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Manawatu Standard, Volume LII, Issue 118, 19 April 1932, Page 6

It was stated at the meeting of the Palmerston North Hospital Board yesterday afternoon that there had been an effective saving of £2758 in the expenditure during the past year. The report of the investigating accountants upon its gas and electrical departments was adopted by the City Council last evening and it was decided that the new system be brought into operation forthwith. Itations issued by the Palmerston North Hospital Board during March numbered 414 to 65 cases in the whole district. One hundred and eightysix rations were supplied to 25 cases in Palmerston North. ’

The Manawatu and West Coast A. and P. Association to-day decided to support a request by the Hawke’s Bay Association that Mr L. Acland, president of the New Zealand Sheep Breeders’ Federation, be appointed to represent the primary producers at the Ottawa Conference. Speaking at the annual meeting of householders at College Street School last night, the headmaster (Mr W. A. Swinbourn) mentioned that the fears expressed 12 months ago that the school might drop a grade owing to decreased attendance had not resulted as the attendance during the past year had kept up remarkably well. The Palmerston North Hospital Board received notification yesterday afternoon that the Hospital Boards’ Association’s executive had decided to hold a general conference of hospital boards at Wellington on June 9 next to discuss outdoor relief, hospital policy and finance, and recommendations by the Wellington Hospital Board for proposed changes in the present hospital system.

“The consumption of water during the year ending March 31, 1932, as recorded by the meter at Tiritea was 668,660,000 gallons, and at Heretaunga Street pumping station 79,907,000 gallons of artesian water were pumped into the mains, making a grand total of 748,567,000 gallons,” reported the engineer to the City Council last evening. “This represents from both sources of supply an average weekly consumption of 14,317,000 gallons or daily of 2,045,265 gallons. In addition to this supply, the artesian well at the gasworks has been utilised during the day since November 16, 1931, thus augmenting the supply at that end of the city.”

A statement submitted to the annual meeting of householders at College Street last night showed that the sum of £496 17s Gd had been spent on wages on the school grounds during the past 12 months. Coal amounting to 5073 tons has been received by the gasworks department of tire City Council, during the year, and 99.6 per cent, of that carbonised has been New Zealand coal, the remainder being Newcastle. Advice was received by the Palmerston North Hospital Board yesterday afternoon that the Minister of Health had approved of the board incurring, if necessary, until Juno 30 next, a bank overdraft not exceeding £IO,OOO. At the meeting of the Rotary Club yesterday the president (llotarian W. G. Black) reported that llotarian H. Guthrie, of Dunedin,- District Rotary Governor of New Zealand, would visit Palmerston North on May 6 when he will be entertained at lunch by the local club. Funds raised by the Central School Committee during the year ended March 31, 1932, approximated £5 10s a week, stated the treasurer, Mr It. Tait, at the annual meeting of householders last evening when urging upon them the necessity of supporting appeals for school funds. The decision was made by the Palmerston North Hospital Board on the motion of Mr J. A. Nash, M.P., yesterday afternoon to reopen negotiations wjth the Friendly Societies regarding the patients’ fees, and that arrangements should be made for their representatives to confer with the board’s executive.

Tho auxiliary .ketch Water Lily, manned by six old boys of Christ’s College, which left Wellington on April 8, reached Auckland on Sunday afternoon. She is expected to remain at the northern port for .about a fortnight before continuing on her cruise to Tonga and Samoa, and thence possibly to Singapore, Calcutta, and Africa. Notification had been received, it was reported at the meeting of the City Council last evening, from the Secretary of the Treasury that the condition imposed by the Local Government Loans Board in connection with the council’s repayment loan of £152,750, requiring the debentures to be domiciled in New Zealand, was being waived. Infectious disease cases dealt with at the Palmerston North Hospital last year were considerably fewer than tor the preceding year, but the present indications aro for a slight increase in tho ensuing year. During the twelve months ended March 31 scarlet fever cases numbered 16 (37 previously), and diphtheria 23 (33 previously). With a view to taking combined action to preserve the rights of cities and boroughs having licenses to supply electricity, it was announced last evening that tho City Council had decided that it would be advisable to hold a conference and, further, that the Mayor should interview the Wellington City Council in regard to the latter convening a conference of local bodies owning electrical undertakings. The medical superintendent (Dr. Ward) reported to the Palmerston North Hospital Board yesterday that patients admitted to the Hospital during March numbered 185. At the end of that month 154 remained in the institution. Tho daily average of occupied beds was 152.9. Two cases of scarlet fever and five of diphtheria had been admitted. Some 31 patients had been admitted to tho maternity home and there had been 49 attendances at the ante-natal clinic.

“During the year £1776 19s 4d was saved by running the plant to provide the peak loads,” reported the electrical engineer (Mr Muir) to the City Council last, evening. “The average cost of power per k.v.a. was £6.85, the part of the demand bought from the Mana-watu-Oroua Power Board costing £8.93 and the part generated £4.8. The cost of the total k.v.a. handled was £19,454 2s 6d, and of this £16,657 15s Id was bought.” For the past six months the Electric Supply Authorities’ Engineers’ Association has had the work in hand of collecting and tabulating the incidence of radio interference from all supply engineers in New Zealand. This work has been tabulated and a report furnished by Mr W. A. Waters, M.1.E.E., covering tho summary of the large number of reports involved. On behalf of the Power Supply Engineers of New Zealand a copy of the report was presented to the Radio Coverage Commission last night by Mr Waters. Refusing to grant probation in a case of theft, forgery, and uttering which was before the Supreme Court at Wellington yesterday morning, His Honour Mr Justice MacGregor said that such offences were becoming much too common. “Before mo for sentence,” he said, “are about twelve men, nearly all of whom are young, and many of whom are charged with dishonesty of this nature. These offences are getting to be too frequent in tho community. They are dishonest acts, thought out and committed with cunning.”

Following upon complaints received and the statement by the electrical engineer that they wero justified owing to the number of large heavy foliage carrying trees, the City. Council last evening authorised the installation of an additional lamp in Union Street. It was also decided that a suspension type lamp be erected in the centre of the Featnerston Street roadway opposite the bus shelter between Bourke and Waldgrave Streets, and that the electric light lines be extended to the Esplanade camping grounds for the installation of five lights at an estimated cost of £sl.

"It is interesting to mention that the cost of provisions per person subsisted per annum for the year ended March 31, 1931, was £lB 18s,” reported the managing-secretary (Mr A. J. Phillipps) to the meeting of the Palmerston North Hospital Board yesterday. "For that year no other hospital of over 100 beds records a figure below £2O 14s. During 1931-32, 53,5311b5. of meat, valued at £llOO 6s 4d, were consumed; 46,7121b5. of bread, valued at £440 19s Id; 11,4021b5. of butter, valued at £571 ss; 15,7711b5. of sugar, valued at £ll9 10s 7d ; 4166 lbs. of oatmeal, valued at £45 2s; and 22421b5. of tea, valued at £l4B 10s 3d. For the year 17,707 gallons of milk wero used.”

In reply to a question at the meeting of householders at College Street last night, Colonel 'Whyte stated that it had been decided to hold the Anzac Day celebration at the school this year on Friday instead of on the following Monday. The reason for the decision was that all the children would be present and learn the meaning of Anzac, and those who desired to do so could attend another service on Anzac Day. Later in the meeting Mr S. G. Northey moved that in the opinion of the meeting the commemoration of Anzac Day should be held on April 25. The headmaster, Mr Swinbourn, explained that the celebration had for some years been held on the definite date, but in later years there had been a decrease in the number attending. A change had therefore been made so as to have the celebration on another day as they could not compel the children to attend on Anzac Day. On being put to tho meeting, the motion was lost by a small majority.

“I do not think we will ever have the educational system we want until we do away with tho proficiency and similar examinations. You would not believe how tied our hands are, said Mr F. L. Combs, headmaster, when speaking at the annual meeting of householders of Mount Cook School, Wellington, last evening. “We will have to give the most careful consideration to the estimates, stated the Mayor, when tho financial statement was submitted to the City Council last evening. “New work will have to be considerably curtailed, if not discontinued entirely. We aro passing through unparalleled tunes and sacrifices are necessary from a national point of view. The great thing to do is to make them fairly.

“During November I found impossible to close both the Wilson Wards and the infectious diseases block,” reported the medical superintendent (Dr. F. Ward) to tho Palmerston North Hospital Board yesterday afternoon. “This has enabled a great saving to be carried out in the administration of the Hospital, and it lias not been necessary to rc-open these wards up to the time of writing. In view of tho proposed alterations, however, to the Prince of Wales Ward, the Wilson Wards will again be opened when this work is put in hand.”

Advice was received from the To Auto Collego to-day by the Manawatu and West Coast A. and P. Association that they would be pleased to play tho annual football match again against the Palmerston North High School this year. The rector of the High School (Mr J. Murray) said he had been notified that the To Aute team would coino through for the match on Juno 15 and bring the Moascar Cup with them. It was stated that this match would bo on a Wednesday, and it was resolved to ask the Manawlienua Rugby Union to arrange for the North v. ' South match on the Saturday.

The Manawatu Beautifying Society forwarded to the City Council last evening a cheque for £4O, accompanied by the following resolution which it had passed: —“That the sum of £4O be handed over to tire city council for the purchase of special shrubs, to be selected by the curator, for planting in the Botanical Gardens, the area thus planted to be known as ‘The Beautifying Society’s Plot.’ ” The council passed a vote of appreciation on the motion of Cr. Fitzherhert, who said it was unique ?n these times of economic stress to receive such a tangible indication of interest in the beautification of the city!