

A young lady in charge of a number of children at Kawaroa Park yesterday, fell off one of the swings and dislocated an elbow. She was brought into town to the Health Bureau and her injuries attended to by Dr. Blacldey. A country rcpre_sentative reported to the New Plymouth Health Committee last night that a marked feature disclosed by his trip in the country is the wanton carelessness amongst convalescents in placing themselves in contact with other residents, and in appearing on public roads and in public places. This matter really needed the taking of drastic measures in the interests of the public.

The secretary to the Taranaki Licensed Victuallers' Association reported yesterday having wired to the of Public Health asking him to remove the embargo on the opening of hotel bars. The following reply haa been received from- the Minister (the Hon. G. W. Russell): "The questioq of reopening hotels is under consideration, and when resolved upon will take effect at once."

Last week 10,500 boxes of butter were dispatched from the Tnranaki Producers' Freezing Works for shipment at. Wellington on the Remuera. Owing to the C'orinna, which usually takes the dairy produce from New Plymouth to Weir lingtou, not being avai'lbale, the butter was sent by rail, the main portion being taken on Saturday's trains. Advice has been received by thp, company that 6000 crates of chee.se will be taken from the New Plymouth works to be shipped on the Arawa about the middle of this month.

A prominent resident of Awakino, who was recently very ill with influenza, deemed it wise to make all necessary preparations for departure from this world. Being a man of a philosophical turn of mind, lie determined to go west without undue fuss. He therefore called his family together, and having given them directions as to the disposal of his property and mortal remains bade them a fond farewell. He then drank five glasses of whisky, and {to use his own language) woke up in the morning feeling- better than he laid ever felt in his life.

'the Public Health Committee has received from the Hon. W. H. Ilerries, JlinHiier of Railways, the following reply, to its telegram with reference to the cleaning and disinfecting of railway carriages; "The Railway Department from the outset rocognised the necessity for prompt and effective action in the matter oi cleaning and disinfecting railway carriages, and arrangements were made and instruction given that all carriages were to be cleaned and thoroughly disinfected daily. Our inquiries leave no reason to doubt that these precautions are being fully carried out."

Mr. Wesley Spragg has made a gift to ihe people of Auckland of Kaiteraki 1' rk, oi 721 acres, on the Manukau Har',nv > i ils fin enduring memorial of his son —Lieut, Wesley NeaJ Spragg, of the R°yal Flying Corps, who was killed in action on January 1, 1018. This gift is subject to the provision that he may erect a suitable monument thereon to his son, which the City Council is thereafter to take custody of. The offer has been accepted by the City Council, as has also an oiler by Mr. John Court to provide the equipment, at a coat of 11 ; >OO, for a children's playground in Victoria Park.

A Wellington roessiiga states that demobilisation i$ proceeding briskly at. 'lrc-ntham and other camps- Trentham was expected to be closed yesterday.

Several membtrs of the Now Plymouth Harbor Board left for Wellington .by the mail train yesterday in connection with the Empowering Bill, which 13 expected to "come before Parliament tin* week

A young lady named Miss Rita Hill, who was acting as a V.A-D. .at Puniho Hospital, fell- off a bolting horse yesterday, and sustained injuries which necessitated medical attention.

The Prime Minister remarked in the House that the Government had work in readiness for 15,000 men on various public works. He anticipated that many returning soldiers would be thus placed satisfactorily. Mr. Robert Bell, managing director of the Lvttelton Times, who is a member ■of the executive of the Press Congress of the World, has received a cable communication from the representative of the Government of New South Wales, Sydney, stating that the meetings in connection with the next congress will commence in Sydney on November 11, 1919. .

The Customs duties collected at the port of New Plymouth for the month of November just ended totalled £.2541 13s, compared with £457-1 for the corresponding month last year. This year the licer dut.v amounted to £129 4a lid, the figures for November last year being £UI 13?. The large decrease in the C'u=toms duties ( £2033) is accounted for by tlio disorganisation of shipping, mainly owing to the influenza epidemic.

The r."v.-s that there is -.itill another mpirent for political fame in the Waimarltio electorate is of interest (says tbo Tanmarnnui Press). Already four namei have been mentioned of probable candidates, and the latest is that of Mr. A. Reid, of Messrs Reid and Carter, Taumaninni, who intends to como out a3 a in or-1 advanced Labor candidate. That the Labor question will play an importaat Twrt in the comisg struggle in Taumarur.ni ii certain.

According to several writers in the Wellington press, the overcrowded nature of that city—a condition that lia3 been responsible for the rapid spread and severity of the epidemic there—is the result of the system of rating on unimproved values, causing landowners to cut down breathing spjica about the homes and to. cram as many houses as possible or. a given area of land- A movement is to be started to 'alter tlie rating system,' and generally to put Wellington's Jiouco in order. A Wellington citizens' committee which has been slumming during the epidemic reeomniends that a Bill should be put through Parliament during the present, session giving tho municipal bodies whatever additional powers are required to take 'all steps necessary during a crisis., „ot ,nly like the present, but at 'ill times, to enable them to overcome any trouble that may aripe—3ueh Bill to give the municipal bodies absolute power to ir.speet all 'buildings inside and outside, and to place them in tlio position of being able to enforce compliance with ' their instructions without seeking any further authority. Some surprise was occasioned in town yesterday .when.it was found, that the hairdressers' premises were opened and business was in full swing. The proprietors stated that they had been advised by the local Health Inspector that they could re-open provided they thoroughly cleaned and disinfected their shops to his satisfaction, ©tiring the week they carried out tha instructions given by the inspector, and accordingly opened up yesterday jiYorning. The Hospital Board were not aware of tha authority to open such places, neither was the lqc£(.l Health Committee. The local polico office had not been informed of the removal of the embargo on the hairdressers' premises.

''The present epidemic will prove almost as disastrous to tlio Dominion as the war has," declared a well-known Taranaki medico the other day. He said the loss would come not so much from the deaths of so many of our beat and most useful people—quite serious and deplorable enough—but from the impairment of the constitution of bo many who had contracted tha disease- A large proportion would never be the same again physically, and the loss to the State consequently would be incalculable. This was more pronounced in a dairying district like Taranaki. Dairying was a very exacting life, allowing of no relaxation to tlie farmer, who, on that account, waa ■ likely- to do more than he should and ■ probably break down completely in 'healthi The disease weakened the dungs, and sufferers would have to exercise the greatest care if they were'to preserve their lives. The disease was bosritl to leave a lot of trouble in its train, and the earning power of the people' ,;-ou!d suffer in consequence. In every way the epidemic wq.s a national disaster of a magnitude never previously known.

Too much praise cannot toe given tbo toilers who have been, and are at prosent, saving many a dairy liercl in Taranaki. They arc, in many instances, putting up with conditions that .vould try the moot experienced and the most robust, getting up befort daylight, working till mididay anil resuming operations again in the afternoon and reaching home late at night. They are "carrying on," and this knowledge compensates them for any inconvenience or hardship this self-irapored work involves. Tn one place in Xortli Taracaki the conditions are unusually difficult. To reach the place a mile of decji snnd has to lie traversed, and the cows are almost ineased in mud- It is a fact that the voluntary milkers liave to rcrape the udders of 'each animal before they can even wash them. It perhaps is not surprising that the men are now knocked up. Paid labor cannot be procured, the owner is in the Hospital, the mother and her four infants are far from well and are livinsr in a township, whence they were shifted just in time and the problem is, What is to be done with the herd? The voluntary helpers have advised the fanner to sell them at once, as it will he many a- month before lie will be able to tackle work again, owing to his impaired constitution, and this advice will probably be followed.

Notwithstanding the present diltiHties in procuring supplies a splendid range of'footwear at reasonable vr'w?* is to be seen at the New Zealand Clothing Factory, during their special bootweek. " Men, women and children nre all well-catered for with hoots and shoe* in the designs. Your early inspection is invited.

A motorist at Aiyikland v'as racing back to headquarters one day last week, wnen lie happened to glance to the roadside, and saw two eery small kiddies standing hand-in-hand 'crying bitterly. 'He pulled up, but all the two forlorn little ones did was to look back into a bouse. They were too young to talk, 50 the motorist went inside, and found both father and mother were dead. TII9 two little toddlers were removed right away to the Kindergarten, and arrangements were immediately made for the burial of the parents.

Says The Auckland Observer: Many a man who would scor«i to owe the grocer money will cheerfully let the doctor go hang after the patient's ' has been saved. Even in average times the doctor knows nothing c>f average working days. Ho is lit the beck and call of the side the whole twenty-four hours round. A busy doctor haa af> much social life as a backblocks bushnutn. In case of life and death th« doctor in the one person in all the wo?ld whose words can bring hope, the one person the • average man would offer all he had to save a life, and after the life hud been saved keep him waiting a year for his account.

For some time past the hospital authorities have been carefully tending the .lawns in front of the main entrance to the new hospital, and by dint-of much care on the part of those responsible had got them looking well. The majority of motorists who have been visiting the hospital of late have shown their appreciation of this by keeping <, to the concrete paths, but. on Syndfiy some motorist, evidently with no' eye for the beautiful, deliberately left "the path and drove along the lawn, the result, after the heavy downpour of rain, being disastrous to the soft turf. It is lioped that if this reaches the delinquient's eye it will prevent a repetition of such gross carelessnes.s The entrance and turn are both bad and dangerous, and something should be done to improve both before an accident occurs, as is always possible here. Mr. R. W. J. McNeill, a member of the Taranaki Hospital Board, in the course of a letter to The Hawera Star, said that whilst he was in Auckland he despatched -to the chairman of the Taranaki hospital Board the following: "Influenza* raging here. Advise immediate protection of our hospital staff, also'erection of inhaling station for all boats, trains and citizens. See chairman (2Jr. PraSer) alsp Mayor." New Plymouth thereupon lent Auckland flve purses. 4|ter criticising the lack qf method and tiip delay ?hown in Hawera, despite the fact that, he personally warned the authorities there of the imminent danger, he pays A! compliment to the work doiie by the Neiy Plymouth Health Committee, stating that no town in New Zealand had beep better organised to fight the disease. Mjr. McNeill is himself assisting at the Hawera isolation hospital. 'J

In connection with the increased Government grant sought for the rebuilding of the New Plymouth Boys' High School and the intimation received last weeji that a further £IOOO had been allocated, the Citizens' Coroinittee, wliich Is# been instrumental in raising a large sum privately, lias sent the fallowing telegram to Sir Joseph Ward, Minister of Finance, and Sir Jaines Allen, who went into the question with the. Citizens' Committee on his last visit to New Plymouth: "The committee urge reconsideration of the New Plymouth High School subsidy on a £ for £. basis up to £3000; money is still being raised; citizens determined to have school well equipped; amount asked for is vital to provide for precept pupils."' The following reply was received yesterday from Sir James Alliwii "I have received your telegram of the High School subsidy. Cabinet has decided ,tho subsidy which is to be paid, ancT J do not think it can lie reconsidered." What might have beeji a serious* motor collision was narrowiy averted about midday ou Saturday ■at the corner of Belt awl South Boads. A car, driven by Mr. H. Eilss, was proceeding along Belt Eoad, and when it reached the corner of South Road another car, going in the direction of the breakwater, at what was stated to be a high speed, dashed past, and, in order to avoid a collision with it, Mr. Buss turned his car sharply to the right and took his chance of running into a stone fence. This actually happened, and the two front wheels of the car, which was owned by Mr. J. W. West, were completely smashed- Mr. Bubs had a passenger with him at the time, but, fortunately, both escaped without injury. The name of the driver of the other car. who did, not stop to render any assistance, was not known, and it io understood the matter has heen placed in the hands of the police.

Some of the medical men state that quite an appreciable proportion of tlie deaths attributed to influenza . arose out of the action of 'convalescents taking liberties too eairly after leaving their beds. Dozen? of .instances coul<| bo cited of people who were mending satisfactorily, but who exposeij themselves to draughts, and so caught chill? and died in consequence. The doctors are well aware, from long experience, of the thoughtlessness of > people who insist on knowing better than their medical advisers, and who invariably have to pay the penalty.- - An ilhuto;i\tion of what occurred in Palmcrston North the otlxfi- day will sen? to dri\c home this point (savs'the Tidies). A lady, who had been ill, foil so well t'hat she' not only left her bed, but was foolhardy enough to take a shower-bath/ with the result that, sopn ,after, tJie suffering from pleurisy and double pneumonia, and her life, is de,paired of. Had she remained, in bed Jfe}/!, (jftjrg. longer phe would have recovered completely, but the desir? to bp up and .doing ma too great, and she... is uotpr-, t-uuately. paying the ymijlty ,fo.r f<3<?,U?li act. This." should be a lesson to all convalescents who are still in a weak, run-down condition. The ciloiesale 'n«o of disinfectants at the present time led to an amuiing incident; at ah Auckland boardingiiouse. A waitress was hurriedly -called- into tllie es'tablifdiment to relieve, an ein-. ployee ;.vho was sickening f.or She had little time to spars,"for the boarders were all in (heir respective seats, and she was the sole person- on whom I'eVl -the burden ot appeasing their appetites. Taking a can of milk she emptied t'i'e contents into a hi!? and in a few reoments it had passed iliroireh 1 the boarders' baud* aiiil' \vatV rin. ty, Tltc ■tea into which it had been poured, and the. pudding Oi) which it Ind tn.cKH .1 were now being ireatcd c:\11tl011slv In the boarders. There was anuiatlim.' about lbelli that :ov did Bot like.' v .i tor grimacing am! «lawes rOt each other, whh'fv fi»vev>£ their disapproval of their iirsi. • .«*jj at the hands of jicwtomcr, a tin-', young lady broke the tension \v ; i;»t "It's eucalyptus.". . Xhii. fh.ro;i >, fell to the joke—the jit;; for n s.sf.'. had served as a receptacle f-r ».»«>Hutu* for purpose. '! i»t new-comer is again in favor.