TOWN AND COUNTRY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 19772, 21 February 1927, Page 5

TOWN AND COUNTRY

ITEMS OF INTEREST A visitor to Chalky Inlet (says the “Otago Daily Times’’) stateE that deer are rapidly destroying the young forest growth there. They devour everything up to 6ft. and in some places the undergrowth has entirely disappeared. A Government stalker is now engaged thinning the herds in the Wanaka district, and it would appear that the herds in the National Park require attention. They are evidently multiplying too rapidly. At the Oraki end of the Colac Beach it is no unusual sight to see deer, and they must have come from beyond the Waiau. A party consisting of two Aucklanders, one Canadian, and one resident of Chistchurch left Auckland in an English light car for a motoring trip through New Zealand. They travelled via New Plymouth, Palmerston North, Napier, and thence to Wellington over the Rimutakas. From Christchurch they motored to Bluff. The total mileage was 1,300 miles, and this was done on an average of 37.5 miles to the gallon. They experienced only two stoppages on account of punctures. The party returns through Central Otago to Christchurch, Otira, Picton, and thence from Wellington to Auckland. A member of the party stated that the roads generally were in good order.

In conversation with an “Oamaru Mail” reporter a clothier remarked on the falling demand by men for heavyunderwear. He said that the demand for lighter underwear had increased throughout New Zealand to such an extent that some of the woollen mills were given a big problem to solve in regard to the use of the machinery installed for making the heavy grades of woollen goods. An interesting question was whether the climate was becoming wanner or whether men were better able to withstand cold weather than they used to be.

Though not the first working men’s club started in New Zealand, the Wellington Working Men’s Club will be the first to celebrate its 50th anniversary, which will be observed in August. It is somewhat remarkable that the club has still amongst its members its first president, Mr Patrick Golvin, its first secretary, Mr Vincent Claridge, and two members of its first executive, Messrs J. A. Capper and Frank Jennings. A perusal of the list of members in J 877 reveals the names of many men who were, or who became, important in the history of the Dominion, while there are few names which are not familiar in the commercial or professional successes of the city.

A distinct curiosity—the result of an occurrence which must be regarded as most unusual —was unearthed several weeks ago by Mr J. Linkhorn, of Hawera. A heavy plank, 6in. by sin, of a white wood, which formed part of the packing of his new ovens, was put out to be used for firewood, and when being chopped, there fell from it a small pointed piece of brass, which, when rubbed up and examined, proved to be a small bullet. It is 14in. long, shaped like a miniature shell, going to a point and having a circular base. Round the centre of it is a slight groove. On the base, which is flat, are the letters in capitals AVE over H and below that the figures 7.78. A measure proves this to be its diameter in millimetres, roughly |in. The ovens were all British made and this makes the appearance of a bullet apparently of foreign manufacture all the more peculiar.

A great deal of indignation has been expressed in Levin at the action of officers of the Health Department in visiting the Levin District High School and inoculating some of the children without the authority of their parents, reports the “Manawatu Times.” It is understood that the inoculation was against typhoid and that it was supposed to be confined to Maori children or those with a very small percentage of Maori blood, who were subjected to the treatment irrespective of their parents’ wishes and without reference to them. It is difficult to see the necessity for the Department’s action, at least as regards children living in the town under European conditions, and it would appear as if parents have a right to complain of the indiscriminate action of the Departmental officers. Enquiries are being made as to whether there is any legislative sanction for such action.

Residents of Palmerston North states the “Manawatu ’rimes, ’’ actually have themselves to blame if they are being inconvenienced through, a scarcity of water, consequent upon the prolonged dry spell. Loan proposals necessary to effect an improvement to the reticulation system, and the duplication of the mains, have been submitted to ratepayers on two occasions, and, in each instance, have been rejected. The water pressure in the town at the present time is very low, and the Council has absolutely prohibited the use of the hose, and asked consumers to conserve the water supply as much as possible. In an effort to meet the position, City Fathers have had a report ou the water works prepared by experts, and this will come up for discussion at a special meeting on Monday evening next.

New Zealand was well oft for school nurses, stated Dr. Ada Paterson, Director of Schools Medical Service in the Dominion, at the medical congress at Dunedin. There were twelve medical officers and twenty-two nurses. If possible the officers had two nurses, one of whom went ahead to make a preparatory survey, and Dr. Paterson maintained that the effect of this arrangement was that treatment results were brought up to 80 per cent, efficiency, and in certain areas even to 90 ner eent. The nurses’ personality counted most (reports the Dunedin “Evening Star.”) Training was essential, but the nurses should not; be too long qualifying. She thought that New Zealand was in a better position than New South Wales in that the Health Department controlled the whole activity in the Dominion, whereas in Now South Wales it was divided between the Health and Education Departments. Dr. Paterson spoke in favour of the proposal of cadet nurses, who would be taken on after the completion of training.