OF N.Z. INTEREST

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 52, 29 August 1925, Page 9

OF N.Z. INTEREST

NEW ZEALAND SOLDIERS

A DQCTOB ON THE SUBJECT

(FROM ot)3 OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

LONDON, 16th July,

Sir Thpma3 Oliver, Professor of Medicine in the University of Durham, in his presidential address at the annual meeting of the Institute of Hygiene, Portland place, said that during infancy tho development of rickets was encouraged by want of sunlight, especially the ultra-violet rays. Malnutrition waa

not the result of-insufficent food olono. Other factors were in operation also. It was the tin-fed children who contributed' largely to tho physical defectives of a later age. Tho real teat whether the consumption of oatmeal caused Tickets or not was not to be settled in the physiological " laboratory alone. Experience had taught Scottish people that oatmeal alone did not contain all the necessary ingredients of a complete food, but when to it were added milk, eggs, and fresh vegetables, an excellent diet waa the result. "We could not but admire during the war the tall, straight,' well-developed, agile frames of the Australian and New Zealand recruits. Thtf men seemed sons of a new race, and- yet they are the evolution, of only half a century, the explanation being probably that the parents and they themselves . had received in childhood more than ample quantities of milk, cream, and butter."

ONE WHO HAS ENJOYED NEW

ZEALAND

In the "Glasgow Herald" one finds another interesting tribute—this time to New Zealand—above the initials "A.A.A." It is his au revoir: "I am leaving New Zealand in two days to join my professor at the University of California, where he is to lecture this summer. He has been, lecturing for four months in South Africa. Words fail me as I think of all the love and thoughtful friendship I have experienced during the past months. Hospitality in the Dominions must be enjoyed to be understood.

. "Bossuet was right when he wrota 'Kindness like this is genius.' " "

PUZZLE—FIND THE REASONS FOR SUCCESS

Mr. J. E. F. Jenks sends to "Th,e Field" some notes and figures which will be of wide interest—his subject being dairy farming in New Zealand. Readers are told that rather more than half the, cheese that Great Britain imports and fully a quarter of the butter are produced by New Zealand—a pair of islands in the Sjouth Pacific whose total aprea ia rather less than th,at of the Brij> ishL'lsleis, "When one oqnsiderfl that from an economic point of view New Zealand is barely three-quarters of a century old, that the white population is just a millkjn and a quarter, that a considerable proportion of her surface is either alpine, or semi-arid, and that dairy farming 13 still secondary to sheep fariningj the fact that she is now the premier exporting country of dairy produce in t^e, world is sufficiently striking.', ,'To those; acquainted with d.atry farming in. England, the conditions under which thfe N«W Zealand dairyman works appear at) first glance to be a severe handicap. Very little of the land can be described as strikingly fertile, and its cultivation ia often senouslyjmpeded by its steepness, lack of drainage, or tjie presence of Jogs and stumps; it is almost invariably mare costly to purchase than land of similar fertility in "England. Improvements, too, such as houses, gheds, and fences, are distinptly expensive by reason of dear materials and highly-paid labour. Implements, manures, seeds, and _ feeding stuffs, almost without exception, are raoTe expensive than they are, in England; and labour is not only dear, but largely unskilled, so that the farmer has to rely mainly on the exertions himself and his family if he is to keep his expenses below his return. Considering, then, that the prices obtained for the produce are, hy reason of the 12,000 miles] between farm and consumer, decidedly less than those realised by the English farmer, one naturally asks how it is that New Zealand dairying exists at all. "The answer is twofold. First, New Zealand possesses two enormous assets in her climate, and her system of co-op-erative manufacture and marketing; it is no exaggeration to say that without these factors the industry would never have . come into! existence. Second, there exists an elastic and comprehensive system of. credit a,nd mortgage which enables a mari to make a start with a very limited amount of capital ; and, having ma<de a start, he is usually content to carry on without inquiring top closely into the economics of his fawn, so long as he is obtaining a fair standard of living for himself and his family."

MAORI CHIEF AND HIS FIRST ICE

The subject of "Ices" just now is well-timed, for -with a daily shade temperature in the far 'eighties one requires a cooling influence. The dairying community ia much interested because a vast trade in milk powder is developing —this being the basis of the beat ices. The blue "stop me" tricycle carriers aro busily covering London and the suburbs twice daily,' and they will coma again if wanted, bringing a wonderful ice-pudding ready for table at late dinner.

Apropos of the generally-interesting subject,' "Cintra" (Mrs. John Fortescue) writes in the "Morning Post" :—• "That' ices were enjoyed in New Zealand in the 'eighties ia proved by tho following story. A banquet was given, to which the "Legislative Councillors were invited, and cumong their number was a dear old Maori chief with a, tattooed face. A gigantic ice-pudding made its appearance—a delectable tower of pink ice cream. Its colour and sha.po attracted the old chief, who watched it approaching him with eager eyes. Ho helped himself bountifully, t-ook an enormous mouthful, than laid his poor old head down upon the table and closed his eyes in silent agony. After a painful pause ho slowly raised his head and i-olled his eyes anxiously round tho tablfl to see who else Ivns*dead."

.Tho .Hon. John Ifortescuo is an historian of eminence, and no doubt ho can vouch for its authenticity.

Steam Ship Company of the Intef-State steamers, Melbourne and Poolta. They cost £127,000 and have been sold for £26,300.

"Everyone knows that, at the price paid for steamers in the first three months of 1920, no one could escape making a loss, but, on the surface, thero seems to be no reason why, under private management, such a large sum per annum should have been dropped during the three years, 1921-24. . With the trouble, wlhich is at present being caused by the Seamen's Union and other unions iif Australia, and which is forcing vessels owned in the Commonwealth to be laid up, one cannot be surprised that the Commonwealth Government would also like to get rid of the worry and losses in connection with the running of the Commonwealth Government Line." FISHERMEN WANTED IN NEW ZEALAND Papers devoted to fishing, as well as the general Press, announce that the Government is being urged' to take emphatic steps to interest the fishing populations of' England and Scotland in the New Zealand fisheries with a view t<> securing expert migrants to develop the industry, and at the same time to strengthen tho' Dominion's naval defence by forming a reserve seafaring man power. A NEW BOOK Mr. Israel Cohen's book, "The Jo\£. nal of a Jewish Traveller," is referred to by the. "Saturday Review" as one which will doubtless appeal to enthusiastic Zionists/ The book contains a detailed account of Mr. Cohen's comprehensive tour to' visit the Jewish communities of Australia', New Zealand, and Asia. It is well printed, and illustrated, and should give pleasure to those interested in the subject. t '"^f m,Caxton MaK_azine" publishes ££ m, The New Zealand Imprint" forks diary, describing the amusing an<l illuminating work which falls to a ship s printer.