London, March 24: For the fourth time in six days the Queen yesterday manifested her personal interest in the welfare of all classes of the people by going down to Woolwich to open the new hospital buildings of the British Hospital for Mothers and Babies and the School for the Higher Training of Midwives. The entire population of Woolwich seemed to have found its way to this particular spot, and the Queen had as wonderful a time as she had a few days previously when she made a triumphal tour through the poorest streets of Shoreditch.
The Queen inspected the entire building, and to the medical staff who accompanied her her Majesty repeatedly expressed her approval of the general arrangements. This hospital has an excellent record. In 1921, 202 mothers were admitted, and there was only one maternal death — the case of a woman who had been very ill at home before entering the institution. There was no case of septic infection. No fewer than 600 mothers attended the ante-natal clinic, and 212 babies were treated at the postnatal clinic.
Workmen’s cottages empty
The ten workmen's cottages at Corstorphine, which were completed last year for the Labour Department, are still standing empty, but it should not be long before some of them at least are occupied. There has been some difficulty about meeting the city corporation’s requirements in the matter of drainage, owing to the contour of the ground, but the drainage of six of the cottages has been completed. There have been numerous inquiries for them but the price is proving an obstacle to many. They run from about £1000 to £1050, but the Labour Department claims that an examination of the terms on which payment is made will show that the houses are really cheaper than some that are sold for £700 or £800. The sections, which were part of the 1Sidey Estate, are about one-sixth of an acre in area, and cost from £130 to £150 each. The houses, though some distance out of town, will be connected with the city water and gas supply.
Bumper salmon season
Prior to his departure by yesterday's express, Mr L.F. Ayson, chief inspector of fisheries, informed our representative that he had recently been engaged in supervising the collection of quinnat salmon ova from the Waitaki River and its tributaries. The season has been the most successful on record, and some 1,750,000 eggs have been collected. As the salmon are still running, it is expected that the two million mark will be reached. It has been observed that not only have a larger number of fish been present this season, but they have been of a larger average size than previously. In the past the average has been about 18 pounds, but many specimens running from 30lb to 50lb have been taken this year. Mr Ayson also visited Wanaka where the salmon are now beginning to run. Last season there was a fair run at the lake, and some netting for experimental purposes and for ascertaining the quantity and size of the salmon running in the Upper Clutha was indulged in. Salmon run about a month later in the Upper Clutha than in the Waitaki, and the fish are now just beginning to show up. As a considerable quantity of eggs has been collected, the Marine Department has not yet decided whether collecting will be continued elsewhere, but the distribution of the eggs will extend to several rivers on the West Coast and elsewhere.
Protection for punga tree
It is not often a solitary tree attains the dignity of being mentioned by an Order-in-Council, but this has recently fallen to the lot of a punga growing on the Arapeti Station of Mr V. Croon, near Shannon, (says the Auckland Herald). The reason is that this tree is unique in having seven well-shaped heads. No other such punga has ever been known. It was proposed to move it to some city botanical gardens, but it was decided the risk of its being killed was too great, so it has been protected by Order-in-Council.
— ODT, 26.5.1922
