The chairman (Mr L. O. H. Tripp) said it appeared that the doctors had some arguments on their side. He had come across the case of a shepherd who had been passed for service, in spite of ''flat feet'', because one of the examining doctors knew him personally as a man who worked hard in the open country. Within weeks the man was discharged from the forces, his feet having given out under the test of training.
Homes for the aged
Preaching at Knox Church on Sunday, the Revs. R. E. Davies and E. A. Axelsen made strong appeals on behalf of the establishment of old people's homes in Dunedin under the auspices of the Presbyterian Social Service Association.
The proposal, from which good results are expected, is to erect a number of small cottages where old persons who have become destitute through no fault of their own may be housed and cared for without feeling that they are dependent on any individual charity.
Under this system aged couples will be enabled to live together in separate rooms with the use of a common kitchen instead of having to go into different institutions, which must of necessity keep them apart.
Boy harvesters
A great deal of use is being made of High School boys by farmers in the north in the course of school vacations. In Marlborough, during the last summer holidays, quite a number of boys attending the local High School were engaged in harvesting work, and so satisfactory were their efforts that the farmers by whom they were employed paid them 1s 3d an hour.
Some of the boys, during the seven weeks' engagement, earned as much as 26, and few of them received less than 21. One farmer, speaking to a Daily Times representative, stated that a big proportion of the boys employed did the work of a man, and greatly facilitated harvesting operations.
They worked with a will, and evidently had in mind the fact that they were doing war work. One gratifying feature of the employment of these lads was the fact that the wages paid were agreed to by the farmers without any bargaining on the part of those employed.
Chinese eggs
A new regulation regarding the stamping of imported eggs is gazetted. It provides that the regulation requiring imported eggs to be stamped shall not apply to the eggs known as ''Hahm Dahn'' (being salted eggs imported from China, coated with a preservative composition consisting mainly of salt and ashes), providing that before obtaining delivery the importer shall be required to make and sign in the presence of an officer of Customs a declaration that they are intended only for sale to and consumption by Chinese.
Cable secrecy
''In future,'' stated the Hon G. W. Russell (Minister of Marine) on Friday, ''no cable for outside the dominion affecting shipping or cargo, in the way of insurance or in any other respect, will be allowed to be despatched unless it has been first censored by an officer of the Marine Department. Wherever such cables are sent from they will be forwarded to Wellington, in order to be coded before being despatched to their destination. This step is rendered necessary by the war.''
- ODT, 15.5.1917
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