INFANT LIFE PROTECTION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14000, 5 September 1907, Page 6

INFANT LIFE PROTECTION.

It is satisfactory to us to know that the members of the deputation from tho Dunedin Society for the Promotion of the Health of ' Women and ' Children which lately interviewed Ministers in Wellington liavo not had their labour altogether in vain. . Thanks largely to the efforts of- the Society since its inception, following upon tho untiring energy with -which Dr Truby King has consistently' endeavoured to educate public opinion on a, subject of .vital importance, the stumbling Jblock of widespread apathy has been sufficiently removed to allow of progress being mado , along a very desirable ,path of reform leading to much-needed measures , designed to minimise as far as possible the unceasing and unnecessary < wastage of child life in the community. After all, it has not taken very.long to convince the Government that reform is necessary, and that a change is particularly desirable in the conditions . under which infanta are brought up apart their parents in licensed homes. The Government may -be helpless to check, except- through''whatever influence of a morally persuasive order it can-exert, tho great'mortality among' infants due to the artificial, nutrition so often substituted for that which' Nature has provided. But it can- at least cope with certain of the' smaller problems attached by: similarity, of results to the larger- difficulty.' If mortality and ill-health are very 'much more common among children who are artificially fed, but have in other respects had the best of parental care, than they aro among naturally-nourished infants, it neod excite no surprise if'they are prevalent in even much greater degree, among the. unfortunate children tended by strangers 'for. a pecuniary cdnsideration in licensed- homes. Although the Minister of Justice, when approached by the deputation some' days ago, waa apparently not willing'to admit himself impressed with the arguments, placed before him and was somewhat unsympathetic and decidedly -non-committal in his reply, we are glad to see that, the Attorney-general, whom the deputation also interviewed, has spoken out' with such freedbin and in'such excellent vein on the. subject. The discussion,in the .Legislative Council upon this nlatter on Monday last was an> outcome of 7 the Dunedin Societyfs work on which jt: is to bo congratulated. Howeyeii excellent a measure the -Infant Life! Protection Act may be, it has its weak points; - and- one of these lies in its entrusting of the inspection of .registered infant homes to tho police. It'has.been thoroughly well established ■ that better inspection of these homes is needed than that whioh the,police is able to r give. It is not reasonable. to expect from such a sourco expert knowledge in regard-, to tho rearing of children, and it could not be hoped that the police matron, to whom the work of inspection'must-he to a iarge extent delegated, should be able to' spare sufficient' time i from tiio discharge of her other duties in order tn attend adequately to this task. -lij-its own interests the. colony must do. the best it can for the, physical welfare of these boarded-out infants. As Dr Collins put. it, it is. the- duty of. the State-to see-that every child has a chance to live and that it should not grow up ft weakling to become an inmate of a hospital or of a mental asylum.. Money spent by the State on the welfare'of .Itha child will always be among the soundest of its investments. 'Too ofteii it is the neglected child which becomes a permanent' burden to the State. Nor, from a rather wider point of view, can tile State neglect any opportunity of compensating as far as possible for an unsatisfactory birth rate by reducing the rate of infant mortality. This was an aspect of tho question lucidly dealt, With by Dr Findlay in his remarks 4u the Legislative Council. , Among the new provisions urged as desirable for : the proper supervision of registered - homes the proposal for the appointment of specially trained and qualified nurses to replace the police in the duty of inspection seems especially important : and' sensible. It has been reasonably said that this inspection is woman's work. Clearly, more is needed than : the restraint and surveillance of tho eye of tho law. Dr Findlay's suggestion that control of registered homes for infants should, be transferred from the Department of Justice to the Department of Education has already been capped by the Prime Minister's assurance in the House that this was the course - that would he adopted and that legislation would be introduced this session to give effect to the proposal. As to whether tho best results will be achieved froin the transference of control to the Department of Education we are not prepared to say. We have some doubt on tho point, for although the fact that tho industrial schools are under its control may be.deemeij to argue in favour of its suitability to exercise this new function, the circumstance has to' be considered, 011 the other hand, that tho Department' of Education is an example of a. department in which the system of centralisation obtains - to a very pronounced extent. Registered homes for infants aro so numerous 111 the, large centres that it is essential there should be adequate local control in the inatter £>f sujpemsioik

'■Tho tejcgraphio correspondence between llio Dunodin Chamber of Commerce and tho Hon. J; A. Millar culminated in tho following telegram received yesterday from tho Minister:—"Tour wire ro, flour duty received. Tho Government has no intention of' taking the duty'off flour, and thinks tho matter quito saio.—J. A, Millar.."' ' '

The Press Association agent at Invorcargill wires that at the conclusion of Mr Lloyd's evidenco before r the Nightcaps Commission tho chairman said the ■witness had/evidently been caught by some of the questions at tho inquest, and commended' liim for bis straightforward answers before tho Commission,

i A man named Thomas Murray was pro.

cecding upstairs to Iris room at the Glad- , stono Hotel .at about a quarter past 10 last night when by some' means ho overbalanced himself and fell ti tho floor below, a distanco of fully 20ft. 110 was taken to the Hospital . unoonicious, ahd at a littlo after 3 this morning was still, so.

His Honor Mr Justioo Williams returned to Dtmedin from Invercargill on Tuesday apd will hold a sitting in Chambers on Friday. j

,Tho quarterly sitting of tho Taicri Licensing • Committee lapsed yesterday owing to no business coming forward- to be dealt with. The quarterly meeting of tho Port' Chalmers Committco, will lapse for tho samo reason. '

.Mr S. E. M'Carthy (dialriot- coroner) held an inquest yesterday touching tho death of Thos. Crawford, 'who was found drowned'on tho Riverton l beach on Tuesday. > Deceased was 53 years of ago, a rtaliivp ■of Raloo,lreland, and had been resident in New Zealand somo 23 years. An open verdiot, " Found drowned," was returned. . ;

'Tho Otago Painters' Union of Employers has been informed that a Scaffolding Inspection Act Amendment Bill is in preparation, which provides that all aecidents shall lio reported to the scaffolding inspeotor .within 48 hours. Provision is' ako mado for tho hoarding over of joists when' any'oho is working underneath, A olauso will be inserted prohibiting tho use of any ladder that does not extend to at least sft .abovo the wall in coursc of construction. , All lifts aro to , bo provided with safety catohcs. Tho Minister of Labour statos that ho will bo pleased to rbooivo opinions and suggestions offered. Tho advent of a littlo stranger at St. fielens Hospital, though no novolty, is a •welcome. event to tho ohoerfill-looking nurses and attendants there. It was anticipated whon tho hospital was established that 350 births, would tako place within two,'years. Up to tho present no lower than 339 ; infants hare mado th&ir entry into tho world.

Our Wellington correspondent telegraphed as -follows Jast evening;—"Tho splondid work dono amongst tho poor here by Mother Mary Joseph Aubort is fully rooogniscd. " Tho charity conccrt in the 'I'own Hall on Monday night in aid of tho Sisters and Homes. of Compassion, over which she presides, roalised, £408. Of this amount no. less than £20 was realised by tho sale of, sweets and cigarettes by Miss O'CoHnor and hor liolpera, who tako ii vt)ry active interest in tho good mother's work.". ■ ■ . .'

At 'tho monthly mooting of tho City Fire Brigade, hold last night, Captain Mitchell was complimented on his appointmont by tho Firo Board, and tho following motion was carriod unanimously: —" That tho mombors of tho City I'iro Brigade dbsiro to congratulate Captain Mitchell on lus appointmont to tho position of captain, and hopo that ho will bo long spared to continue tho good work ho has dono in tho past."

,In reference-to the protest of tho Otago Painters' Union of against tho . proposed 20 por >. cent.,.' duty on bi'ushwarc, the Commisionor of Trado' and Customs lias informed that body that ho can only reiterate his provious statement. Tim proposed duty was to bo placed with a view of encouraging a : local industry which was in process of being built up in tho colony. Ho considered that with reasonablo inducement just as good brushes could be manufactured in New Zealand as in Victoria, Tho Government's aim was to onoourago as much as possible New Zealand industries.

i Tho oxtorior of tho Burns Hall in ilia First' Church grounds is now practically completed. A Btart has Ireen mado with tho fibrous plaster ceilings. Electrio light lias been -installed throughout the building. Tho structure is to bo oomplotod by the middle of November, mid its opening will 1» tho occasion of a big bazaar. Tho hail is a vory compact one, and generally has a very pormanont. and solid appcaranoe. Tho main hall will hold 900 people, and "Vf ill liavo a gallery extending round thre© sides. Thero will bo numerous side rooms, and tho ground floor will bo token up by a 6paoious gymnasium. Approach to'tho Imildmg will bo by way of Macandrow Btreot. ; ' .

Tho taking over of the new Bank of Australasia building is fixed for September 15. Tho fibrous plastor ceilings aro now being decorated and tho fittings being i put in position. The exterior is completed with flio exemption of tho windows, wliioh liavo yot to bo put in. Tho upper portion of tho banking dbambor window? will bo of coppor glazing, which is quite new so far as Dunodiri is concerned. It is strongor tlian load-lights and, further, has a moro attractive appcaranoe. Tho extorior of tho building has received a thorough coating of the Szoremley preparation, a colourless liquid oil which fills tho pores of tJio Clamant stone and prevails the. damp getting into it, and consequently tho stono from fraying mid fretting or accumulating fungus growth on its surface. Thoro is a natural sap in Oamaru stone, and this preparation acting with that sap makes a very hard crust on tho surface. It is,not claimed that tho preparation iwill provent discolouration. Tho mellow tono Hint itho stono acquires, with ago is not,' howcror; an undesirable tiling. In tho freshness of' Oamaru stono tlmro is certainly a somewhat startling white.

The Secretary of the St. John Ambulance. Association informs us that during tlio month of August tho district nurso paid 257 visits amongst tho sick poor. Forty-ono sick and nooidont transport oases wore attended to, and upon sevoral creations trained men of tho Anibulanco Brigade gavo their sorviees.' The society's portion of tlio Government subsidy on tho last Hospital Saturday collection has now como to hand. All matters .have been working smoothly in regard to district nursing anil tunbulanoo transport during tho month. It is tho intention to again approach the City Council for assistance.

Tlio recent shipment of English lobsters and eralu received last Sunday week at the Mnrino Hatchory mo doing very well indeed. Six of the lqbstere woro placed in a now pond prepared for them, and one, a berriod female, into tho smallest aquarium. Tho larger aquarium tank was plaocd at tlio disposal of the oralis, which evidently woro in great fettle. ' In tlio raubcranco of tJioir spirits they, on tlio 6amo night, wrecked "all tho shelters provided for their comfort, and as theso woro liiado of conoroto bricks, with' heavy stoned on top to keep tho covers down, t;hoir ' completo demolition required considorablo strength to accomplish. Writing to tho chairman of. tho Hatchery Board (Mr G. M. Thomson) tlio manager (Mr L. F. Ayson) says ho docs not know whothor to attribute this to a Bpirit of wanton mischief or tho celebration of tho ©rats' arrival in New ZeaLind waters. Mr Ayson lias constructed a numbor of shelters in tlio .pond in front of tlio hatching- shed, and six of the orabe liavo more reoently been placed , tlicro. The . other lobsters brought by the Earamea on lior previous a bcaltlij- condition, ," ** -

Commenting on the present unpopularity of white pino timber as contrasted with its favour in tho early days before it was discovered to bo at the mercy of the wood borer, Mr \V. H. Hargrcavcs told a Lyttelton Times reporter recently that in his opinion it wa3 only a question of time when ovcry timber liouso in Canterbury would bo attacked unlefs it was .built of foreign-grown timber. It was curious that timber such as Baltio and American pine, containing any resinous or turpentine matter, was not. subject to tho attacks of the borer, but unfortunately Now Zealand timbers, for the most part, were not' resinous, but gummy. Kouri was one of tho last timbers the borer would attack, if it wa6 heart timber; but speaking generally, all Now Zealand timbers were liable to attack. At first tho borer was supposed to bo due lo a fungus, and very often it was spoken of as dry rot, but it went through all tho stages of a grub, and it was the opinion of many who spoke withauthority that the fly was. imported, as. it was only during tho last 15 or 20 years that it had come into ovidcnco.- .110 had used all kinds of poisons, notably perchloride of mercury, for coating walls, but it was very _difficult to get at tho seat of tho trouble.

Mr W. B. Seandrett has given the Southland Times some interesting 1 particulars about dairy factories and their rotation to tho prosperity of Southland. The milk suppliers in tho Tokoriui district have drawn £204 each on.the average, for tho 6eason. Somo suppliers earned £10 10a iper cow for tho season, others £10 15s, and some £11 per cow. , Tho increase in the quantity of milk, iaken in by other factories tows a sortiewhat similar, proportion. Tho Mataura Island Factory' paid out for milk over £4000 beyond the amount paid the previous year, but that is an exceptionally rich grass district. The Wyndham Factory has always been looked upon as one of tho largost in tho colony, yet tho increase paid there for milk roached £2000 more than last year. Woodlands has a private factory, whero tho. well-known Stilton cheese is made, and yet tho shareholders' factory in the same district paid away £8894 for milk 'for the year just ended. It is gratifying to all well-wishers of the colony to see tho farmers, who are really our chief producers, growing rich beyond the .dreams of avarice.

"Thoro is wealth in the . waters of New Zealand as well as in her soil," said Mr W. A. Story, representative of the New South .Wales Fresh Food <ind Ico Company (Limited), Sydney, to a Post reporter.' " Your fish trade wonts developing. I am over horo looking out for supplies, and they aro not too plentiful. Blue cod is what we want ohiefly, as there is a. great market for this fisli in Sydney. I- am surprised to find the exoruitant prices charged for blue cod in tho local market. Why, I saw a couple of thousand cases of this fish in the freezing works at' tlio Bluff. Suroly they could spare somo of these for Wellington. Proper refrigerating facilities should bo provided so that , the fish could bo landed in good, sound, condition, properly cleaned and graded. Smoked fish is unsaleable. Wo aro willing to take as muoh bluo cod as you like, but thore is a tendency to make prices prohibitive; and consequently tho local trade suffers as woll." '

Tho Triad for • September will be found to woll repay the reader for any time devoted to its perusal. There is tte, usual amount of instructive literary matter, added , tci which are various criticisms and Wtter' of local interest. The Grand Opera Company, which will shortly visit Dunodin,- comes in for'the editor'b strictures, and it. remains to Ik proved whether deservedly or not. Then are a good mauy fimny things in ; the Triad this month, such as •" Tho Case of Mi Baeycrtz " and "The Leading up to a Dream," by Frank Morton; "Studies in Relationship,' 1 etc.,. which well maintain the interest. the Triad has for its numorous readers. 'Among tho illustrations - aro some'of tho "Pollard' children, and a full page of the. Albani Concert Company. Dorothy, milliner, High street, has on "view some lovely costumes, in grey, brown, cream, and green; beautifully made; reasonable price.—Advt. •

Wo aro now busy opening our new spring goods; novelties in all departments.—Mollisons Ltd.—Advt.

Why not have it modernised or repaired? It is surprising what can be done with oldfashioned or broken jewellery, Have you any put away in a drawer and probably never used now? We will be pleased to make suggestions and quote, prices,—Q-. and T. Tounc. 88 Princes street.—Advt. '' ' ' V

Influenzal The presont epidemic miy be best combated with "'Lnncor '; Influenza Curo. Tho rapidity with which it acls'is'.simply astounding! Not a quack,'but; a scientific remedy. A few doses cure. Prove it; 2s all chemists.—Advt. For Children's Hacking Cough at night Woods treat Peppermint Cure. Is6d &2s6d Who is I'mii DicK?-Tho n>ost, reliable Watchmaker and /Jowoller, . opposite Cqjf ««> PaUco, Moray piace, Diinedi#.'' Okrgw striotly moderate.—Adrt. .i .