LOCAL AND GENERAL

Evening Star, Issue 18031, 27 July 1922, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

At the Wellington Town Hall yesterday a civic reception was accorded to _Dr L. Lincoln Wirt, United States Commissioner in connection with the Near East problem. Dr Wirt spoho of the fearful conditions obtaining in Armenia, 'A committee was formed) to assist. The Government was represented at the reception by the Hon. E. P. Lee. The North Canterbury Board decided yesterday to urge the Minister of Health (the Hon. C. J. Parr)_ to. allow unmarried women to bo admitted to St. Helens maternity hospitals. 'Dr P. C. Fenwick, who moved a motion to this effect, quoted from a report of the council of the British Medical Association in New Zealand upon the subject of ■ illegitimate children. The council recoramenedd' that tho State should admit the women concerned to its institutions. Tho present system dro'vo those women into tho hands of “ child murderers.” Single women who were admitted to such institutions could be described as married, so that other patients would ho unaware that they had not a legal standing. “It is not a question or morality, but one of humanity,” added Dr Fenwick. “These women have cither to go to tho abortionist and have tho children murdered or go through months of misery.” His suggestion might;not be an ideal one, ho said, but it was tho only humane thing to do. The motion was carried. • Apprehensions that Australia would bo visited by a_ serious epidemic of bubonic plague this year are not, now felt by the health authorities ofthe Commonwealth (states the ‘Ago’). Following the recent outbreak in Sydney, more or less active crusades' were launched l against rats in Melbourne and elsewhere, and thc-so measures, even if they fell short of perfection, have proved useful and timely. Vessels .engaged in the interstate trade were also subjected to rat-extermination campaigns, and the Federal Director of Quarantine (Dr Cumpston) considers that these vessels have been rendered practically rat-free. Tho precautionary measures have been relaxed to some extent in recent weeks, and tho freedom of Australia from bubonic was largely attributable to tho preventive steps taken by Federal and State Health Departments, assisted by the crusade against rats undertaken by municipal authorities and the general public.

At the conference in Wellington of the Society for the Health of Women and Children, the balance-sheet of the Central Council showed a debit balance of £1,205 on the working of tiro council-at Dunedin, Mr J. A. Young, 51. P., expressed the confidence of the branches in the Centra 1 Council, and appreciation of (her great amount of work done by it for the branches. ITo held that Dunedin was the right place for the Central Council, largely because the Medical School was there. Women studying there had the Kant-one Hospital opsir to them, while nurses training at- the Raritan© Hospital had the advantage of the Medical School. Mrs Hoaking, on behalf of the Wellington branch, expressed appreciation of the work done hv the Dunedin branch and the Central Council. The monthly meeting of the Gaelic Society was held l-ast evening in Kroon’s Hall. Chieftain D. slunro presided over a largo and appreciative audience. The first item was a Gaelic song by Mr Kennedy. Other contributors to the Gaelic programme were Mrs M‘Kay, slr Forrest. Chieftain D. slnnro, sliss Clela-nd, and Miss Kennedy, all of whom were encored. 51iss Munrn danced the sword dance, Miss Georgina sfunro and Jfaster Robb gave a Highland fling, and sliss Fox danced an Irish jig. 51r G. slunro supplied the national music, and 51r A. 51‘Kcnzic was 51. G. I

The taking of the oath by means of the Bible is an everyday occurrence in the Magistrate's Court; but the same cannot bo said of the act of talcing the Bible as well as the oath. This, however, was the strange and amusing incident which, happened in the Gisborne Court on Friday morning. After a witness bad given his evidence on oath, ho left the box, and, fondly carrying the Bible with him, was making his way,out,of the court when a constable drew his attention to the fact that ho was getting away with something which did: not belong to him. Ho hurriedly replaced, the Book iu .its proper place on the witness box. A Foathcrston family participated in a sensational and painful experience one evening’ last week. The mother of the family heard a dog whining, andi left by tha back door to ascertain the cause. As she did not immediately return one of the young sons stepped out into the darkness to investigate, and' did not return. A second son then left the house, and, on hearing calls, the father rushed out, and landed in the company of other ifiemhers of the household 1 at the bottom of a well. Their cries attracted the attention of a neighbor, who, with the assistance of a rope, hauled the family up one by one from their unsought dilemma. It was found that tho mother was suffering from bruises and shock, and had to take To her bed for several days. It seems that the covering of ani unknown well immediately outside the back door had subsided, and as each member of the family walked outside ho or she fell into tho'cavitv. The well was about 20ft deep, and there was 2ft of water at the bottom.

The annual meeting of the Green Island Brass Band was Bold in the Council Chambers on Monday alight, the mayor (Mr J. L. Miller) presiding. The mayor welcomed the new conductor (Mr Burrows), and congratulated him on the progress the baud had made since he had taken charge. following officials were elected: President, Mr Miller; vice-presidents— Messrs W. Geddes, Tomkins, Christie, Beeves, W. T. Smellio, Gordon, G- Gardiner, Richards, W. T. Kaler, Archie Smellio, J. Miller, J. B. Kirkland, and) J. C. M'Clymont; patrons—Messrs T. K. Sidey, M.P., Bawlinson, J. M‘K. Miller, Alex. Smcllie, P. Smellio; treasurer, Mr J. Buchanan ; secretary, Mr T. Thomson ; assistant secretary. Mr W. Smellio; auditor, Mr W. T. Smellio; committee—Messrs J. M'Lean, Miller, W. 0. Sin el lie (representing tho band), l?ee\ T es, Tomkins, and Christie (representing the council). ,It was resolved that the election of the-conductor should .bo left in tho hands of the General Committee, and tho former motion was rescinded. Tho following band officials wero elected by tho members of the band':—Deputy-bandmaster, Mr J. Buchanan; hand sergeant, Mr J. Miller; band corporal, Mr J. M‘Oee ; drum-major, Mr Burrows ; librarian, Mr -W. Watt. Speaking to the special commission of tho Beard ol Health appointed to inquire into venereal disease, the Minister (the ■ Hon. C. J. Parr) said that there were two Acts dealing with tho matter, but there wero many who claimed that they did not go far enough. There was no means of getting hold of tiro person who disregarded the law, and .unless sufferers voluntarily subjected themseivop to -treatment it was a dead letter. He instanced what war, being done in Australia., and then referred to the fact that wo had clinics attached to the hospitals in which treatment could bo obtained in strictest confidence. Mr Parr added that medical men had assorted that there were 2,000 cases a year. Such an assertion must in the nature of things bo guesswork, but tho Minister thought it possible to obtain from tiro records of the hospitals and in other ways a fair idea of tho extent of tiro disease in New Zealand. Ho had been told that, a largo proportion of the disease war, brought, into tho country by sailors, arid this was possibly quite correct. Investigation by - the committee as to the prevalence,, cause, and appropriate remedies for the mischief of venereal disease would bo watched wvith considerable interest by tho Cover'll,merit, and tho report would ho of great value, not only to himself and his colleagues, but to the community at large.