WAIMATE FEEDING WHITE RATS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLVII, Issue 21400, 18 July 1939, Page 3

WAIMATE FEEDING WHITE RATS

i An Experiment In Nutrition Value of Good Diets Seven white rats which are being used by the Association lor Country | Education for a nutritional experiment in Waimate, are creating considerable interest. They have been i inspected by pupils from the Waimate Primary and High Schools, and also pupils from the Convent. Not only children, however, have found the progress of the rats on different diets interesting, but when they are put on exhibition in a shop window, passersby stop to estimate the difference in their growth. At the Waimate Winter Show, where the rats were exhibited, they all caught a chill and had their growth checked. The rats have been named after the dwarfs in that well-known picture. "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.” "Doc" in the rat family, is on a good dinner diet; he cats meat, potatoes, carrot, cabbage and milk pudding, and kept on growing fast in spite of the chill. The biggest of the seven, he weighs more than five ounces. “Grumpy” who exists on a good lunch diet, has the second best weight, and turns the scales at 4l'oz. He is supplied with brown bread, egg, cheese, butter, milk and apple. "Dopey”

shares the cage with "Doc,” and he I was a miserable little rat at the start of the experiment, but good food has brought him up to the others. "Bashful” started as the biggest rat, but he has been reduced by a poor diet; pie, white bread, butter and jam and biscuits have kept his weight at a standstill and on the scales he only shows an eighth of an ounce more weight than "Dopey.” On Friday, four of the rats, “Doc,” “Dopey,” “Sleepy” and “Sneezy” were introduced to all the older pupils at the Primary School. It was pointed out that because "Doc” and “Dopey” lived on green vegetables and milk pudding, they were not only growing faster than their two fellows, but they were healthier and more lively. After their hour at the school, the four rats went back to a shop window to be inspected by passersby. On Wednesday, during a busy week, they received interested visitors at the Waimate County Council Chambers. Thursday saw them showing off the effects of their good and bad dinners at the Convent. Those in charge of the experiment consider that it will probably be necessary to reduce the amount of potato being supplied to "Sleepy” and “Sneezy” so that they will show more contrast with their friends on the good substantial meals. At present, they receive a quarter of a large raw potato every two days, and eat it instead of the bread and butter. The value of potatoes as a food is being demonstrated, but that is not altogether the object of the experiment. GOLF WOMEN’S BOGEY ROUND The following is the draw for the fourth bogey round to be played by members of the Waimate Ladies’ Golf Club to-day: Mrs A. Grant v. Mrs Fraser, Mrs Jull v. Mrs Leadbetter, Mrs Waldie v. Mrs Rattray, Mrs Macdonald v. Mrs Healey, Miss Stevens v. Mrs Kellett, Mrs Dyer v. Mrs Ruddenklau, Mrs Brock v. Mrs Schracder, Mrs Richards v. Mrs P. Grant, Mrs Scott v. Mrs Barclay, Miss E. Bitchener v. Miss Cochrane, Mrs Lewis v. Miss B. Bitchener, Mrs O'Hara v. Mrs Sinclair. I’LUNKET BALI A very successful dance was held in the Willowbridge Hall on Saturday night in aid of the Waimate Plunket Society's funds. There was a large and representative attendance, including patrons who had come from all parts of Canterbury and North Otago for the Hunt Club races. The president of the Waimate branch of the Society, Mrs N. A. Rattray, had with her as organising committee, Mesdames L. Ball. ('. Jones, R. J. Cunningham, T. R. Pickerill and J. Bowron. FOOTBALL ROVERS DRAW Willi ST. KEVINS The Waimate Rovers Rugby team travelled to Oamaru on Saturday to play a friendly match with a, third

ton, where Mr Lynn attended the annual conference of the Now Zealand Farmers’ Union. Mrs J. Parr, “Brooklancls,” Geraldine, I and Mrs W. Watson, Geraldine, have j I returned from Wellington, where they | • attended the annual conference of the ; Women’s Division of the New Zealand : [ Farmers’ Union. Mr and Mrs W. S. Crotty, Hilton, I i have returned from a visit to Welling- ' I ton. I

grade team from St. Kevin’s College ' The game resulted in a draw, six-all. I Waimate scored two tries and St. i Kevin's a try and a penalty goal. The game was very even, Waimate holding tlie advantage in the forwards with a pack that worked well together. I St. Kevin’s were superior in the backs, i however, and if they had received 1 more of the ball the ball the score ' would probably have been higher. | Scorers for Rovers were J. Baker and | H. Eathorne, while Mulvany secured I a try for St. Kevin's. Mr C. Corsbie, , of Waimate, was referee. SUCCESSFUL PLOUGHMAN A Waimate district ploughman, Mr ; H. Voss, figured in the award list at i the North Canterbury ploughing I match al Rangiora. He was placed i third in the championship double- | furrow class (open, cut as you please) | and was awarded a special prize for ‘ the straightest ploughing in (he class, i Mr Voss also won the prize lor the I oldest competing ploughman. The | judges at the match included Messrs J. C. Forsyth and P. Hunter. I’ERSON \E Miss W McDonald. Christchurch, is | staying with Mrs C. Higham, Micheal I Street. | Mrs D. Croy. Christchurch, spent. I the week-end in Waimate.