FALLING BIRTH RATE

Evening Star, Issue 17957, 2 May 1922, Page 6

FALLING BIRTH RATE

Mi'T. K. Sidoy. M.P.Jcft .for Wellingtan to-day, and expects to be back by the end of the week. , , Mr Peter Barr went north by to-days express, bound for Wellington. Mr K. B. Pilcher, manager of the Standard Insurance Company’s branch at Napier has been on a visit to headquarters in Dunedin, and started back this morning. , r , air John Murray. Deputy Commissioner of Stamps at Christchurch, is spending a. few 'days in Otago. Mrs Murray cam* with him. . , , , ~ Before, returning to Auckland the Governor-General will spend several days fishing at Tokanmi. During her visit to the Waikato district Lady Jellicoo will spend! two days hunting. Dr T. H. A. Yalinline, Director-General of Health, has been indisposed, since his return from Auckland, and is under the care of Hr Wylie. Mr 11. V. Haddock has been unanimously re-elected chairman of directors of the Dunedin and Kaikorai Tram Company. He is now entering on his twentyseventh year as chairman, which is surely a record" for any company. Mr .Sidney Wolf has been judging the music competitions at Napier; and Mr Arthur IV. I’nccy, who received his training in Dunedin, earned high praise tor the way he performed the duties of official, accompanist. Air Wolf publicly thanked Mr Baccy for his work, and, local papers refer to him as a musician admirably fitted for "the post. It is officially announced that, the term of his engagement having expired. Captain A, W. Brocks, M.C., chief instructor in physical and recreational training, will be leaving for i’.iigland shortly to rejoin his regiment. Captain Brocks v who was a member of the famous 29th Division, and won his Military Cross on Gallipoli, was specially engaged at the request of the New Zealand Government for the instruction of reinforcement drafts in training in New Zealand in physical and recreational exercises, the selection being made, by Brigadier-general Richardson. During llio past eighteen months Captain Brocks has been chief instructor in physical and recreational training at the G.TT.Q. Cchool, Trcntham, which, under the Delence retrenchment scheme, lias now been, closed. Captain C. M’Donald, marine superintendent to the Union Steam Ship Company, will arrive in' Dunedin this evening from Wellington. Ho is making the trip in connection with tho docking of several of the company's steamers at Port Chalmers. Mr J. AT. Nicolson, rector of the. Balckilha, District High School tor the past six and a-half years, and who some years ago was on the staff of the Albany Street School, was tendered a. farewell at the school on Friday afternoon on the eve of his departure to’take up the head mastership of the Mornington School. There was a nirge gathering, including about 500 children. The chairman of the school committee (Air G. W. Wood), in expressing regret at the departure of Mr Nicolson, said; the latter and Airs Nicolson had been citizens of exceptional standing, and were held in high esteem by all. The examination results in the school under Mr Nicolson’s rectorship had l been excellent. ani| each year was better than the previous" one, and his successor would have a hard row to hoe to keep up the splendid standard set by Air Nicolson. Air Heward, on behalf of the children and staff, presented, Mr Nicolson with a well-filled wallet, and! said it only slightly expressed the high esteem in which they held, him. The departing rector was also the recipient of a handsome gold-mounted fountain pen from the school committee. Air Alaleolm, M.P., referred fo the splendid work done and) the splendid results achieved by Mr Nicolson. Mr t Simsom (mayor) expressed the regret of the citizens at his departure ; and Inspector Bain said' the opinion of tho inspectors was expressed in their annual reports. There was no doubt Air Nicolson possessed' exceptional ability as a teacher. Air Nicolson, in returning thanks, referred to the school as a great one. His term in Balclutha had been the, happiest of his teaching career. Air Nicolson will begin his duties'at Mornington on Thursday next. Cr C. F. Forsdtek, a visitor from London, who is making a tour of the dominion, left Dunedin during the week-end for the north. Messrs P. A. Lyttlo and W. Allan, of Sydney, aro visiting Dunedin, and aro staying at tho Excelsior Hotel. Air Max Lic-bman, of New York, is visiting Dunedin. Ho is staying at the Grand Hotel, Visitors to tho city include Aire M. Nichols, 'Miss B. White, and Mr C. Nichols, who recently returned from a trip to England. The Hon. W. S. MTutyre, of Westport, and Mr J. 0. Bayne, of Grcymouth, arrived in Dunedin last night. They left today for a motor trip to the country.

DR TEUBY KINO’S WARNING. V, SERIOUS AND MEN AGING. [Pua United Peejs Assiociap on.] WELLINGTON, May 1. The vital statistics for Greater Wellington for April appear to indicate a fall of about 25 per cent, compared with the figures for the previous months, and also the monthly averages for the past year. For the period stated there were only 149 'births, against 206 for March thia year and 208 tor April of IS2I. Dr Truby King says that the birth rate, not only in Wellington but all over New Zealand, is going steadily down. It dr.opped from, twenty-four per thousand in 1917 to twenty-one in 1921. It _was thirty-five in 1885, and should be thirty. The fall towards a mere maintenance standard was menacing and serious.