TOPICS OF THE TIMES

Southland Times, Issue 21715, 30 May 1932, Page 6

TOPICS OF THE TIMES

The Blind Population. Addressing the Eugenics Society in London. Mr J. Myles Bickerton, Dean of the London School of Ophthalmic Surgery and Medicine (Royal Eye Hospital), said that 11 blind people were registered every day last year, and there had been an increase of 35,000 in the blind population of the United Kingdom in the last 12 years. That figure, however, was by no means a true register of the blind population. Many blind people refused to be certified, regarding it as a disgrace, and it was possible that there were even one million persons in Great Britain to-day who were blind in one eye. Blindness was very largely avoidable for the more active years of life. Dysgenic births and unlimited births beyond the economic desirability were the direct cause of much blindness —43 per cent., perhaps. Discussing the hereditary nature of blindness, Mr Bickerton said that more was known about the hereditary diseases of the eye than about any other organ. Myopia was partly hereditary, and partly followed a hereditary predisposition, and illness or physical . disabilities might cause myopia to increase. Short-sighted offspring were often born of normal parents, and when both parents were short-sighted their children invariably suffered from the same defect. In the same way long sight might show hereditary factors and astigmatism was often hereditary. Mr Bickerton described some 25 other diseases causing blindness, and said that the influence of heredity could be traced in practically every type. The Humanists. The Venerable V. F. Storr, Archdeacon of Westminster, preached at Lincoln’s Inn Chapel the first of three sermons on “The Modern Mind and the Supernatural.” He said that men were pinning their faith more and more on natural science, for in this, they said, there was truth that could be demonstrated and practical achievement that meant benefit to mankind; science did its work without need of the supernatural. This represented the creed of an enormous number of people to-day, and it was embodied in the growing movement called humanism. The humanist of to-day eliminated the word supernatural from its vocabulary. It saw man as an end in himself, and considered therefore that he must be true to his ideals and must develop the sense of the essential unity of mankind everywhere seeking to ameliorate human life. One could admire much in the humanist creed. It had an appreciation of spiritual values and a determination to improve human life, and the theist could so far welcome the humanist as an ally in the fight against secularism and materialism. He was bound to ask, however, how without the supernatural they were going to give a reasonable explanation of the presence of man, upon earth. Here was a vast process of evolution going on through millions of years. It had resulted in the production of man with his spiritual qualities, his ideals, his conscience, his dreams of God, man who had always believed in the supernatural. Whence did such a being come? Was all this ordered march of evolution the child of chance? Humanism might for the moment win the adherence of a generation which pinned itself to natural science, but he could not think that its triumph could be anything but temporary, simply because human thought could not make sense of a universe without God. Humanism was a compromise between two other beliefs, and it would either drift into frank naturalism or move on to theism. It could not stay where it was.

The Value of Worry. Man was designed for worry. If worry is denied him he invents it, says a medical correspondent of The Times, who suggested that worry and the fighting instinct it engenders has helped the race to progress. There can be no doubt that worry will find a way out, he concludes. This is the only disadvantage of worry. Far from killing, it stimulates and invigorates to such an extent that its causes always tend, and sooner rather than later, to be abolished. Civilization does not break up; it renews itself. Humanity, aglow with health, arrives at fresh conquests. Only to discover that safety is the real danger. It is well that we should realize this and make the most of the exceptional advantages we now enjoy. They cannot last. Leaden-footed prosperity is at the door; booms, like cyclones, are advancing upon us. To-morrow we shall be at ease once more, turning over the prospectuses of the spas and wondering whether mud baths or brine are likely to occasion us the higher degree of benefit. When the trumpets sounded for war the “dug-outs” came forth to a new lease of life; now that the tax-gatherers are sounding their trumpets, veterans are returning to a new lease of interest. “What exciting times we live in!” And what healthy times. Disease is retiring all along the line. That probably is one of the reasons why Englishmen are casting away their gold in splendid contempt of those who seek to hoard it. Gold is for the aged and the infirm, the weak and those who have no faith. Healthy folk need no crutches seeing that they possess their limbs. In worry we have found again the qualities which only worry can bestow —fitness, energy, courage. These are great doctors, who, in counting houses, make burdens grievous to be borne and lay them on other men’s backs.

The Government Meteorologist last evening issued the following weather report and forecast. General situation: A shallow depression crossed the Dominion last night but an anti-cyclone still covers New Zealand and the Tasman Sea. Winds: Southerlies prevailing at first but backing later to west and north-west south of New Plymouth and Napier; moderate mainly but strong at times in exposed positions. Seas (New Zealand waters): Rather rough about Cook Strait and between Kaikoura and East Cape but elsewhere moderate. Eastern Tasman Sea: Variable winds with northerlies prevailing; seas smooth to moderate. Weather: Some scattered showers at first north of Auckland and between Cook Strait and the East Cape but improving and elsewhere fine; cold tonight but milder to-morrow.

Three weeks ago a man started a kindling wood business in Christchurch, selling it from door to door. He arranged with the Y.M.C.A. to take boys from its unemployed list to chop the wood and otherwise prepare it for - the market. So far he has taken over 20 boys, and he hopes before long to bring the number up to 40.

While travelling on Monday with 109 head of cattle from the Aria district to North Auckland a drover placed them for the night in a pc t dock off the new Hangitiki Road. In the morning he found only 27 head of cattle left, the remainder having scattered. Thirtyseven were found dead through eating poisonous tutu.

As proof that the land on the East Coast of the South Island was rising, Mr G. Jobberns, in the course of a lecture at Redcliffs on Thursday evening, states the Christchurch Sun mentioned the skeleton of a large whale which had been dug up out of the shingle at the mouth of the Kowai River, the shingle at that spot being 30 feet above sea level.

In regard to the unemployment income emergency charge, the question has been asked: “If a woman under a deed of separation receives maintenance from her husband, is the amount taxable? The Commissioner rules that the amount so received is taxable to the woman as well as the husband, and the amount may not be deducted from the assessable income of the latter.

It takes a clever dog to kill a hedgehog, but a sporting dog owned by a resident of Featherston has rather a novel method of destroying these animals. After finding the hedgehog he carefully picks it up with his teeth and carries it to the nearest water pool, into which he drops it. The hedgehog immediately uncurls itself to swim, when the dog pounces on it and bites its head, death being almost instantaneous.

The Alpine Sports Club will hold 1 its first ski-ing championship in August, and is arranging tours for members to Mount Cook and the Tongariro National Park. During the greater part of the year training is carried out in the Waitakere and Hunua Ranges, where skill in mountaineering is developed, but this is regarded as mere play compared with climbing the high mountains. Winter sports will be held at the same time as the ski-ing championship.

The erection of the new supply reservoir on Bluff Hill, Napier, is expected to Im completed in a little over a month. The workmen are at present occupied in concreting the walls of this huge tank. The second three-foot lift was commenced recently, no delay being experienced in this on account of the necessary staging and boxing to hold the concrete having been erected some time ago. The completed reservoir will be capable of holding 650,000 gallons of water.

A letter received in Auckland recently from Springfield, Mass., U.S.A., says: “Auckland (N.Z.) is very much on the map over the recent riots. The colonies have a bad name in this country. Goodness knows, America should be the very last to talk about other countries—such poverty as exists here. It is simply awful. Millions are out of work, and the bread lines in every city are miles in length. The papers here give the fullest publicity to the Auckland trouble, which is so very helpful, you know.”

Yesterday afternoon between 20 and 30 members of the Gore Tramping Club went for a tramp to Croydon Bush. Although the weather was fairly stormy during the greater part of the day in Gore the afternoon was comparatively nild at Croydon Bush, only one or two showers being encountered, and the outing proved a most enjoyable one. The party climbed the hills at the back of the Croydon Bush, where a fine view of the surrounding country was to be obtained. Gore was reached again at six o’clock in the evening.

Illustrating the prosperity enjoyed by a rich goldfield, Mr John Farrell mentioned at the Thames Old Boys’ reunion that among the posessions of his father, Mr Robert Farrell, who died recently at the age of 94 years, was a book published in 1868, dealing with the progress of the field to that time. This stated that there were 18,000 people on the Thames, and also 25 hotels. Remarkable as it might now appear, there were also ten “pubs” at Tapu! A revival in mining would absorb a large number of men, and set the wheels of other industries in motion, sending men back to their proper callings and trades.

Replying to a sympathizing friend, who said he supposed that shopkeepkeepers were having a bad time owing to so many persons being hard up, a dealer in provisions, who has traded in Otago for a lifetime, promptly said: “My experience is that the poor people are good customers, paying on the spot for whatever they order, and thus setting an example to some of the well-to-do who can and do pay in the long run, but keep me waiting a precious time, and then often ask for discount when as a matter of fair play they ought to be charged interest on my money, which I have had to advance in order to keep up my stocks.”

When recalling to an Auckland Star reperesentative the exploits of Ned Kelly and his confederates, whom he knew personally, an old resident of Te Papapa, Mr W. Jenkins, made mention of the Australian wild dog, the dingo, which was particularly rampant in the forest areas when he was in Australia about 50 years ago. “The dingoes were almost as bad as wolves,” he said. “They hunted in packs, and would attack both man and beast without much hesitation. They were a bane to the sheep farmer, whose stock suffered extensively. A pack of these dogs would attack a flock, but were too cunning to have all their numbers do the killing. The majority of the dogs would kill the sheep, while the rest stood sentinel, and kept the sheep from running away. When anywhere between 50 and 100 sheep were laid low, the entire pack would then set to and feast on their large kill.”

i The executive committee of the Lionel B. Fletcher evangelistic cam : paign held a meeting in the Methodist Sunday School Hall, Gore, on Thursday evening, there being a large attendance. The Rev. Raymond Simpson presided, and the Rev. F. M. Beattie opened the meeting with devotional exercises. A fair amount of correspondence was read relative to the mission which opens at Gore next Wednesday evening. The chairman reported that the use of the Princess Theatre had been offered at a minimum rent, and it was decided to accept the offer. The Revs. MacLachlan, Gow and Armstrong expressed the belief that there would be a large contingent present from country districts. Flying is no longer an adventure, declared Mr W. A. Nisbet secretary of the Wellington Aero Club, when addressing the Travel Men’s League on Thursday, states the Dominion. People were too apt to regard the aviator as a being from another planet. As a matter of fact, a pilot flying over Wellington on a Sunday afternoon was safer than a motorist on the Hutt Road. The accident rate in aviation was greatly exaggerated in the minds of most people. There was still sufficient novelty about flying to attract undue attention to flying accidents, and nothing was heard about the clockwork regularity of the air services in Europe and the States. The speaker mentioned that the Wellington Aero Club’s machine had flown 182,000 miles to date, with but one accident involving a qualified pilot. Ladies’ Black All-wool Knitted Hose only 1/11 pair at Wicks’ Hose and Vest Shop, Ltd., Dec street. (Advt.) The most fastidious of connoisseurs find DEWAR’S WHISKY gives the utmost satisfaction in quality and flavour.—Advt. Children’s warm winter frocks in good quality flannel, navy serge, etc., 16 to 34in, from 8/11 to 24/6 at Miss Noble’s, The Baby Shop, Dee street. — Advt. Ask for Ayson’s 3d packets delicious Walnut Almond and Cherry Candy at stores throughout Southland, and at Ayson’s two shops, Dee street. (Advt.) Before you get your new suit, call at Thomson and Beattie, Ltd., and see the extensive range of Tweeds, Worsteds, and Navy Serge—Tailored to Measure for sgns. These suits are cut by our expert tailor, Mr Macßurney, and are made on the premises by local craftsmen. They are not factory-made! The price is the lowest for which a “Tail-ored-to-Measure” can be made. Call at the “Man’s Shop” and see the materials. (Advt.) For the Motorist: The South Island Motorists’ Road Guide (1932) 3/6; Complete Hints and Tips for Automobilists 5/6; Motor Repair Manual 3/6; How To Drive A Car 3/6; Faults and How to Find Them 4/-; The New Ford 3/6; Dyke’s Automobile Encyclopaedia (the standard work for motor dealers) 30/-. Obtainable from the New Zealand Book Depot, Ltd., Esk street. (Advt.) It never pays to buy cheap school hose. Carter’s are selling a super quality hose for 2/6; all sizes. All schools including Bluff, Makarewa, High, and Tech. For better wearing school hose —Carter’s Tay Street.—Advt. TEDDY, KITTY, BUNNY HOT WATER BAGS. Ideal for the Children. Highest quality Dunlop rubber. We guarantee them. Price 5/- each. All fresh stock at Stewart’s Pharmacy, corner Dee and Don Streets.—Advt. Ladies requiring collars or sets in any class of skin, can have same made up as required to the exact style and size. We are also carying a big range of skins of all kinds and make _ same up at short notice in Musquash, Coney, Flank, Fetch, Beaverlamb, shorn lamb, American opossum. All shades Skunk and White Rabbit etc. Inspection invited. The MUTUAL FUR COY., Manufacturing Furriers, Tay street.

PERSONAL CHARM! Its possession delights every woman. In her heart of hearts she glories in her dressing table, with its powder, puffs and patches. On the erfectly appointed dressing table, there should always be a box of Godet Face Powder and a jar of Godet Face Cream. Godet preparations have been used by lovely women for a quarter of a century. They are perfectly harmless to the most delicate skin. Godet Toilet Preparations are sold by GEO. H. BROWN, Chemist, Optician, 125 Dee Street.—Advt. A GRAND OLD REMEDY. In the entire annals of New Zealand business, it is difficult to find a more striking example of a continued respect and confidence in a line, as is the case with Baxter’s Lung Preserver. To-day “Baxter’s” is given to children whose fathers and mothers, grandfathers and grandmothers, and greatgrandmothers and great grandfathers have also benefited by this grand old remedy for coughs, colds, chest and throat afflictions. It is a wonderful tribute to a wonderful preparation. All chemists and stores sell “Baxter’s” in three sizes, 1/6, 2/6 and 4/6, The larger sizes are more economical. —Advt. '