NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 151, 23 December 1929, Page 10

NEWS OF THE DAY

Bronze Beetle Again. From many parts of the Dominion specimens of an insect which lias been found to be attacking blackberry plants are being continually forwarded to the Department of Agriculture and to the Cawthron Institute at Nelson. The senders hope that they have discovered something which may prove to bo a real destroyer of the Dominion's worst noxious weed. In every case, however, the insect has been identified as the bronze beetle, which is very commonly found upon blackberry and upon many other plants, to which it does considerable damage. Commenting upon this insect, Dr. D. Miller, entomologist at the Cawthron Institute, says:—"lt is indeed a very serious pest of apple trees, reducing the export value of the crop fully 25 per cent, each year. As a control for blackborry it is not sufficiently effective, and in any case cannot be encouraged on account of its depredations upon apples. Indeed the control of this insect is one of the major problems occupying our attention at the present time. It lays its eggs upon the roots of plants, and the life cycle occupies about a year." Christmas Seal Fund. "Very often when dealing with par-| ents with delicate children ono'of the finst tilings the officers were up against was finance," remarked Dr. Patterson, Director of School Hygiene, in a recent address to the- Nelson Education Board. Especially had they been trying to develop the work as to the prevention of tuberculosis. They had been trying to follow up in the school all children who were contacts of tuberculosis in their own homes, the idea being to ensure as far as possible that, the living conditions were such as to give those children the best living conditions possible. Tuberculosis was a complaint where nutrition counted enormously; and in this connection Dr. Patterson remarked that if the Christmas seal stamp was successful it would mean that there would be a certain amount of money available for children who under unfavourable conditions, would be subject to tuberculosis. It would be a tremendous thing if the fund was successful.

Waikato Cathedral Problem. Trouble seems to bo the lot of the Waikato diocese. Strong differences of opinion between the Bishop (Dr. Cherrington) and some of his clergy appear to have subsided, and now the cathedral itself is the cause of anxiety. St. Peter's Church, Hamilton, a handsome looking structure, but incomplete, is reported to bo structurally weak. It was taken as the Cathedral church of the newly created diooese, and bein^ the mother church of the Waikato and most centrally situated on a commanding position in the middle of the town, was considered in every way suitable as the Bishop's seat. 2?or many years the women's guild had worked to obtain funds for a very beautiful east window. The window has arriyed, but a structural problem has arisen which may prevent its being, set in its appointed place. At meetings of the congregation and the chapter, it was decided that none of the funds in the possession of tho cathedral treasurer should be expended except on permanent work., The cathedral architect, Mr. Or. S.. Eeid, has expressed the gravest anxiety as to tho wisdom of putting in the new window in the east wall in its present state. ' This raised the question of making the east wall sufficiently strong and the minimum cost was stated to be about £600. Further discussion raised the point whether the durability of the present structure was assured and if the site were suitable. A report in tho parish magazine states that as a result of an inspection of the cathedral by the greater chapter with the architect it was found that "The condition of the main rafters of tho roof, the cracks in tho tower, the generally shoddy appearance of the 'building, together with further information supplied by the archieet, as well as the congested nature of the site, all tended to fill those present with the greatest discouragement. It is too early to decide yet what steps we shall take, but at present it looks as if we shall have to turn our attention to another site and leave it to a future generation to build an entirely new cathedral."