The light cruiser, which has replaced HMS Chatham as the flagship on the New Zealand station, was berthed at Devonport on Saturday after the departure of the Special Service Squadron. HMS Chatham is to sail from Auckland on Tuesday next for the East, where she will operate in the East Indian Squadron. The majority of the members of HMS Dunedin’s complement have been transferred to HMS Chatham, and will return to England via Colombo. A number of officers and petty officers have arrived from England during the past few months to take up positions on HMS Dunedin.
Firefighter urges ambo renewal
At the monthly meeting of the Dunedin Fire Board yesterday afternoon the following letter was received from Superintendent A.G. Napier, of the Central Fire Station:
"The St John Ambulance motors have been called into service on 76 occasions, running 642 miles during the month of April, a feature of the month's work being the number of long distance calls, which were accounted for by the prevalence of diphtheria in certain districts. The present motor ambulance cars are totally unsuited for country transport work such as they are from time to time called upon to do, and the consequent unnecessary discomfort which the patients have to suffer is considerable. The time is past to beg for better ambulance transport. I take this opportunity of stating publicly that better provision for the transport of patients must be found, and that speedily, failing this the present facilities must of necessity be curtailed. In my opinion the executive of the St John Ambulance Association would be well advised to order at once an up-to-date, complete motor ambulance from England. The makeshift machines at present in use are quite unsuitable for much of the work they are called upon to do and great discomfort is the heritage of the mistaken idea of a cheap, converted car for ambulance work. I have not the least doubt that the money will be forthcoming if it is known that the need is urgent, and, personally, I can, as I have done before, endeavour to help, but the first thing is to order the machine."
Mr D.H. Rogers, the secretary of the St John Association, said that the association had done its best to raise funds for a new ambulance, but it had not been very successful. The association had made every effort to raise funds, and it was doing the best possible with the plant at its disposal.
Let’s talk about sex
"If a pupil can be instructed in such a manner that the subject is looked upon in a spirit of reverence and personality, if the instructor or instructress is powerful enough to restrain any prurient trait which may develop after the imparting of sex knowledge, then there can be no question that instruction is proper and safe, and will be welcomed by the profession and parents." Such was a typical expression of opinion in connection with the White Cross League's request to have instruction in Sex Hygiene included in the teaching of primary and secondary schools.
"It simply means the possibility of influencing the younger generation in the right direction and the eradication of ignorance", said an Auckland master. "It is a subject which the average parent hesitates to touch personally. I have been thanked for breaking the ice and inculcating in the mind of the child the proper spirit towards matters on which the mind is likely to be debased by knowledge gained from impure sources or associates."
Queens Gardens bottomless
As boring to a depth of 80 feet failed to find a solid bottom it is necessary to build the Dunedin War Memorial on a floating foundation and the architect is drawing up plans accordingly.
— ODT, 21.5.1924 (Compiled by Peter Dowden)
