NEWS OF THE DAY

Manawatu Times, Volume 68, Issue 208, 2 September 1943, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

City Building Figures The building permits issued in Pah merston North during August totalled 26, with a value of £13,813, comprising six for houses, £7138; 19 for alterations and additions, £2080; one for reinstatement of lire damage in a Jfhblic building, £4OOO. In August last year, 12 permits of a value of £4450 wore issued. Vital Statistics

A largo increase in the number of deaths and a slight decrease in the number of births and marriages is shown in the vital statistics for Palmerston North for August. The figures are as follow, with those for August, 1942, in parentheses:—Births, 03 (69); deaths, 57 (32); marriages, 20 (20), of which G (10) took place in the Registrar's Office.

Kowhai Flowering Early The yellow kowhai has begun to flower early this season in Auckland, and trees in a number of suburbs are already blossoming profusely. Usually this national flower of New Zealand is in evidence toward the end of .September and early October. According to Maori legend, the early flowering of the kowhai is regarded as the sign of an early summer. Seed of the Pinus Insignia Discussing pinus insignia seed in his annual report submitted to a meeting of the Selwyn Plantation Board the superintendent (Mr. E. A. Cooney) said that this seed had been taken from the cones of specially-selected trees which were recognised as the best strain of that species, reports the Christchurch Press. But there was no guarantee, he said, that the seed from these selected trees would throw true to type, because of the possibility of fertilisation from inferior trees. Provided care was taken each year, there would eventually be established stands of first-grade insignis, but it would take several rotations to accomplish this. Mr. Cooney said that. 121 b. of seed had been extracted from the insignia cones, and this seed had been drill-sown last November. There had been very good germination, and it had not been necessary to employ bird patrols, for apparently the birds had not discovered the seed till it had passed the critical stage. German Methods The methods adopted by German intelligence officers in interrogating New Zealand prisoners of war were outlined by Private A. P. Buddie, who has been repatriated. He went overseas in 1941. Men captured by the Italians, said Private Buddie, always received close questioning by Germans officers, the majority of whom spoke fluent English. The officers adopted shrewd tactics in an endeavour to extract information from the men. They would speak in a courteous and obliging manner, and at intervals would ask various questions. Judging from remarks made by them it was obvious that the German intelligence was well informed about New Zealand troop movements, lie declared. Often if the prisoner did not answer certain questions the officer obliged by answering them for the prisoner. It appeared that they kept a check on each individual captured, and sometimes even knew the time he left his country and the ship by which he arrived in North Africa. “No better illustration could be given of the need for caution and observance in matters dealing with the security regulations,” said Private Buddie.

The Future of Nursing Addressing the North Island delegates assembled at the Palmerston North Hospital yesterday for the first Dominion conference of the Student Nurses' Association, Mr. J. H. North, medical superintendent, said iu all hospitals this association had played an important part already in the development of the nurses' home, sporting and social activities. The conference would assist in creating a true spirit amongst nurses and healthy rivalry between hospitals. We were Jiving in stirring times and great progress had been made in nursing in recent years. The present war had already seen remarkable developments and changes in nursiug technique. Further changes would undoubtedly occur and the place of the nurse enhanced in the future. The nurse's function of education in the preventive scheme that was being developed now would be important. Famous people had remarked that the hospital gave an ideal opportunity for the commencement of a health educational campaign and nurses must play an important part in that. Nursing was becoming more and. more a technical occupation but it was important to remember that technicalities could not replace tho human side of nursing which held a unique position in public regard. The association's activities, the speaker felt sure, would enhance tho position of nursing as a profession.