Gambling bad, wholegrains good

At a well-attended meeting of the Temperance and Morals Committee of the Methodist Church of New Zealand in Dunedin yesterday the following resolution was unanimously adopted: The committee rejoices that the flagrant evils connected with book-making have at last aroused public reprobation, and that the Prime Minister has promised effective legislation.

The committee is of opinion that the profession of the bookmaker should be rendered illegal, and that the totalisator should be entirely abolished; also, that legislation should be passed to enable the Post Office to stop Tattersall's correspondence.

It was decided that a copy of the above be sent to the Prime Minister and the local members of Parliament, and to the deputation which will wait on Sir Joseph Ward on Monday next in Wellington.

• The question of "white" versus "brown" bread is raised by a correspondent signing himself "Spica".

He writes: "Of late I have been giving some study to the question of diet, and the writers of all the books I have read are unanimous in the opinion that white flour, which we consume in such enormous quantities, would better be replaced by 'whole-wheat flour', or flour formed by grinding up the entire grain of wheat.

It would seem that white flour, which one writer goes so far as to call 'this debased so-called superfine flour', consists of little else but starch, all the nutrient materials, such as bran, 'sharps', pollard, etc, have been removed by `bolting' during the process of milling.

Accordingly, I inquired of my grocer whether he kept whole-wheat flour, but was answered in the negative, being told, however, that he kept the 'best' (sic), whereupon he named two well-known brands of 'debased' white flour!

As I should like to get the whole-wheat flour if possible, perhaps you may be able to inform me where it is to be obtained."

A leading miller endorsed the statement of the superior wholesomeness of "wheaten meal", which included the whole product of the crushed grain, to that of fine white flour, from which the rougher material had been extracted.

This was explained medically by the fact that the fineness of the white flour clogged the system, while the rougher material stimulated the normal and natural functions of the system.

The public, however, desired white bread, and, of course, they had to get it.

Those who desired to secure "whole meal" could do so through their grocer.

Owing to the limited demand, however, millers could not supply this flour in lesser quantities than in 25lb bags.

- ODT, 15.7.1910.