NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVI, Issue 16793, 22 February 1915, Page 6

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

During the week the New Zealand branch of the British Medical Association will hold its conference in Christchurch, and this evening the. Mayor, on behalf of the citizens, will welcome the visiting members to tlio city. The

work of the medical profession is so wrapped up with the public welfare that the deliberations of the conference will be, followed with interest. Social workers particularly will follow closely the work of the conference in the hope that information will be forthcoming regarding the steps taken during the year to combat venereal disease. The Australasian Conference held in Auckland last year did an untold amount of good in fearlessly discussing this menace, and as a result several hospital boards, including tho North Canterbury Hospital Board, took definite measures and provided for the treatment of these diseases.

Much remains to be done, and the public look to the medical profession for a lead in tackling this problem. The. need is great, and it is honed that as a, result of this week's conference all lips-

pital boards in tho Dominion may be induced to adopt measures to effectively deal with it.

Tho great servico rendered by tho mercantile marlno during tho past few months has been tho transportation of Britain's overseas forces to tho seat of war. Hugo armies, equipped to tho last detail, have been carried thousands of miles without mishap. Fleets of transports have crossed nearly every ocean, hurrying to convey to their destination tho living pledges of an Empire's loyalty. Such a work reflects the greatest credit upon tho mercantile marine, and shows clearly that an Empire which depends so much upon its mercantile fleets in times of peace needs them still more in times of war. British forces have been sent to so many places and dispatched so quietly that tho work of transportation has not impressed the public mind very deeply. With tho aid of tho mercantile niarino British forces have been able to seize Germany's possessions in the Pacific; forces have bcon assembled to meet tho Turkish menace in Egypt, and an expedition landed at tho head of the Persian Gulf. The world over good work has been dono by tho Empire's fleets of commerce, and to-day "our galleys ride, pine-forcst-like, on every main."

Tho services of our marine officers have not been confined solely to the task of transporting troops. With the outbreak of war a number of officers of the mercantile marine entered the Navy as officers of tho Royal Navy Reserve. Many popular skippers have gone from Australasia to serve in the Navy, and every week sees the departure of officers of the R.N.R. Some have found useful work aboard armed merchantmen clearing the seas of enemy ships, and the First Lord of the Admiralty not long ago spoko in terms of praise of tho services they had rendered. The naval warfare is now entering upon a new and desperate phase. Some losses must bo expected, for the enemy has thrown asido all pretence of abiding by tho rules of war and embarked upon a policy of ruthles destruction. This course must mean added daaiger for tho fleets, both naval and mercantile, but danger has no power to deter them from doing whatever is required of them.

The movement inaugurated by the Industrial Corporation of New Zealand to stimulate trade and industry in this country and to promote commerce within tho Empire, has secured the cordial approval of the " Otago Daily Times." The southern journal remarks that one of tho lessons of the war is the desirability of quickening industrial development within the Empire, and there can be little doubt that the carrying of that sentiment into practice will be one of tho outstanding results of tho struggle. Oiu- contemporary seems to apprehend that tho now organisation may become involved in debatable fiscal questions. The promoters, however, have made no demand for higher tariff protection, and we believe they will be wise to avoid doing so. Tho best plan is to try to educate public opinion in favour of tho local product wherever possible Of course, if tho demand for imported goods showed a substantial falling off, tho fear might bo raised of a corresponding shrinkage in Customs revenue. It is probable, however, that the increased employment that would bo jn'ovided locally, and the enhanced prosperity of the people, would enable larger purchases to be made in Britain of such articles as cannot be provided in New Zealand.