"The turbot have increased very much in size, the largest being now 18in in length, and many are showing signs of development of ova, so that it is hoped they will spawn during the coming season. Only two have died during the year. It is three years since 195 fish were placed in the tanks, the size averaging half-a-crown. Today there are close on 190, and they are all large healthy fish. The record is unequalled in any other hatchery. At present the turbot are being fed upon ling, and the quantity of fish consumed is very considerable. After next winter it will be necessary to liberate a number of the fish, as the accommodation is strained, and the cost of upkeep is increasing. The stock of lobsters in the ponds now stands at 42, and the hatching of the larvae this season has been very good. The first larvae were hatched on December 19, and the hatching was continued till February 8, 102,000 larvae being liberated. No crab larvae have been hatched this season. A large sea-going launch is being built for the board by Messrs Miller Bros., and will be ready for delivery about the end of April. ''
• A matter of importance to the wives of soldiers, and one urgently necessitating an amendment of the law, was mentioned at Monday's meeting of the Wanganui Patriotic Committee (says the Chronicle).
Mr Cohen said that as the law now stood it is possible for a married man to disregard the claims of his wife and family and allocate his pay to some other person.
It was within the knowledge of those having to do with the courts that this sort of thing was actually being done, with the result that wives and children were being thrown upon the patriotic societies or public charity, while the money which ought to be allocated for their support was going into quite improper channels - in some cases women with whom soldiers had been intimate receiving the money which rightly belonged to the men's legitimate dependents.
He mentions one case in which a young woman in Wellington was reputed to be drawing the allocated portion of the pay of three different soldiers.
An order of the court was powerless to effect a remedy, and the only thing for it was an immediate alteration of the law.
The committee decided to at once bring the matter under the notice of the Minister.
• A Press Association telegram states that a deputation from the YWCA waited on the Hon. Mr Herdman at Wellington yesterday, and urged the appointment of women police.
It was explained that a year ago Mr Herdman had promised to consider the matter.
The deputation recited what had been done in this respect in other countries for the protection of young girls and others, and pointed out that women had been appointed in England, Canada, and Australia.
Mr Herdman replied sympathetically.
He said he had already obtained information, and when he ascertained the results obtained in England he would bring the matter before the Cabinet.
• Had members of the Drainage Board chanced to visit the first beach at Tomahawk yesterday they would have seen convincing evidence that not a trifle, but a very considerable amount of objectionable matter from the sewage outfall at Lawyers' Head finds it way inshore on occasion in the vicinity.
Along high water mark the beach was in a disgusting state.
Yet it is the same beach that on the recent holiday was crowded with children and picnic parties. - ODT, 1.4.1916.
• COPIES OF PICTURE AVAILABLE FROM ODT FRONT OFFICE, LOWER STUART ST, OR WWW.OTAGOIMAGES.CO.NZ
