CHILDREN CONGREGATE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22512, 16 December 1947, Page 8

CHILDREN CONGREGATE

OVER 100 IN TOWN EPIDEMIC NOT FEARED? That all possible precautions are not being taken by parents to guard against a spread of infantile paralysis in Gisborne is being demonstrated daily by the numbers of children seen about the main streets in the shopping area, and by their congregation in such places as milk bars and toy departments in shops. Yesterday a Gisborne Herald representative walked from the Post Office to the town clock and counted 110 children who were obviously under 16 years of age. Of these, one or two were in the 14-16 years category, but by far the greater majority were much smaller children, happily “window-wishing”, reading books and fingering toys, eating ice-creams and shopping for their families, judging by the parcels of vegetables carried by some. There were quite a number of children in arms, too. One hundred and ten children in Gladstone road may not seem a very large number to some. The time, however, was 10.30 a.m. in the morning and the day, Monday. A much bigger crowd was in town on Friday and Thursday and more children were probably in town this afternoon, judging by previous week-day afternoons.

HOTEL ACCOMMODATION (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Dec. 15. The New Zealand Licensed Victuallers’ Association in a statement today makes a special request that hotel bookings be cancelled either direct or with the hotels concerned or through travel agencies, if the. accommodation was arranged through that source, by all who owing to the present ban on’train and boat travel for children under 16 years are now unable to use the rooms reserved. The association says that this would allow others not affected to enjoy a holiday. WAIMATE SPORTS OFF (P.A.) WAIMATE, Dec. 16. A unanimous decision to abandon the Boxing Day sports in view of the infantile paralysis epidemic was made at a specal meeting of the directors of the Waimate Caledonian Society.