NEWS OF THE DAY

Manawatu Times, Volume 69, Issue 211, 6 September 1944, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

Mental Hospital near Bulls Plans are being drawn up for the mental hospital buildings to be erected on Lake Alice Road, near Bulls, but official approval of certain details is awaited and the question of expenditure has yet to bo considered before work starts. Although details of the actual building work have not been released by the department, indications are that this job will be one of the biggest constructional undertakings of its kind yet started in the district. Cat Fancier A rather amusing spectacle was witnessed by picturegoers recently, when at one of the local theatres where two black cats are employed in keeping down tho rat menace, a patron was seen by one of the attendants, calmly walking off with one of the cats tucked under her coat. The attendant notified the manager, who chased the cat fancier and demanded the return of tho animal. The young lady concerned very reluctantly returned it. Patrons wpre amused to see the manager walking up the foyer clutching a fine specimen of the feline species in his arms. Paekakariki Hill Repairs

A letter received by the Council of the Automobile Association (Wellington) last night from Air. M. H. Wvn yard, member of tho Main Highways Board, advised that the Board had decided to do repairs to the Paekakariki Hill Road, to keep it open for traffic, and make good the surfaced portions which had deteriorated. The Board had authorised the expenditure of £4500 this financial year for that purpose. The chairman of the Council, Mr. E. A. Batt, recalled that the road was to have been closed after the opening of the new coastal road, but had been kept open on representations from the Association. Since then it had been well maintained except for a few slips.

Replacing Bridge at Bulls One of the most important undertakings soon to be carried out in the Wellington Province by the Public Works Department is the erection of a new bridge over the Rangitikci River at Bulls. Preliminary surveys for the new bridge, .which was first requested 12 years ago, were begun oarlior in the war, but with labour and supply difficulties, the project has been advanced only as far as the sinking of test bores in the river bed. Plans, however, are complete and the bridge will be on the same style as the Whirokiuo structure now being built near Foxton. Of reinforced concrete and sufficient width for two-way traffic, with additional room for pedestrians, the new bridge will be erected slightly above the present wooden structure to give more direct approach from the north end and a less laborious incline off the south end. Illegitimacy Rate Up A sharp rise in the number of and incidenco of illegitimate births is revealed in the latest availuble statistics. For the quarter ended Juno 30, there were 521 illegitimate births, amounting to 0.45 per cent, of the total births. This is a higher illegitimacy rate than for any quarter in tho last six years. It is also higher than the annual rate for any year, at least as far back us 1912, and probably in tho history of the country. In 1938, the illegitimacy rate was 4.27 per cent. In 1939, it fell to 3.93, in 1940 to 3.92, and in 1941 to 3.65. There was a slight increase in 1942 to 3.99, and a furtner sharp increase in 1943 to 4.84. The increase continued in the first quarter this year to 5.77, and in the second quarter to 6.45 per cent. Of all first births last year, 23.94 per cent, were either illegitimate or within seven months of marriage. (For the purpose of statistics, all illegitimate births are regarded as first births).