NEWS OF THE DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 282, 27 November 1940, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Less Stimulants. Commenting on a return placed before a meeting of the Auckland Hospital Board last evening, which revealed that less stimulants were being used at the hospital, the chairman, Mr. Allan J. Moody, said that the return showed what a careful check by a competent board could do. Jameson Raid Recalled. To-day is the 23rd anniversary of the death of Sir Leander Starr Jameson, the man who was associated with Sir Cecil Rhodes in many African enterprises. He I was the leader of the famous Jameson Raid, which, unsuccessful, proved to be the forerunner of the Boer War. The object of this raid was to overthrow the Tranevaal Boer Government and expel Kruger. Jameson and 500 mounted police were captured by the Boers. The leader was made the scapegoat; he was handed over by Kruger to the British authorities and sentenced to 18 months' I imprisonment. The Anniversary Regatta. "No apology is needed," Sir Ernest Davis said last evening when presiding at the 90th annual meeting of the Auckland Anniversary Regatta Committee and moving that the regatta be carried out on January 29 next. "It will be largely a young man's regatta," he added, "with the help of some of the old hands." The regatta meant much to Auckland, lie emphasised, as it had been carried out each year since 1800, with one exception, and had done good service by training men for sterner service overseas, as the large number of yachtsmen who had already volunteered for the three forces showed conclusively. Onekaka Iron Works. Disappointment is felt by the New Zealand Manufacturers' Federation at the failure of the Government so far to proceed with the reopening of the Onekaka iron works to assist in the supply of pig iron for New Zealand. "In a time of national emergency such as exists to-day, particularly when there is a danger of our supplies from overseas being even temporarily cut off, it would appear that the very small expenditure necessaj-y to reopen the works is fully justified," states the federation's annual report. "Representations have been made to the Government on behalf of our interested members, and it is hoped the works will, in the near future, be reopened a« a temporary war measure." Church Army Hat at Wtiouru. Similar to the facilities recently made available at Narrow Neck, the .new Church Army hut at Waiouru has been in use during the past week, although it has not yet been completed. Territorials in training at the camp have made i»e of the hut extensively. Captain S. R. Banyard, director of the Church Army in New Zealand, who paid a visit to the camp during the weekend, said that in spite of weather that had turned the grounds into a quagmire the soldiers were thoroughly enjoying themselves, and many were disappointed that they were shortly to return to civilian life. In addition to a library, the hut contains billiard tables, table •tennis sets,, ironing boards, piano and radio. It has been built and furnished from national patriotic funds. Auckland's Trade Record. October was the busiest month on record for imports and exports at Auckland. The total quantity of cargo handled was 147,849 tons, a« against the previous highest of 146,108 tons in May, 1939, imports accounting for 109,970 tons of the total and exports for 34,640 tons, while transhipments represented 4410 tons. The principal increases in imports were: Motor spirit and fuel oils (29,108 tons), wheat (8715 tons), coal and coke (3816 tons), general merchandise (31613 tons), and barley, oats and maize (118t> tons). Decreases were shown in fertilisers, timber, raw sugar, flour and meals, salt, preserved and fresh fruits, and wines, beer and spirits. The largest export increases were: Meat (4628 tons), butter (3133 tons), cheese (1969 tons), wool, skins, tallow, softwoods, hides and milk products. Incidence of Disease. "It is better to stop the precious wine of life from flowing out of the barrel," said Dr. J. P. Hastings at a meeting of the Auckland Hospital Board last evening, in commenting upon the high incidence of disease. He suggested that the Government should issue free basic articles of diet, such as fruit, vegetables and wholemeal bread, even if only it might be applicable to the children of New Zealand. He added that such a proposal was being considered in Great Britain, adding that if such a scheme were carried out there would be no need for a national health service, and in ten years hospitals, at present overcrowded, would be depleted. Dr. Hastings said that the late Sir Truby Kins- had said that hospitals were a monument to ignorance, and that was true. At present free millt was being given in the schools, but that was only one step towards the solution of a national problem.