The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 1909.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXI, Issue 7913, 29 September 1909, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 1909.

The September wool Prospects sales m London should for have a cheering effect Wool, throughout New Zea-

land, for the price of wool does not effect only men of large means. At a recent calculation it was shown, that of 19,997 flocks m the dominion, 17,750 were of 2500 sheep and under, while there were 12,000 flocks of less than 5001 These figures show that an improvement m the price of wool means a widely-distributed gain, m which many comparatively poor men must be direct sharers ; and, of course, all gain indirectly by an increase m the price obtained for any of the country's commodities. It should, .however, be remembered that the recent rise means nothing extravagant, for the prices at the July sales fell considorably away from those that had prevailed during the May series. The news just received is to the effect that, as compared with the closing rates m July, the prices now represent, an adrance of 10 per cent, on merinos and 15 per cent, on crossbreds. This is, of course, very encouraging ; but, while the 15 per cent, represents about Id per lb,,it should be remembered that the fall at the July sales had m many instances amounted to 2d per lb.. Still, if an all round advance of Id per lb is maintained, and the coining season's clip equals that of 1908-8, the gross grain to New Zealand will mean about £750,000. In fact, this will probably be exceeded, for the flocks of the dominion increased from 19,000,000 m 1905-6 to. 20,983,000 m 1907-8. The later intermediate increase has been estimated at 800,000 : and, to judge by reports concerning the current lambing season, the ensuing year should see the dominion m possession of 22,000,000 sheep. What the increase m price promises m connection with these figures may bo inferred from the fact that m 1907-8 the total. value ©f the wool exported from the dominion amounted to £7,657,278, or very nearly 40 per cent, of our total exports ; and then, of course, there was the largo quantity of wool used m various ways m the colony. It is obvious that the advance m the price of wool means a substantial gain to the country, and the effect should assuredly be cheering all round.

Some years ago Dr Mothers Truby King, coaibinand ing the qualities and Childiien. aspirations of the scientist, the humanist, and the statesman, set going a- movement of the very greatest importance, and he is stilly happily, intimately identified with its successful furtherance. The movement consists m helping mothers to be healthy and adequate, themselves as such, and to bring up their babies m ways that will make them, too, as healthy as science, good sense and lovingkindness can make thorn. The goal of all this is, of course, a whole people with sound minds m sonnd- bodies. In this great work Dr Truby King has had and still has the cordial co-operation of other medical men, and Her Excellency Lady Pltmket has—as herself a. model mother and a wise woman m a prominent position— contributed much m; many ways to the spread and. success of the movement, which is now formally conducted and maintained by the Society for the Promotion of the Health of Women and Children, and Plunket nurses are systematically employed m connection with its work. There are now a number of branches, and one is m course of formation at Ashburton, which, from the Ist of January next will, we believe, be regularly visited by a Plunket nurso. This journal, m its own sphere and way, hopes to help so excellent a cause from time to time, and to-day we give the first of a series of articles which will be published, week by week, under the heading of Mothebs and Children. These articles are specially written and prepared, and wo hope it will become the- custom not only of every mother but every woman within the scope of our circulation to read them with the utmost care, and to preserve them for consultation from time to time. In the work and cause of the Society many women of education are already taking part, here and elsewhere throughout the dominion, and we hope that these too, will increase m number as time goes on: m the general result we can have nothing but confidence: it must mean the modification and prevention of much illness, and add. to the assuranccof human happiness and efficiency within and throughout the community. |