NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 28, 1 August 1940, Page 10

NEWS OF THE DAY

Bankruptcy Returns.

Three petitions in bankruptcy were filed in Wellington last month, two fewer than in July of last year. So far this year there have been thirteen bankruptcies, as compared with fifteen in the seven months period of 1939. Need For Doctors. The Otago University Council has decided to restrict the number of medical students who may attend the Otago University, according to a statement made in the House of Representatives yesterday by Mr. A. G. Osborne (Government, Qnehunga). He gave notice to ask the Minister of Health (the Hon. H. T. Armstrong) whether in view of the pressing need for additional doctors, the Minister would consider the establishment of a medical school in Auckland, where ample clinical material was available for the efficient training of the Dominion's medical practitioners. He said that the severe restriction of medical students at the Otago, University was ostensibly on the ground that accommodation was not available at the Otago Medical School. Living Between Guns. "You were wrongly informed here — the China war did not upset the whole Orient. I did not see> in Japan as much sign of war as I do here now," said Mr. R. W. Basler, a Swiss hotel manager from Japan, who is in New Zealand on holiday, states the "Press." Mr. Basler said that he had seen no soldiers in Japan itself—there were other places to keep them—and latterly he had seen, only a few wounded with arm bands.. Swiss friends had told him that he should not "live between guns," but he was in Peking ia few months after the Japanese occupied it, and there was no destruction to be seen, only a small crack in the Marco Polo bridge where the war began. Warrant of Fitness. When a plaintiff in the Supreme Court yesterday was being questiohed about his motor-cycle he admitted that although he had had it for eight years he had never obtained a warrant of fitness for it, and had never had the engine overhauled or the brakes tested by an independent mechanic. He said he did not think it necessary as he was an engineer, and then remarked that a man did not have the time to attend to such matters when he. was working overtime. The Chief Justice (Sir Michael .Myers) r* "You know the law is Made to be obeyed, particularly" in regard to these matters affecting motor vehicles. It is made for the public safety, and it is no answer to say that you are busy or anything of that kind." Repatriation of Aliens. ' The difficulty faced by the authorities regarding the repatriation of aliens was referred to by counsel (Mr. J. B. Yaldwyn) in tHe Magistrate's Court today, when a Greek, described as a ship's steward, appeared after a period of remand to answer charges of ship desertion and unlawfully landing in the Dominion. After referring to efforts that were being made to obtain a permit for the accused to remain in the country, Mr. Yaldwyn said it would be practically impossible to get him back to Greece, and it was not desirable that the man should be held in prison for any considerable length of time. The Magistrate said that the accused had written to him asking if he could join the forces, and counsel agreed that the accused was anxious to serve. * A remand for a further week was agreed upon. Monotony in Malaya. "The worst feature about Malaya is that the weather is .all the same the year round—it is always sticky, night and day." said Professor N. S. Alexander, of Singapore, in an address to members of the Royal Empire Society at. Auckland, states the "New Zealand Herald." "The days are.almost exactly the same length, the average maximum temperature is about 88 degrees on the hottest days, in the coolest month the lowest about 75, and there is only about seven minutes difference between the length of days. One sometimes would give anything for a change." Free Out-patient Service. When the Government completes its arrangements with the doctors for the introduction of the general practitioner service, free hospital out-patient treatment will become available to the public.stated the Minister of Health, the Hon. H. T. Armstrong, in Christchurch on Tuesday, reports the "Press." The sum of £20,000 has been allocated in the Estimates for out-patient services, and this will be available for the remainder of the year, when the medical practitioner service provided for in the Social Security Act becomes operative, said the Minister. He regretted very much the unfortunate position in which out-patients found themselves in being required to pay for treatment through the act not being put fully into operation. But the Health Department was doing its best to expedite the whole thing being brought to finality with the medical profession. Friendship With Tuis. Many friendships with tuis were established by Mr. W. H. GuthrieSmith, whose death occurred recently, during his life on Tutira station, says ian exchange. Long ago, when he called to them, they would fly down from trees, perch on his hands, and feed from his mouth.. As a safeguard against attacks by moreporks, he would open a window of his study at sunset and call in the tuis for the night. In the morning he would open the window, and away they would fly after they had been fed. Their favourite feast was the juice of cape gooseberry jam. Sometimes they would be induced to do a little work for their ' living. Occasionally a tui, perched on 1 a finger of Mr. Guthrie-Smith, would be taken to a rose bush, where caterpillars had cunningly rolled themselves up in leaves which they had gnawed. The bird's keen gaze would quickly take in the situation; the leaves would be deftly uncurled and the pests would be gobbled up. At other times some "falconry" would be practised. A tui 1 would be held until a moth had a start of a few yards. When the bird was released it would do some nimble "hawking," which was usually successI ful.