LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16642, 26 January 1922, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A meeting of the Safety First Campaign Committee was held last night, Mr F. W. Johnston presiding. After considerable discussion it was decided that a meeting should be called on February 15 for the purpose of discussing the traffic question and t© take steps to form a permanent committee and sub-committee to go into the matter. All organisations interested in traffic control will be invited. Deer on the 'Jararuas are doing splendidly (says th© ‘' New Zealand Times”), and at the back of Levin, Shannon, and Eketahuna ar© thriving far beyond expectations. Mr C. 11. Bould, the Acclimatisation Society’s ranger, considers, at no distant date, that tho ranges will provide plenty of sport. Messrs Bould and Wilson, the society’s officers, will visit Paraparaumu in March, with the intention of taking young deer to liberate on the ranges.

An individual with a mania for breaking fire alarm boxes has been a constant source of annoyance to tho City Fire Brigade during the past fortnight. This individual has selected the alarm boxes at the corners of Durham Street and Bealey Avenue, Colombo and Salisbury Streets and Barbadoes and Armagh Streets, for his mischievous attention. From these boxes he Jias given the brigade ten malicious false alarms during the past fortnight, sometimes giving two alarms in one night. He has apparently made a close study of the question, for last nigl’.t when he gave th© alarm from the corner of Barbadoes and Armagh Streets he adopted a. method by which the glass could not fall into the channel and make a noise. Ho covered tho glass with paper and then broke it with a sharp instrument, the broken glass falling into the paper in his hands. Th© members of the brigade would welcome tho assistance of the public in an endeavour to catch th© miscreant, becaus© in every case of an alarm being received they have to turn out and have no means of ascertaining whether a fire has occurred or not until they reach the place from which the alarm was given.

Tho increasing competition of motor transport for business that formerly fell to the railways has already forced itself upon the attention of the New Zealand Railways Department. It is similar to the developments in Great Britain. The situation there has recently been discussed by a correspondent of the London “ Times,” who, in dealing with tho general question of the traffic which should go by rail and that which should be consigned by road, observes that railways will continue to carry the great bulk of coal and mineral traffic. For many other classes of traffic the road motor will be preferred, notwithstanding the higher cost of road haulage ; for whereas the average rate per ton-mile on railways, exclusive of collection and delivery, is 2d, th© average rate per ton-mile by road motor for other than local transport, but, of course, inclusive of collection and delivery, is Cd per ton-mile. The fact that in bpit© of the higher charge made for road transport so large a tonnage of goods is now consigned by road arisen from th© greater convenience, safety and quicker despatch within certain limits of goods that are taken from efid to end by the road motor. It is not surprising, perhaps, that, in fact of the favour with which traders now regard the road motor, railway companies should be seeking extended powers to enrage in road transport. The experience gained bv railway officials during 1 <<e v. ar period in th© us© of motorlorries for alleviating traffic congestion was a revelation to many who had no previous experience of this form of transport. The argument of those wiio have been closelv associated with the development of the road motor is that railways should be limited to the use of motor transport as an auxiliary to transport by rail, and that railwayowned road vehicles should be permitted to ply to and from points*on their own rail systems. A recent issue of London “ Truth ” states that a number of eminent surgeons and physicians have appealed to the Prim© Minister for th© conferment on Mr H- A. Barker of “ some substantial recognition ” of his work in manipulative surgery. “ Th© matter for satisfaction,” the journal opserves, “ is that a group of th© foremost men iQ th© medical profession should themselves recognise the value of Mr Barker’s surgical methods, and should signify this publicly in a way that cannot be without effect. It has often been said in ‘‘ Truth ” that the official attitude toward Mr Barker’s wonderful practice was a reproach to the profession; but the action of Sir Alfred Fripp, Sir Henry Morris, Sir Arbuthnot Lane, Sir Bruce Porter, and their colleagues who are with them on this occasion wipes out the reproach altogether. It is an act of spontaneous magnanimity, in the interest of th© public and th© interest of medical science, which reflects honour on the whole profession, and atones for n great deal that can now be forgotten. The question is not reall3' one of 1 honouring or recognising 5 Air Barker. It is a question of recognising a branch of the healing art which has afforded relief to thousands of sufferers, and, once accepted by the heads of th© medical profession, will, as we may now hope, give relief to countless thousands ill the future, long after Mr Barker has passed from the scene of his labour. Mr Barker himself has never desired more than that he may b© free to teach medical men to do what he has done.”

On Mayor Island, twenty-five miles off Tauranga, pictures were recently taken in connection ifrith the picture “ 'The Birth of New Zealand ” (states th© ‘‘Taranaki Daily News”). ’ The actors and actresses had an experience which gave them some idea of what life on a desert isl© must be like. Owing to adverse weather conditions the launch was unable to leave Tauranga with supplies for two days, and the marooned party had to fall back on bully beef and hard biscuits. A scene of th© picture was in th© making when th© launch was eventually sighted, but th© lure of fresh bread and palatable provisions proved too much for the characters, and th© camera man suddenly found himself photographing the bar© scenery. Having recorded all tho scene® possibl© on th© island, th© party returned to the mainland, and proceeded to film a sham battle in the bush outside the town of Tauranga. This required th© services of a tribe of Maoris, and a number of descendants of Te Kooti’s people were secured. Attired in the correct garb and armed with Snidor rifles and shot guns, they entered into the spirit of th© fight with considerable zeal. Several, however overcharged their blank cartridges with powder in an effort to get a heavx smoke effect, and in clash of opposing forces on© Maori was badly burned about th© chest, while another received a few shotgun pellets which an enthusiastic warrior had forgotten to extract. The accounts of th© battle convey the impression that T© Kooti’s raids were mild affairs in th© matter of din and spectacular effect when compared to the “ movie ” efforts of his descendants. A photograph to send c ch of your friends is th© best way to roly* th® gift problem. Let Steffano Webb take it. Petersen’b Buildings, High Street. Telephone 1989. 1513 Martin’s Apiol and Steel Pills. Sold by all Chemists and Stores throughout Australasia-- X