"The appalling condition of the state of the teeth of many pupils,'' as Mr Hanan describes it, is not to be calmly ignored. We cannot expect all that is desirable in the way of remedial action to be instituted at once, but there is no doubt that if parents will not, or cannot, see that the teeth for their children receive the care which they require, the State must face the need of taking up, in some form or other, the undischarged duty.
For the sake of the health of the child, and on grounds of true national economy, the present neglect should not be allowed to continue.
The care of the teeth in childhood has a direct relation to adult efficiency and health.
How intimate a bearing the lack of this care may have on the mental sluggishness and the lack of progress on the part of the child in the primary school cannot, we suppose, be stated in exact terms, but there is no difficulty in forming a general conclusion on the subject.
"In view of the benefits derived, especially by weakly children, from open-air schools,'' says the Minister of Education in his memorandum on educational progress, "I have made wide investigations concerning the various ways of working the system. In several districts in New Zealand teachers have this year made more frequent use of the playgrounds and sheltered open spaces for the purposes of class teaching. In addition, we have in Wellington an open-air school building which has been in use for some time. Reports just to hand show very striking improvements in the health, height and weight of the children taught in the open air, as compared with those taught inside. Teachers and scholars alike express a distinct preference for the open-air section of the school.''
• Sir, After spending nearly three days in the Catlins River Valley, I could not help a comparison with a former visit to the district a few years ago.
The native pigeon will soon be extinct. I never observed one, even on the wing.
The tuis are also becoming scarce, and the familiar warble in the early mornings will soon be no more.
The common white-breasted robin and other native birds I never saw, though I made several visits into the bush to satisfy myself.
The settlers blame the weasels, which are very plentiful, and which climb the rough-barked trees and get the eggs.
The weasels are protected as the natural enemy of the rabbit. In bush settlement this is a fallacy, as they are doing more harm than good. - I am, etc., C. H. Hayward.
• Sir, From a letter which appeared in your issue, I gather that something of the nature of a controversy is taking place as to the claims of the ships Mataura and the City of Dunedin to have conveyed the first shipment of frozen mutton to England, and I think I can perhaps throw some light on the cause of the controversy.
Both ships were pioneers in the conveyance of frozen food, and their claims do not conflict, as the shipments were in opposite directions.
The Mataura was actually first in the field with an experimental and successful shipment of frozen fish and game birds from England to Lyttelton.
Subsequently the City of Dunedin took Home the first shipment of frozen mutton sent from New Zealand. I am, etc., G. A. Reade. - ODT, 10.7.1916.
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