Marrying age

British guardsmen outside a smashed German machine-gun emplacement. - Otago Witness, 2.1.1918.
British guardsmen outside a smashed German machine-gun emplacement. - Otago Witness, 2.1.1918.
Dr Truby King was recently reported to have said, in an address given in Auckland, that 18 was the ideal age for women to marry.

In a letter to a Wellington paper he corrects this report. ''What I really did say,'' he explains, ''was that it was better for marriage to take place between 18 and 25 rather than delay to between 25 and 30 - better for the home, better for the mother, better for the children, and better for the race.

''The putting off of marriage longer and longer during the last 50 years has not been based on fitness or physiological grounds, but on what are called prudential or economic considerations. Naturally the French took the lead in this, and in the restriction of the family, because with them the virtue of le petites economics readily grew into a national vice.''

Cocksfoot harvest

The continuous wet weather is delaying the commencement of cocksfoot reaping, and is greatly benefiting the sample of seed to be harvested this year, and the seed will now have an opportunity to fill out and mature (says the Akaroa Mail).

Provided there is not too much wet weather the rain should tend to make the sample heavy. There are two distinct crops which appear to be separated only by about a fortnight, and the second crop, which started after the first heavy rain, has now got the flower on it.

In most paddocks the second growth is much the stronger, and therefore it is this seed that will be reaped.

Benmore block

The Benmore soldiers' block is now looking particularly well. The oat crops bear a healthy appearance, and are carrying good heads.

There has been a good percentage of lambs, and taking the holdings all round there is every indication that before many seasons are past the soldier-settlers will be firmly established as successful farmers.

Two of the settlers have been married since entering into occupation of their leases, and have erected comfortable residences.

The most difficult portion of the race from Quailburn Stream, which is to provide the settlers with a water supply, has been completed, and the remaining portion of the work is well under way.

50 earthquakes

The records of the Milne seismograph, as the Wellington Observatory, show that during the first six months of this year records were made of 50 disturbances, of which 19 were also recorded by the instrument at Apia, Samoa.

The Wellington records included movements lasting from 2˝ seconds to 3ľ hours. The latter, and another of 3Ľ hours, occurred in June.

- ODT, 4.1.1918.

COPIES OF PICTURE AVAILABLE FROM ODT FRONT OFFICE, LOWER STUART ST, OR WWW.OTAGOIMAGES.CO.NZ

Comments

The 'race'.

I have nothing against hasty marriage, as long as it doesn't delay the 2nd Leg at Te Rapa.