NEWS OF THE DAY

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 2, 3 January 1945, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

City Baths Popular

Attendances at the city open salt water baths have been the highest for the Christmas and New Year period for several years, but it was stated to-day that they did not approach the numbers in pre-war days. The most popular time has Jbeen the mid-afternoon, and it has been noticed that adults have daily outnumbered children. The reason may be that many children are at camps or have preferred the beaches. Eastern Camp Sites

... Well-patronised camping resorts this season are at Buckland's and Eastern Beaches, where sites are booked for weeks ahead. Hundreds of caravans and tents fill all available camping places and beaches are crowded daily with holiday-makers and picnickers. The proximity of the beaches to the city, coupled with the facilities available, contribute largely to their popularity. They are also the destination of many small sailing boats, mostly of 14ft and under, which cruise the short distance down from the upper harbour.

British Medical Discovery A new cleansing agent, invented by the medical officer of a British aircraft factory, has reduced the incidence of indtistrial dermatitis, or skin disease, to the extremely low figure of 0.25 per cent. Industrial dermatitis is one of the great problems in all factories where workers are handling certain types of material. It was particularly grave in Britain when, with the huge, sudden expansion of output, millions of inexperienced workers had to be brought into the factories. Dr. Howard Mummery, medical officer of the Blackburn aircraft works in the north of England, made special investigations, and as a result evolved a cleansing emulsion which has proved a complete protection to workers' skins. The cleanser has been made available to all departments concerned, and every worker coming off duty has simply to wet his hands with water and rub a quantity of the cleanser into both hands and forearms. It is then rinsed off in cold water, taking all dirt and oil with it and leaving the skin, completely clean and supple even after long exposure to harmful agents. As long as this simple process is carried out carefully, industrial dermatitis cannot occur. k The Blackburn Aircraft Company, & although uninterested in the sale of ■ the cleanser, have made it available ■ to other firms.

N.Z. Butter in Ireland "When I was in Belfast I was shown a room full of boxes of New Zealand butter <n a huge store building," writes a New Zealand airman stationed in Ireland, to his mother. "I was shown all through the building, three-quarters of which is a huge refrigerator for storing foods. I imagine it is run under Government supervision. Apparently all the butter sold in Ulster just now comes from New Zealand." Summer Vegetables Since the scarcity of peas, beans, lettuce and other summer green vegetables was suddenly changed to plenty just before the close of the old year, city and suburban gardens have been producing increasing quantities, and there is a prospect of good dinners ahead for people who have their own supplies. Dry conditions, of course, make it necessary to nurse the crops along, but as they respond well to a good soaking by hose at intervals the outlook is cheerful. In the commercial gardens occasional heavy showers would be welcomed to help prolong the yield, which has been rather late in maturing. Demand for Cocksfoot The present demand for New Zea-land-saved cocksfoot seed is considerably greater in proportion to supply than it has been for many years, stated a city seed merchant this morning when urging greater activity on the part of school children towards collecting grass seed from such places as vacant sections, domains and roadsides. Some years prior to the war, he saidj New Zealand had a world reputation for cocksfoot seed, the chief competitors being Denmark and other Continental countries which were now unable to ship to England.

Protecting Unfinished Houses Houses under construction, on which work was stopped a fortnight ago when building tradesmen bpgan their first annual paid holiday, have been exposed to the hottest of summer sunshine on a number of days, but experienced carpenters . had thought of this and safeguarded floors, window sills and other timbers against possibility of damage by placing a protective covering where most needed. Shavings, sacks, pieces of rough .timber or dust scattered over the floors and narrow pieces of wood or scraps of plaster board placed on inside window ledges have served as effective safeguards. Without these precautions it is doubtful whether timbers exposed for hours to the fierce glare of the sun in closed rooms could withstand the strain of excessive heat.