NEWS of the DAY

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23316, 27 July 1950, Page 6

NEWS of the DAY

Attempt To Burn School A bottle smelling of petrol and several burnt matches were found under the Tariki School after an outbreak of fire during a recent week-end. Reporting this to the Taranaki Education Board at its meeting in New Plymouth, the chairman. Mr. T. T. Murray, said that the fire went out after bady charring the under-structure of the porch. Seal in Waitcmata.

A small seal, believed to be one of a colony seeking warmer waters, was reported swimming off Western Wharf, Auckland, late on Monday afternoon. Dr. Gilbert Archey, director of Auckland War Memorial Museum, said that night that it was unusual for seals to be seen so far north. He said they used to be found around Auckland coast before the late 18th and 19th century sealing days, but today are normally restricted to one colony off Fovcaux Strait.

New Hymn Book. The 1950 version of Hymns Ancient and Modern was definitely superior to the Canadian Book of Common Praise, said the Dean of Auckland, the Very Rev. G. R. Monteith, reporting to the Auckland Diocesan Synod. He was making the report on behalf of a committee set up at the previous synod to examine both hymn books in detail. Dean Monteith stressed that the report was to go to the general synod and was not an instruction to churches to change to the new book. The change would be a gradual process. The report was adopted. Auroral Observers.

' A list of voluntary auroral observers has been issued by the Carter Observatory. Each observer is given a number —never re-allocated —to make for easy reference when referring to numerous observations. In addition, the observer’s name is listed, 33 are his address, and its latitude and longitude. The list shows that reports on any large auroral display are likely to be received from a large part of the Southern Hemisphere, including New Zealand, Australia, Tasmania, many Pacific Islands, and • Campbell, Macquarie, and Heard Islands. Except for the west coast of the South Island there is good coverage in New Zealand. "Irish of the Orient”

"Apart from a strong sense of the aesthetic in art and nature, Koreans have little in common with Japanese and Chinese. Koreans are more emotional, more compassionate, and have been dubbed the ‘lrish of the Orient’ ” said Mrs. Glenna L. Neilscn, an American woman who is now living in Christchurch. Mrs. Neilsen spent four years in Seoul, capital of South Korea. Only about 8 per cent of Koreans were Christians, and all sects were represented, she said. They made ideal parents, but were still guided by superstitious rites that demanded that a crepe paper figure be hung in the house when a son was born, and that to keep evil spirits away no one must visit a new born child before 100 days had passed The child received little attention during this period, except for feeding and changing, but at the end a grand celebration was held Marriages by arrangements between families was still part ol the pattern of life in Korea.

Saving Power In Waikato The public had responded splendidly in saving power, said Mr. A. J. Den?., chairman of the gas and electricity committee of the Hamilton City Council. Last week only four of 32 supply authorities in the North Island were within their allocations. Hamilton was one of these. Mr. Denz said consumers' quotas were there to stay. They must be adhered to. “We are not.' yet out of the wood.” he said. Lake Taupo was 3ft. lower than at this time last year.

Industrial Hygiene. All 28 candidates, many of them factory foremen, who sat an examination in industrial hygiene set by Dr. F. H. King, industrial health officer in Auckland, were successful. The course in industrial hygiene was arranged by the Auckland Manufacturers’ Association through the St. John Ambulance Association. The men came from various factories to Auckland and took the course in their own time. This was the first course of its kind, but others are planned.

Free Medicine In Australia Early next month the Commonwealth Department of Health plans to begin a free supply in Australia of diseasepreventing and life-saving drugs at an estimated cost of £2.500.000. No means test will apply and the drugs will be free to everyone if prescribed by a doctor. The drugs will include the sulpha group, insulin, penicillin, and streptomycin vaccines and sera, and other recently developed compounds such as aureomycin.

Training Crippled Patients "Curative workshops" Tor crippled patients in the. United States provide two services, physiotherapy and occupational therapy. The work is described by Miss T. II Fau'conbridge. matron at the Wilson Home for Crippled Children, in a report to the Auckland branch of the NCw Zealand Crippled Children Society. A section af the workshops is devoted to the training of natients to meet the demands of ordinary living. Equipment is provided to train each individual to dress, feed and care for himself. There are straps and railings of a height similar to those in public convevnnces, traffic lights and household fittings. Eel Oil

Although regarded as something of a delicacy in Britain and other parts of the world, and by a minority of New Zealanders, eels have previously not had a commercial value in this country. Now. however. Mr. T. B. Rcwcastle. of Invercargill, thinks he may have found a way to turn the myriads of eels in New Zealand creeks and rivers into revenue. He had discovered a process to extract oii from eels and a report on a sample sent to the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research in Wellington states that it would be suitable for paints and. perhaps, as a nentsfoot oil in the leather and wool industries. The department has advised Mr. Rcwcastle to continue with his. experiments. He is keeping his process ; of extracting the oil a secret.