LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 15 September 1924, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Choral Society’s sacred concert, which was to take place in Pukekura Bark yesterday afternoon, was not held on account of the rain. A fire which occurred at about 10 o’clock on Saturday night totally destroyed a house owned by Mr. F. Carrington on the Frankley Road. The hoijse, which was of five rooms, was quickly demolished, and it is understood that nothing was saved. It- is not known whether the house or furniture was insured. In July last a deputation from the settlers of the Whangamomona and back country districts proceeded to Wellington for the purpose of bringing to- the notice of the Government the precarious plight of many of them, as a result of the klump. The deputation laid their views before the Minister, and representations were also made by Mr. R. Masters, M.P., who has now been advised by the Minister for Lands (Hon. A. D. McLeod) that a commission will be set up within the next fourteen days for the purpose of going into the question of relief for those settlers in the district who have suffered as a result of the slump.

A denial is given by Mr. F. Swindells (inspector under the Pure Foods and Drugs Act) to the statement made by Mr. A. V. Frost in Saturday’s Daily News that he had refused to allow a milk vendor to agitate his milk before a sample was purchased for analysis. Speaking to a reporter, Mr. Swindells said he could recall the case referred to by Mr. Frost, and said the request to be allowed to agitate the milk had not been made by the vendor until after the sample had been purchased in the ordinary way of business. It was not incumbent on the inspectors, Mr. Swindells added ; to tell milk vendors to agitate their milk before selling a sample for analysis. The inspectors had to procure their samples of milk or any other foodstuffs just as they were offered to the public and that was what he bad done. Influenza is referred to in the annual report of the Director-General of Health. “This is a disease,” he says, “that recognises no national frontiers, and reduces quarantine systems to expensive absurdities. Our only line of defence at present appears to be to raise the standard of life by strict obrvanee to the fundamental laws of health. Not only must it be raised in ouy own country, but through the international work of such organisations as the Health Committee of the League of Nations there must be created, a higher standard of sanitation and social conditions in other countries, for the conditions that exist elsewhere have a direct bearing on the health of the people of this Dominion. No country can live by itself.” ■CHiild welfare in New Zealand and a comparison with conditions in other countries are the subject of an interesting review in the annual report of the Department of Health, tabled in the House of Representatives. “During the year progress in child welfare throughout New Zealand has been fully maintained,” says the report. “The more our statistics for the last twenty years dealing with the infant from one month to a year or two years of age are studied and investigated, the more encouraging are the results seen to be.” The annual mortality per 1000 (births for the last five years (1918-1922), according to latest available statistics, was 3.5 for New Zealand. As regards infantile diarrhoea, 3.5 deaths per 1600 births were recorded in New Zealand.

Investigation of the condition of the teeth of children attending the State schools shows that only 4.74 per cent, of children have perfect sets of teeth, while dental caries exists in 08.98 per cent, of eases. The condition of teeth among native children, however, is much better, 13.2 per cent, of full Maoris and half-castes showing perfect teeth. A comparative return compiled by the Division of School Hygiene shows that Maori children average four carious or treated teeth per head, as against eight such in a white child. This is attributed to the less proportion of refined starchy foods, the higher proportion of vegetables, and the diminished consumption of sweets eaten by the natives. School medical officers report that children living in institutions, such as orphanages, v. here simple regular meals are provided, tend to have better teeth than have those living in their parental homes.

Three corporations are at present engaged in filming the scenic beauties of New Zealand for exhibition in America, states the Minister in charge of tourist records, the Hon. W. Nosworthy. The Fox film organisation has sent one party. Another been working for some time in the South Island, and is now engaged in the North Island. This enterprise is being conducted by Messrs. Clifton and Penrod. of San Francisco, the latter being regarded as one of the foremost cinema camera men in the United States. The third is a New Zealand organisation known as Tours, Limited, behind which are most of the leading motor companies of the Dominion. Messrs. J. E. Winsloe and C. Haigh are leaving almost immediately for America with 60,000 feet of NewZealand scenic films, which will bp shown in all the larger centres of the United States. All these, organisations are working in conjunction with the Tourist Publicity and Railways Departments-

If angry, annoyed or depressed, Rassakola yourself. The children will enjoy it. 3 Particulars of the furniture and grocery sale to be held at Webster Bros.’ mart on Wednesday next appear in this issue. When buying a serge suit it is not a question of price so much as a matter of quality. This is where the Melbourne, Ltd., score over competitors. The suit at 159/6 is made of the very best indigo coating obtainable, and is the finest tailored ready-to-wear suit in the Dominion to-day. A perfect specimen of tailors’ art, fit, cut and finish. Out on its own.