MORE WATER USED

New Zealand Herald, Volume 80, Issue 24760, 7 December 1943, Page 2

MORE WATER USED

DRY WEATHER DEMAND LEVELS OF MAIN DAMS LOWER Although the recent period of weather eased the drain on the City Council's water storage in the Waitakere Ranges, the subsequent dry spell is again showing its effect on the levels of the main dams. The excessive use of garden hoses and the diminished flow of the feeder streams in the ranges in the last week of November caused a marked faH in the reservoir levels and up to the time when the first of the soaking rains fell the water in storage had diminished bv about 70,000,000 gallons, the total amount held in reserve with the dams full being 1,569,000,000 gallons. r lhe normal daily draw-off in the early summer months is about 13.000.000 gallons but in the November dry spell this reached a.peak of 17,000,000 gallons. The city waterworks engineer. Mr. A. D. Mead! said yesterday that the recent rains had enabled the reservoir levels to rise for a few days, with a gnin of about 20.000,000 gallons, the daily draw-off at the same time falling to 14,000.000 gallons, but the check taken during the past few days showed that storage was again being called on. The demand for water was now in excess of that of last year at this time, but this was due almost entirely tn war conditions. GRAVE SHORTAGE AT BLUFF RESULT OF LONG DRY SPELL (P.A.) INVERCARGILL, Monday The water shortage at Bluff has reached a stage where it will be necessary to cut off supplies at certain periods of the day unless there is a steady fall of rain soon. It was stated ' to-day that there is only from three to lour weeks' supply in hand and that it would take several days of steady rain to make any appreciable improvement in the position. Failing that, water may have to be carted to Bluff ironi Invercargill. Extremely dry conditions are practically general throughout Southland. The rainfall for the year is well below the average. HEALTH OF MAORIS TUBERCULOSIS PATIENTS SEPARATE HOSPITALS (0.C.) WANGANUI, Monday A special Government clinic and hospital tor the care of Maori tuberculosis patients was advocated by the Right Rev. F. A. Bennett, Bishop of Aotearou, when visiting Wangnnui. "Tuberculosis has a fairly strong hold on the Maoris, and the position is so serious that very special efforts should be made. This is not a matter for hospital boards only, but for special action on the part of the Government. The problem concerns the whole of New Zealand." He added that the treatment of Maori patients in ordinary hospitals was not satisfactory because of a certain amount of prejudice against them. The Maoris felt this attitude keenly, and would be more comfortable in an institution conducted specially for them. Bishop Bennett pointed out that such diseases as tuberculosis were unknown among the Maoris before the coming of the white man, and it was therefore the responsibility of the pakeha, through the Government, to make arrangements to protect the health of the Maori. "We hope," he said, "that eventually the Maori race will provide its own medical officers. Several Maori boys are attending university courses now, and two of them will sit for the final medical examinations this year." The two Maori students mentioned are Len Broughton (Hawke's Bay), and Henry .Bennett (the bishop's son). The first Maori girl to adopt medicine as a career, Miss Ropiha, of Waipawa, had just finished the third year of her medical course, and two Maori youths were studying to be dentists, Bishop Bennett stated. As education extended among the Maori people there would be an improvement in the standard of the people, but in the meantime the question of combating disease must remain the responsibility of the Government.

TRESPASS BY HUSBAND FOURTEEN DAYS IN GAOL (0.C.) HAMILTON. Monday "Separation orders are made to be sa ®* Paterson, S.M., m Hamilton, to-day, when Robert Patrick McGoldrick, aged 62, was sentenced to 14 days' imprisonment for trespassing on his wife's premises during the currency of a separation order. For committing mischief by breaking cups and saucers, he was convicted and discharged. INDIA'S GRATITUDE (P.A.) WELLINGTON. Monday The deputy-Prime Minister, the Hon. W. Nash, announced to-day that the Government had received * from the Viceroy of India acknowledgment of New Zealand's gift in aid of distressed people in India. The message says: "The Government of India is most grateful to the Government and people of New Zealand for their gift of 7000 cases of sweetened milk for famine relief. This gesture is greatly appreciated by the people of India." SLY GROG CASE Appearing in battledress, a returned soldier from the present war, Michael Mendes, aged 23. pleaded guilty before Mr. F. H. Levien, S.M., yesterday to a charge of selling liquor without a licence. Senior-Sergeant Munro said accused was seen to sell a bottle of wine for £1 to a serviceman in Cook Street. Accused said he had given the serviceman the liquor, and had not wanted any payment, but the money had been forced upon him. The magistrate imposed a fine of £lO, in default 21 days' imprisonment.