DAY BY DAY.

Waikato Times, Volume 103, Issue 17386, 24 April 1928, Page 6

DAY BY DAY.

The good work of the Hamilton Beau-

Beautifying and The People.

tifying Society proclaims itself by the scenes that gladden the eye on the river

bank and elsewhere. The silent beauty appears so natural, that people tend to forget the devoted efforts whose fruits are seen. The voluntary committee gives time and energy to extend the area of pleasing sights till -the whole town may have harmony of colour and symmetry of form. The keeping of the parks and garden-beds as they should be is no light task, and while the paid workers are chiefly responsible, the committee must supervise. Then the committee and many other voluntary workers did noble service in organising a great fair for the raising of funds. The Borough Council provides a part of the money, but the work wouud not progress as Hamiltonians would wish without public support. The Beautifying Society has a clear claim on the townspeople for the lasting pleasure afforded to them and thefir children's children, and to the passing stranger. The annual meetiDg, which is to be held on Thursday, gives the people an opportunity of joining in the work. Any resident may attend and assist in the election of the committee for the year.

"The cost of disease may be measured

The Cost of Disease.

(a) by the amount paid in sickness benefits and allowances; (b) in parochial relief; (c) in days of labour lost; (d) in psy-

etiological damage done. (a) (b) and (c) include losses which can be ascertained, at least approximately; (d) only by conjecture, even though this loss may, in the final result, be the most serious," writes Mr W. A. Appleton, secretary of the General Federation of Trade Unions, in his quarterly report. In England and Wales, the cash cost in respect of persons insured for National Health purposes from July, 1912, to December, 1926, reached the considerable total of £242,255,400, or about £17,500,000 per year. This, however, is not the whole oost. Millions were additionally provided by Friendly Societies, " Insurance Companies, Trade Unions, and other thrift institutions. There are also the indirect cash costs. Last year, parochial relief cost over £50,000,000, while in the cost of unemployment, benefit was £45,815,000. In both these instances some of the expenditure may be held to arise from disease—physical mental, or moral. Measured in terms of disability, the cost, of disease in 'this country is 25,000.000 weeks per vcai\ In wage losses alone, this will 'represent another £50,000,000 or more per year."