REVIVAL OF PETS

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 281, 27 November 1941, Page 15

REVIVAL OF PETS

ENGLISH DOG-LOVERS

English people have already amazed the rest of the world with their regard for their animals, even throughout the most terrible raids. Now, there is actually a revival of interest in dogs as pets. Early in the war official protests and warnings against keeping pets resulted, it is estimated, in about 60 per cent of the pet animal market succumbing to the financial blast Now people realise that protests were rather overdone and are keen to replace lost pets. No one bothers much about pedigree, an expert tells me, says our London correspondent. Almost any dog or cat will do, and prices are good. The only condition most purchasers make is that the new acquisition must be of a fairly small breed, for obvious reasons concerned with the larder. And so the St. Bernard and others of the heavier types are having a thin time at present.

CLUBS AND SOCIETIES

New Women's Club.—The Rev. W. Jellie described how Robert Browning found the raw material, from an old parchment book in Florence, for his poem, "The Ring and the Book," the longest poem in the English language. * • ♦ »

Penwomen's Club. — The Rev. Father A. E. Bennett, in an address, said that he considered there was an apparent indifference to religion among the masses in England at present, though their moral standards were high. The president, Mrs. Helen Griffiths, presided.

Women's League.—The monthly meeting of - the Women's League, British Israel World Federation, 'Auckland branch, was held in the British Israel reading rooms. Mrs. Cranston, president, presided. A donation was sent to the funds of the British and Foreign Bible Society. Arrangements were made to send parcels to soldiers overseas from time to time. An address was given by Mrs. Bradstreet.

NON-MILK FED BABY

A New Zealand baby that is not milk-fed must be a rarity, but the 19-months-old son of Mr. and Mrs. C. Retter. jun., of Woodville, both rejects milk as food and reacts in a most surprising manner to the slightest physical contact with it. For instance the touch of a mere drop of milk or contact with a milkstained cloth will immediately blister the child's skin. The child's peculiarity has presented an interesting study for doctors and dietary experts, and the best milk substitute so far tried Is a soya bean product. It is further interesting to observe that the same baby received first award in his class at a recent baby show.