Outbreak of Mild Influenza

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22065, 22 September 1933, Page 6

Outbreak of Mild Influenza

A message from Christchurch states that influenza in a mild form has broken out at Christ’s College. During the past week 40 boys have been taken ill, but the routine of the college has not been interrupted. At. the first sign of the outbreak strict precautions were taken, and the spread appears to be checked. Speed of Fire Engines A Press Association telegram from Wellington states that this week’s Gazette contains amending regulations under the Motor Vehicles Act relieving fire brigade motor vehicles proceeding to a fire from liability to observe regulation 11, clause 12 and 13, and regulation 15. clause 3. Registration of Nurses In the latest Gazette (says a Press Association telegram from Wellington) new regulations are issued under the Nurses and Midwives Registration Act, 1925, and some of the older ones are revoked. A Curious Proviso Many quaint and curious provisions are included in wills made by people who seek to govern the destinies of posterity. An instance is reported by a Sydney paper, which states that a lady of quality has just left the revenue of £30,000 to her grand-daughter with a proviso that the bequest is to be cancelled if the person or children commit a breach of the proviso stipulating that they must not propagate extreme political views or Communism. Such a possibility is remote, but there it is. Relief Work The engineer (Mr M‘G. Wilkie) reported to the meeting of the Otago Harbour Board last, night that relief workers were being employed at the Leith estuary and the south endowment areas. On September 4 two further groups had been started, making a total of 160 men on those works. The Life of a Car When asking the Otago Harbour Board at its meeting last night to approve of the purchase of a new car for the secretary’s department, the chairman (Mr H. C. Campbell) stated that the vehicle at present in use was a wreck, and one member of the staff was afraid to drive it. It was nine years old, but its condition was not due to the mileage which it had covered. It had been driven for only 24,000 miles, but perhaps it had had too many drivers. Mr F. E. Tyson expressed the opinion that there was something radically wrong. A car that had been properly handled should not be a derelict after covering only 24,000 miles. The engineer (Mr J. M‘G. Wilkie) said that cars which were left near the wharves were affected by the salt water,which rusted them. Cars built nine years ago were not so good as those being buiß to-day, and this car had never been a good one. Members suggested that it would be cheaper to hire a car, and it was decided to obtain a report from the secretary. Praise for Otago Harbour Referring to the visit of H.MI.S.Australia, the chairman (Mr H. C. Campbell) stated at the meeting of the Otago Harbour Board last night, that Captain Macleod had told him that he had had no difficulty in bringing the vessel into Port Chalmers without a pilot. He could remember no port in which the channel was so clearly defined as in Otago. Mr Campbell added that, owing to its length and shallow draught the vessel would not be easy to steer. A member expressed surprise that the warship came up the harbour without a pilot, but the chairman explained that it. was a regulation in. the navy that vessels must be navigated by their own officers.

Science and Mining A comment on bid and new ideas in mining was offered by a speaker at the meeting of the New Cornish Point Company in Christchurch on Wednesday. Discussing the means by which an estimate of the potentialities of an area might be obtained, he said that it was necessary nowadays to do these things scientifically. It was not enough to go on what an oldtime miner had to say —he might be right for the surface but be proved wrong lower down. A proper geophysical survey was the only means of finding out what the structure of any area was like. Such a survey might not say how much money was to be got out of a claim, but it would certainly save money in development.

Brides, Bridegrooms, and Babies Many curious items of information are gleaned by the statistician in the course of hie researches. A few days ago the Commonwealth Statistician announced that the average age of fathers in 1932 was 32.90 years, of married mothers 29 years, and of unmarried mothers 24.31 years. During the 10 preceding years, he stated, there had been a small but consistent decrease in the average age of fathers and mothers. In 1932 the ages of brides ranged from 12 to 80 years, and of those of bridegrooms from 15 to 92 years. The most popular age for bridegrooms was 25, and for brides 21 years, while the most frequent combination was a bride of 21 and a bridegroom of 23 years. The density of population in the Commonwealth was 2.21 per square mile, ranging from one in 100 square miles in the Northern Territory to 20.60 in Victoria. The birth rate of 16.94 per 100 of population in 1932 was the lowest ever recorded, but, in conjunction with the low death rate, gave a rate of natural increase equalled by few countries. There were 1102 cases of twins and five of triplets. Of the 105,633 nuptial births 31.917 were first births. In 16 cases a child born was the sixteenth, in five the seventeenth, two the eighteenth, and one the ninetenth. The average family per mother was 2.95, Deaths in child birth represented 5.57 per 1000.

Record Exports The announcement that the exports from the port of Otago for the past 11 months constituted a record was made by the chairman (Mr H. C. Campbell) at the meeting of the Otago Harbour Board last night. The amount which had passed over the wharves was 56.974 tons, the previous highest total being 49,837 tons for the first 11 months of the year 1928-29. Mr F. E. Tyson expressed the opinion that the record would stand for some time. Mr R. S. Thompson said that the figures were more significant than they appeared, The use of top-dressing manures in Otago and Southland had declined by 48 per cent., yet there had been a greater export tonnage than ever before. It showed that the farmers of Otago were farmers in the true sense of the word, and that they were doing their part nobly so far as the port was concerned.

Prosperity Week Fund

The total receipts of the Prosperity Week Fund (reports a Press Association telegram from Auckland) amounted to £10.909, according to the financial statement placed before the trustees. The expenses amounted to £1451, and the organiser’s commission £225, leaving a net balance of £9232. The Rev. T. Halliday reported that 2800 applications for assistance had been dealt with at an average cost of 10s 9d each. Maternal Mortality

In Australia efforts to reduce maternal and infant mortality are being made along the lines introduced by the Pluuket Society in New Zealand, said Professor R. M. Allan, who has occupied the chair of obstetrics at Melbourne University since its foundation four years ago, and who passed through Auckland by the Aorangi on his way to represent the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons at the annual meeting of the American College of Surgeons in Chicago next month. “ The maternal and infant mortality rates are decreasing steadily in Victoria as a result of the work already done,” Professor Allan said. “ The decrease has been marked in the infant rate, and although it is still higher than it is in New Zealand, it is coming down satisfactorily. Shortage of funds has prevented us from doing some work which we should have liked to do.” Professor Allan said Ur J. A. Stallworthy, of Auckland, had been working with him at Melbourne under the scheme by which a New Zealand obstetric scholar visited the university for six months every year. He paid a high tribute to Dr Stallworthy’s work, and said the university was exceedingly proud of its connection with New Zealand in this direction.

Reluctance to Go Abroad In the course of conversation with a Daily Times reporter yesterday, a representative of a tourist agency mentioned that, compared with those from other parts of the Dominion, Otago people were not great travellers. The reason for this, it was considered, was to be found, in part, in the distance of the province from the main ports, and the consequent greater expense in linking up with the main travel routes. The opinion was held, however, that this did not account entirely for the reluctance of Otago people to go abroad, the principal reason being the natural caution associated with a Scottish community. In contrast with the small number who went overseas, was the comparatively heavy bookings for trips within New Zealand. In this connection it was considered that the number of Otago people who visited the North Island was much greater than the number of Aucklanders who came south.

American Scholarships An impression of the large number and variety of fellowships and scholarships offered by American institutions of learning was contained in a return presented to the Auckland University College Council on Monday by Mr M. R. O’Shea, the registrar. This list was confined to fellowships or scholarships open to foreign students without restriction of nationality. There; are about 80 such foundations to promote all sorts of branches-of learning, some of them providing for one student, some for groups of several and some for as many as 50 awards. The value of some reaches as high as 4000 dollars. Australian Warships at Wellington The warships Australia and Canberra arrived at Wellington at 9 a.m. yiesterday, and courtesy calls were exchanged during the morning. High tributes are paid by the officers and men of the squadron to the abounding hospitality that they have received at the hands of the New Zealand people. One officer on the. Canberra said he’ had been amazed at the extraordinary enthusiasm shown for the navy and the extraordinary kindness with which everyone had been received. Both officers and men are still talking about the record crowd of 32,000 which visited the Canberra at Lyttelton last week. • The officers are anxious that the “navy s e nse ” which is apparently very strongly developed in New Zealanders should be encouraged, and are giving every reasonable facility for members of the public to inspect the vessels. City Police Court There was no business to come before the City Police Court yesterday morning.