NEWS IN BRIEF

Dominion, Volume 38, Issue 4, 29 September 1944, Page 6

NEWS IN BRIEF

Night Medical Service

The policy and finance committee reported at last, night’s meeting of the Wellington Hospital Board that the chairman, Mr. H. F. Toogoqd, had been authorized to negotiate with the Wellington branch of the British Medical Association, relative to the suggestion that the Free Ambulance telephone number be used in connexion with night medical service. ■Name For Hospital. ' After further consideration, the Wellington Hospital Board last night decided to name the new tuberculosis hospital to be built at Paekakariki, Glencastle. The previous recommendations were a choice between Raukawa and Glencastle. Miners’ Mass Meeting. The Liverpool and Strongman mines ■were idle yesterday to permit the men to hold a mass meeting at which it was decided to request the national secretary, Mr. McLagan, to visit Runanga to discuss payment for waiting-on time. A further meeting has been called for Sunday, the mines working meantime. —P.A. .

City Morgue. , , The Wellington City Council has been advised by the hospital board that the board is unable to agree to the erection of another chamber on to the present morgue, iu view of the lack of space available for extensions, and also.for the reason that the board is still of the opinion that a city morgue and hospital morgue should be divorced.

Eyes Off Electric Arcs. Wellington tramway authorities issue a warning to people, specially children, to abstain from looking at the electric arcs used in welding work on the tramway’ tracks. Children who have gazed at these brilliant lights have complained afterward of eye trouble, and it is known that such a practice is definitely harmful. The arcs will be in use in Manners Street for the next two or three months.

Wool Dealer for Trial. A licensed wool dealer, Alexander Baillie, in the Magistrates’. Court, Gisborne, yesterday, was committed for trial iu the Supreme Court on a charge of aiding in the commission of an unlawful transaction in wool by James Edwards and Hiki Nepia te Atarangi, and, being the holder of a wool dealer’s licence, purchasing wool other than in accordance with the terms and conditions of his licence.—P.A.

Help In Limb-fitting. In response to an appeal by' the Disabled Servicemen’s Re-establishment League, the staff and house committee of the Wellington Hospital Board has agreed that Dr. W. S. Robertson’s services shall be made available to their limb-fitting section to the following extent: (a) One visit to the. factory a week; (b) cases to be sent to his outpatient clinie once a week, ’ This action was approved by the board at last night’s meeting.

Britain’s Population, Statistical evidence presented to the British Royal Commission on Population shows that a sharp decline is taking place in spite of slight rises in the birthrate in recent years. Among reasons given to the commission for restricting the size of families are the following: Fear of unemployment and fear of war; bad housing and lack of domestic help; rising cost of parenthood, particularly for education; rising standards of living. Badge For Hospital Staff. The Director, Division of- Nursing, has advised .the Wellington Hospital Board that the question of a badge for hospital staff has been discussed with the Minister of Health and abandoned, as it was considered that it would be difficult to control the'issue of such a badge and also to whom the badge should be limited. The staff and house committee reported at last night’s meeting of the board that it considered the reply most unsatisfactory, and i had referred the matter back for further consideration.

Information Sought. Typical of many tetters received by the Dominion Settlement and Population Association is one from two Englishmen, brothers, at present serving in the armed forces in India. “We are both interested in the possibility of emigrating to New Zealand after the. war,” they state, “and hope that you. will be able to let us have some information about the qualifications required to do so, and the prospects in the country, specially in the building trade. We are both single, of English birth, and before the war were employed as bricklayers.” ’ Five Attempts to Escape. Reference was made by the Minister of Defence, Mr. Jones, at the reception to a draft of returned New Zealand servicemen, to the fact, that Cajitain G. B. Peacock, N.Z.A., Auckland, who was about to return thanks for the welcome on behalf of the Army personnel, had made five attempts to escape from a prisoner of war camp before he was repatriated because of ill-health. In his speech. Captain Peacock said the Minister had “made a glossy thing” of what he had done, which was, after all, only his duty.

War Amputees. In the Dominion, as at March 31, there were more than 1100 war amputees, including 230 from the present war, stated a clause in the report presented at the annual conference of’ the New Zealand War Amputees’ Association in Wellington. The membership of the association had been increased by the return of amputees from the present war. The membership ladder showed a Dominion total ot 623, including 157 from the Second N.Z.E.F., made up as follows: —Auckland. 203; Wellington, 176; CanterburyWestland, 132; Otago-Southland, 112.

Hospitality in New York. Great appreciation was expressed by Squadron Leader W. H. Stratton, on behalf of a draft of New Zealand servicemen and wives and children which recently returned to New Zealand, o£ the great time the draft had been given during a 14 days’ stay in New York. The boutliera Cross Club, of which Mr, C. W. Findlay a relative of Air Commodore I'tndlay! was chairman, had arranged visits to private houses in the city and the country, and theatre shows, and had placed the club at their disposal for meals. Everyone had hud a wonderful time, the squadron leader said.

Pantomime’s Success. Speaking last night at the final performance of the pantomime, Clawper Snorter” Mr. Vincent Ward complimented the producer of the pantomime, ou behalf of the Wellington Metropolitan Patriotic Committee, for what he stated to be the most delightful pantomime that he had ever seen. Mr. Ward also paid a compliment to Miss Dorothy Daniels, who. be said, had made an excellent job of training the dancers. He also mentioned the fact that the net proceeds of the pantomime were to go to the patriotic funds and he added that the sum would considerably help Wellington to reach its quota.

Industrial indigestion. . . “Had there been sufficient space within Wellington city proper for normal industrial development, the present transportation problem may not have arisen, _ said Mr L V. Phillips, giving evidence to ’ the Hutt Harbour Commission on behalf of the Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce and Industry. "Hie city hq.s been subject to increasing attacks of industrial indigestion, which have resulted in the steady migration of units to the Hutt valley, he added. "This has applied particularly in the field of heavy industry, and has meant increased costs on both inward materials and the finished products. The arterial lines of communication between the two centres have proved adequate in the past so far as physical transportation is concerned, but there are lew who would fee! confident that the future position is assured.” Pipe Bridge Replacement. "Unless the Hutt pipe bridge is replaced bv a new structure at. an early date I foresee the necessity of permanently closing it t<> other than pedestrian traffic or very light vehicles under a speed restriction,” said Mr. K. E. Luke, Wellington city engineer, when giving evtdeuce yesterday before the Hutt . Harbour Commission. "This would seriously affect the public transport systems operated hy the Railways Department and the Eastbourne Borough Council, ami also the heavy industries established on the eastern side of the existing bridge. In the event of port development at the mouth of the Hutt River, the. proposed bridge would have to be lengthened very considerably to overspau not only • the river diversion, but also the marshalling vards envisaged. Provision should he made on the bridge for carrying four water mains and one gas main.”