Infectious Disease

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22352, 28 August 1934, Page 6

Infectious Disease

The returns of infectious diseases at the Dunedin Hospital for the week ended at noon yesterday are as follows: Typhoid fever, discharged 1, remaining nil; erysipelas, remaining 1; ophthalmia neonotorum, remaining 1. At Logan Parktor the period two cases of scarlet fever were admitted, one was discharged, aud eight remain.

St. Kiida Borough Mayoralty Mr John Benttie. who was re-elected Mayor of the Borough of St. Kiida at a special meeting of the council held on Friday night to deal with the vacancies which have arisen, informed the Daily Times yesterday afternoon that he had decided not to accept re-election. Mr Beattie stated that his nomination for re-election as Mayor of the borough had gone forward without his consent, and he felt that he could. not retire from the attitude which he had adopted previously in regard to the disqualification of Cr Leary. In all, four councillors had been

turned down ” by the remaining members of the council, and he felt it was hi.? duty to stand by them. He would not accept a scat on the present council. Steel Works Project

A Tiniaru member of the Pacific Steel Company, who returned from Wellington on Saturday, gave a representative of the Tiniaru- Herald some further particulars regarding the proposed establishment of large steel works in the Dominion. He stated that Dunedin, with its 50 acres of reclaimed Harbour Board land available as a site, was by no means the only locality in the running. Several other localities, some of .which could, offer a larger acreage, were under consideration, and nothing like a final decision had been 'made ag to one particular site being more advantageous than another. At the same time the speaker paid a 'tribute to the fine civic pride exhibited by the Dunedin authorities in the -manner in which, they met, the visiting engineers and placed all resources at their disposal. It was further stated that the proposal, if ■ carried into effect, would provide a key to a number of secondary industries in New Zealand. The world’s steel ore, it was explained,'was being used up at a' faster rate than any other mineral. There were two or three excellent iron deposits in China, but owing to the state of the Chinese Government, these did not as yet present a commercial proposition. Prom reports in the daily press it would appear that Japan-would look with longing eyes on a New Zealand steel market. She was at present a large importer of steel, as the deposits in Manchukuo were of a very Tow. grade, while America’s supplies were fast diminishing. Steel was a commodity which had not large tariffs against it, as it w-as essential to industry throughout the world. English and Australian Mail#

The motor lines Rangitata, which is due at Wellington to-morrow morning from London, is bringing 800 bags of English mail and 230 parcel, receptacles for New Zealand. The Dunedin portion is expected to reach the local Post Office on Thursday afternoon. The Waikouaiti, which is due at Bluff to-morrow from Sydney, has 26 bags of Australian mail and 20 parcel receptacles, and the Wanga nella, due at Auckland to-morrow from Sydney, is bringing sis bags of mail and three parcel receptacles for Dunedin. The Waikouaiti’s mail is expected to come to hand .to-morrow evening, and that by the Wanganellla on Friday afternoon.

Military Refresher Course Officers and it.c.o.'s of the First Battalion, Otago Regiment, are at present undergoing a refresher course at the Central Battery, St. Hilda. Nine officers and 30 n.c.o.'s, from Port Chalmers, Oamaru, Mosgicl, and Dunedin, are undergoing the course, which will be concluded next Sunday. Instruction is being given in section and platoon- leading, and in the use of the Vickers machine gun, Lewis gun, and light mortar. Arrangements have been made for both full and parttime courses. Flock House Trainees

The secretary of the local Provincial Committee under the Flock House scheme (Mr O. L. Ferens) reports that one Otago boy has completed his period of training in agriculture at Flock House Station and will return to Dunedin at the end of this week. A position has been found for him with an Otago farmer, and efforts aie now being made to find employment for three more boys who will complete the course early next month. Bear of Oakland

A new jibboora which has just been made for the Byrd expedition ship Bear of Oakland to replace the one lost on her last voyage to the Antarctic was shipped yesterday morning. The vessel was taken along the Rattray street wharf until she was lying boom to bow with the expedition ship Wyatt Karp, and the spar, which is 44 feet long, was hoisted into position with a block and tackle fixed on the Wyatt Earp’s foremast. After several minor adjustments had, been made, the jibboom was finally secured. The new foremast for the Bear of Oakland, which was recently imported from Canada, and which ia now being trimmed to the required shape, will be stepped next week. Maheno for Overhaul It is expected that the extensive overhaul which the Union Company's passenger steamer Maheno will undergo before she enters the Melbourne-New Zealand service will be commenced early next month. The work will occupy several weeks, and will provide employment for a fairly large number of tradesmen. Several of the Union Company’s employees at Port Chalmers have been engaged on various occupations on the Maheno for some weeks, and Government shipping officials have made frequent visits of inspection of the ship’s hull, machinery, and bunkers. When the overhaul has been completed the Maheno should be in as good shape as she was in the palmy days of her intercolonial service.

Message from Admiral Byrd In proposing a vote of thanks to Mr Ford at a lecture on Captain Scotts first Antarctic expedition, delivered before the New Zealand Antarctic Society in Wellington, Mr Leigh Hunt, the chairman of the society, read a wireless message sent on August 14 to Admiral Byrd at the Bolling advance base on the occasion of his relief, expressing the sincerest good wishes for his complete restoration to health and the success of his future plans. The following reply, relayed from the Bolling base to Little America,, has been received: —“I thank you and your Antarctic Council for your cordial message. My warmest regards to you and the other members of the council. —Byrd.” Ski-ing on Flagstaff Members of the Otago Ski Club spent a pleasant week-end on the back of Flagstaff and Swampy Hill- 'The snow- was in excellent order, and overhead conditions left little to be desired. On Sunday the annual race for the Whare Flat Ski Championship was run over a.difficult slalom course set by Mr Kurt Sutcr, late of the Hermitage, Mount Cook. The competitors were required to run through the flags twice, the time being taken in both cases. The winner was C. C. Benzoni, with 31.5 points, A. L. Huthie being second with 32.5 points. Mr Suter ably controlled the event.

Prompt Payment of Rates For 21 years previous to the present one the honour of being the first property owner in the city of Wellington to pay his rates has gone to the one man, Captain J. 35. Dawson, late harbourmaster to the Wellington Harbour Board. This year, however, his record was broken by a business firm, without any intention of securing the honour, according to the rate collector (Mr Cecil King). “I think that the firm received its demand by the first mail, and the manager thought that it was best to have done with it, so wrote the cheque and sent it down to the office, where it arrived a little after 9 a.m./ 1 says Mr King. “It was probably done on the spur of the moment, without any thought of being first. Captain Dawson arrived at 9.50 a.in., so really he was still the first private citizen to pay his rates.” Captain Dawson did not receive his rate demand until 9.20 a.m., so that his rates were paid within half au hour-after receipt of the-demand,

Public Bequests

Three public bequests are included in the -will of Mr J. M. Balfour Crawford, of Sumner, Christchurch, who died last week. The bequests include £IOOO to the Board of Governors of Canterbury College, the interest from which is to be expended in the purchase of books for, the college library, £.IOO to St. Saviour’s Orphanage, and £2OO to All Saints Church, Sumner. ■ -

Children’s Community Singing The Town Hall was packed at midday yesterday, when a special community singing gathering for children was held under the leadership of Big Brother Bill, of 4VA. It is estimated that between 4500 and 5000 children were present, and so great was the crush that tjie space on the stage reserved for the conductor was actually encroached upon. In the circumstances the gathering , could hardly be anything else but a success.. The singing of some. 5000, children’s voices will long be remembered by those who .heard it. and the spectacle which the hall presented. With the bright reds and blues of the children’s clothing, was an impressive one. A feature of the hour was. the performance of a Maori party of 10 from Puketeraki, who, under the leadership of Mrs Te Tan, sen., gave an extremely enjoyable selection of items. Novelty was lent to the programme by the tricks performed by a small .dog owned by Mr A. Bills, of St. Hilda, which raised the utmost, enthusiasm of the children by. its intelligence and by the skill with, which ib N went through its repertoire. The collection reached the gratifying total of £26 6s. Owing to the success of this; gathering it has Heen decided to hold a combined community singing hour .for children and adults in the Town Hall on Friday.

Help for Aero Clubs Aero clubs will note with . pleasure (says the Dominion) the increased provision made in the Estimates for subsidising their training, and the further vote of £4BOO for the, purchase of sis new Moth aeroplanes for loan to clubs. The original subsidy was £25 for’ each pilot trained up to a maximum of 20 pilots per club per annum; in the economy Budget this was reduced to 10 pilots at £22 10s. The amount of this year’s vote, £4500, indicates a return to something like tlie first arrangement, except that subsidies in future’ will be "payable, on a basis of continued training.” The clubs, that i s tb say, are being brought closer into the defence scheme. In future they will earn subsidies for training pilots only by keeping them trained. " Others Charged on the Budget ”

Politicians are notoriously clever at using forms of. words to disguise what is. in their minds (writes a correspondent of the Evening Post), and in this connection there'is a phrase in the Budget which seems to require classification. Mr Coates says the Government feels justified in granting a 5 per cent, increase, in salaries and wages aa from April 1 last to all public servants and “ others charged on the Budget who suffered both the first and second cuts.” Who are these “ others charged on the Budget? ” Are they, members of the Legislature? If so, why should their claims come before, old age pensioners who will not receive their, increase until October 1? A Traveller’* Tale

Under the heading of ‘"New Zealand’* Dreadful Drought,” the Christian Herald, a periodical published in London, says in its issue of May 31:— “Rain has at.last fallen in Marlborough, a once fertile province in South Island,, New Zealand, which a record drought lasting more than a year has turned into a sandy waste dotted with starving sheep. The whole countryside is bare of grass/ all streams are dried up, and even Grassmere, a vast lake which has served a reservoir, has evaporated. "When the ’first shower fell many farmers, besides themselves with joy, rushed into the fields without coats and allowed the rain to soak theny to the skin. Many farmers have been ruined by the drought.” Distance does lend vividness to the view (comments the Marlborough Express).

First Flight Over Cook Strait Flights round the world, and across the Pacific and Atlantic, and the operation in many parts of the world of air services between cities thousands of mile's apart, are to-day so commonplace as to make it difficult to realise that only 14 vears ago Now Zealand was stirred by the first flight over Cook Strait. Saturday (says the Christchurch Press) was the anniversary of the . . achievement, which was made on August. 25, 1920, by Captain Euan Dickson, flying,a Canterbury Aviation Company Avrd fitted with, a Le Rhone engine, of HO horse-power. There was keen public interest- in the flight; it was referred, to in the House of Representatives a s a great achievement, and one English technical publication subsequently described it among the outstanding flights of the year. _ Toe flight from Christchurch to Wellington is not normally regarded these days as anything more than a perfectly ordinary undertaking, devoid of any suggestion ot adventure, but, in those days the progress of Captain Dickson was watched with the closest interest, and his story of his battle with the elements was eagerly read. His flying time of four hours 40 minutes wa s considered something of a marvel. • Actually he took from 7 o’clock in the morning, when he left Wigram, till 2.10 in the afternoon to reach Trenthara, having stopped three times on the way for more petrol.

Intelligence of Parrots A remarkable story-that concerns the keen musical, ear of a parrot is told by an Auckland visitor to Dunedin. The bird is the property .of Auckland .residents, whose daughter, a well-known Dunedin accompanist, frequently, appears in radio performances. On these occasions, it is related, the Aucklanders’ set is tuned in to 4YA,;>nd, though the parrot may have its head tucked under its wing in sleep at the time,, it immediately displays a lively interest when the daughter begins to play, and proclaims to the household; its recognition of her touch. A Christchurch resident who heard the story related .said that he also knew of a parrot that displayed a shrewd knowledge of the game of lawn tennis. Its favourite-perch , the top of the fence round some Christchurch suburban courts, and from this position of eminence it usually watched the play with a solemn eye. When a foolish shot was made, however, it burst into shrill cackles of derisive laughter aud directed uncomplimentary remarks at the offending player.

Rich Gold Shipment Had the business, area of the city been disturbed yesterday morning by' the passage of a string of armoured cars, accompanied by large bodies of grimfaced police equipped with shrieking sirens . and a profusion of armaments, the worldly-wise would have recognised a reconstruction of the spectacular methods adopted by at least one other country in the world when it desires to move a valuable shipment from one place to another. Without the benefit, or otherwise, of such an advertisement, the transfer of the gold in the vaults of the various' Dunedin banks to the north-bound express yesterday morning excited little if any interest or comment, and very few people realised that the stoutly-constructed wooden boxes which were unobtrusively removed from the trucks and lorries in which they had been conveyed to the Railway Station and. were stacked in. a special carriage contained over five tons of gold in sovereigns and half-sovereigns —approximately £500,000 in value. Escorted by seven armed bank officials, the. gold shipment'left for Wellington, where, in accordance with the new centralised system of monetary .control, it will be handed over to the officials of the Reserve j Bank, - I

Soldiers and Dependent*’ PeasiWß* A- Press Association, telegram state* that- the executive; of the Christchurch Returned Soldiers’ Association carried the following resolution last night :r-r“ That this executive expresses disappointment that in the cuts restored. by' the recent Budget no reference is made fp’ the*economic and dependents’ pensions “of the poorer , ex-servicemen, and requests that headquarters make strong recommendations to the Government to have these restored.” Radio Talks on Diet During the course of an address to the Home Science Conference, last night, Dr Ada Paterson referred to the -subject of talks over the air to housewives.’ She stressed the necessity for, these .to/ be couched in language as simple.as possible, since the woman in the hackblocks who was doing .half a dozen tasks- at .once’ had little time to Work put com plicated statements. “ Speak -English,”' she said,- "hud make ■ your examples of, cooking sound good, easy, and tasty—tlie sort of- thing that’will give the average woman the impression that she. can carry them but in her own home;” -.- ■"< ... The High Commissionership. ’

‘‘There is not the 'slightest- chahcW—l would not leave such a goo’d country, as New Zealand, the best }u. the;world.f*.; Jn those words the Prime. Minister -(Mr 'G. W. Forbee) replied (says a Press Asspciation telegram) .when a Christchurch reporter asked him whether there was any truth in the suggestion, that , he might accept tlie position of High Commissioner for New Zealand in London. ; Idiosyncrasies Jn Diet ’ V

Speaking at the Home Science ence last night on the subject of children’s idiosyncrasies in- diet. Dr Ada. . Paterson, director of. school hygiene, ’jnslanced the case of a boy whose mother I ', informed her when he was-being taken to a. health camp, that - whenever lie ate Butter lie was sick. " Immediately, on arrival, at camp,” Dr ’Paterson said,he inforined its /very ostentatiously that-he could not eat butter. ‘ Oh, i a that so,’ We, said, and commenced to eat butter,- taking.‘.no more notice of- hiiii. .When'-bp found that .no one really cared whether;he ate butter, or not, he started to follow the fashion, and before he’ left! the' camp he was eating bnttdr with the best.”

Sweepstake Prize*’ '■■■■■- /'; Advices received in Auckland yesterday stated 'that"New.- Zealand subscribers won the sixth, eighth, and ninth prize* in a consultation drawn at Hobart. Government supervision; A Pres* Association telegram states that, the winner .of the sixth prize of' £SOO Was ticket No.' 76628, “Bun Tuck,” : Syndicate,. dare;, of “H. W. M.,” Wellington. The, eighth prize of £2so’ was ticket' No, 75887,' “V. V.” Syndicate, ,cawf..b£-,“'A.;; R-,” Great North road, Grey Lynn, Auckland, and the ninth prize, also of £250, was ticket No. 73034, “ Terraplane,” . Syndicate, care of ■“ R. C.,” Pctone, Welling; ton. ■■ i •■' •, ■ Fast : Air Trip Yet another example of the great saving bf. time that can be'' effected by’ the use. of modern methods of transport. was afforded, during the ■ week-end, when ~a Dunedin, business man accompanying- a. northern Visitor left'the Taieri>aefodrome' at 9.45’ a.m. for Christchurch,' and,‘after: spending three-quarter* of an hbqr ; , there, arrived back' at the Taieriat : 2J3.0 the actual flying time -for the . whole jour-, ney being four' hours. When the planer: the Otago Aero Club’s Waco machineleft Christchurch on the return irip' : an excellent view was obtained: of. the'enow* covered country, around the ' rity '"but. when Timaru was reached the pilot was, obliged to climb to an altitude of 7009 feet to get; above a heavy cloud- bank.. From this' altitude a magnificent' yjefr. ■was secured of the principal; .the Southern Alps, notably Mount,' prising into the clear" air above the 1 clouds. The pilot stated afterwards’thatTie had hot previously • bbtained '.such a' strikingly picturesque view of - the hiountaih peaks during the whole of hi A flying experience, in New Zealand. v ' / Registration of Bicycle* -' A scheme for the. annual Tdgistratioh of. push cycles was adopted by the Auckland City Council; at -its . tot* meetihg. and it, was' decided to forward the (propbsal^to. the. Minister of Transport . for considera-. tion. ■ A meeting of local b6dy representatives and traffic inspectors was held o® August 14 and• tecotemehaaiions, f rbm th,at ■ meeting yere submitted for-the OounciFa" consideration.' These yere to’tbu, effect that all push{ cycles should he -subjech to annual registration, carry a registration’ plate, and the owners pay a registration fee of Is per annum. It was alsohecqmniended that' cycles be' provided, with a front .white light and /a. rear yed- light* that mudguards or forks be painted white, and that' a suitable ' warning bell;bej at*, tached. The chief traffic inspector U (My C.' R. Hogan)' reported that while regie-, tration could not be’Vviewed, from a revenue standpoint, the fitting of the, cycles a* suggested would he a ; safety measure. It would also assist in locating that owners in the event of offences and prove of assistance to the Police;Department in finding/ pcvsbns who,. stole machines, and disposed of. them 'to dealers. The, council adopted- the- proposals, and decided to submit them "to, the Minister of Transport for his cbhsidc'ratjoh/'

Golf Records

While playing the sixth hole on Strathconan golf links- at ‘ Eairlie,. Mr fJ. M’Donald achieved '.the - distinction; of, being the first player to; hole out in One on the new links. Mr O’Rourke, a Pleasant Point player, while- making a shot f rom the first tee, (can also claim a-re-, cord. When finishing the stroke the club slipped from the ' player’s, 'hands, (soared gracefully, oyer the. Wall of the adjoiningswimming bath and disappeared in six feet-of water. As no ;one was willing toperform a rescue by dmflg into the chilly waters, the bath had be emptiedbefore the missing club" cotild .be. retrieved. . Huon Belle Still Sails . -f t' -

Many people in different part? of New Zealand ’••mil learn with interest that' tlie ketch Huon, Belle, ; known in southern ports over half a century ago, is still in commission. Built probably by convicts on the bank of the Huon River in Tasmania 70 years ago, she. traded for- the first 16 years round the Tasmanian-and Australian coasts.’ But in 1880 the little vessel brought a cargo of hardwood to. New Zealand and wae bought by a Dunedin shipowner j who: ran her for height years. Changing .hands: again, Lyttelton became her port of registry in 1888, until in 1896 she was purchased: by an Auckland firm and has traded in northern, waters ever since,- . The older generation of southern ports Will remember the little vessel as a smart' craft," and f0r,30 of the, years, that she has. traded out of Auckland -she depended oh .sail. But eight years ago she was equipped with auxiliary power that enables her to; keep regular schedule between Auckland and Whangarei. ' Though much of ; her .'hard:, wood planking has . been replaced by kauri, the original frames still remain.

, Cr Silverstone will address a, meeting in the Kaikorai Presbyterian Hall to-night on the subject of rating .on unimprovedvalues.'- . .. , The drawing, of My ■ Luclrc 'Star ; art union will take place at the Hall, The Terrace, Wellington, to-day at fl afUi.The most costly oJ all euUnnuililiit' is human labour. Property . owners can economise by employing, first-class men.— Donald Stuart, Ltd., slate merchants and roofing contractors.—Advt. A. ,E. J. Blakeley and W. E. Bagley, dentists, Bank of Australasia, corner o! Bond and Rattray streets (next Telegraph Office). Telephone 12-359. Advt. Save your eyes. Be wise, and consult \V. V. Stutmer, optician (2 Octagon), thus conserving good vision'for b!d« = Advt. •;