OCCASIONAL NOTE

There is a prospect of an advance in public health work in the Central Provinces as in Bengal and elsewhere. The official Resolution on the Central Provinces Sanitary Department’s report for 1918 points out that proposals are now under consideration for the development of the Department by the appointment of Deputy Sanitary Commissioners, the establishment of a Public Health Research Institute, and the development of a Sanitary Service for work in rural areas. At present, it is stated, the chief difficulty lies in the obtaining of properly qualified officers for the work. There is wide scope for useful service in this direction, as Lord Ronaldshay has pointed out in Bengal, if the right men can be found. It is much easier to sketch out an organisation on paper than to get the men who can turn it to good account. In the Central Provinces it appears that municipal committees have been slow to understand the real aim and importance of the sanitary bylaws which are in force in their jurisdiction and to ensure that these bylaws are properly carried into effect. Improvement in this respect, says the Resolution, can only come gradually as people are educated into appreciating the significance of sanitary discipline and the cost to human life of its neglect. Here as elsewhere, it is the human factor that counts. More workers are wanted, and the people themselves must learn the value of self-help in public sanitation.

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PRIMARY EDUCATION IN LAHORE

LAHORE, OCT 16

The Municipal Committee of Lahore, at its general committee meeting, proposed that the provisions of Part II of the Punjab Compulsory Primary Education Act of 1919 be introduced within the area of Lahore municipality. A notice, as required under the Provisions Act, has been issued asking all persons likely to be affected thereby to send their objections in writing to the Secretary, Lahore Municipal Committee, within 80 days from the date of notice, along with a notification of Part II of the Act relating to the duties of parents in regard to sending boys to school. Provisions as to reasonable excuses for non-attendance, school accommodation, equipment and staff, remission of fees, penalties for neglect by parents, unlawful employment of boys, etc., are also published.

PRICE OF COAL

RANGOON, OCT 16

The Burma Chamber of Commerce record the receipt of a letter from a member stating that he could buy coal in Calcutta for January delivery at Rs 10 per ton, but the Coal Controller insisted on his selling Government stocks at Rs 12 per ton. The Chamber has written to the Indian Government urging that the right of purchasing coal in the open market be conceded at all events to industrial India. The Chamber also considered a letter from one of its members urging the omission of prices from the Customs daily list, as it was not desirable that competitors and customers be placed in possession of such information. The Chamber replied that it does not consider it would be in the general interest of commerce to urge the deletion of such information.

PEACE CELEBRATIONS

BANGALORE, OCT 16

The Hon. Mr. H.V. Cobb, British Resident in Mysore, presided over a meeting at the Residency of officials and non-officials and representatives of the Europeans and Indians of the station, to consider arrangements in connection with the peace celebrations in India which are to take place on the 13th December and subsequent days. Major General Cross Barratt was also present. Mr. Cobb read extracts from the letter of the Government of India on the subject, and also suggestions made by the committee appointed by the Government of India to consider the nature of the celebrations that should be held in India. Residents of Bangalore had made generous contributions to the local armistice celebration in November last, and be had again requested them for contributions towards peace celebrations.

ROME-TOKIO FLIGHT

BOMBAY, OCT 16

Apropos the details wired a few days ago of the arrangements which have been made for d’Annunzio’s projected flight from Rome to Tokio on the authority of a party of Italian airmen who had come to the East to make the preliminary arrangements, the latest mail papers state that in view of the Fiume exploit the Italian Government has taken steps which mean the abandonment of the flight. The Italian Government, after the flight to Fiume of some Italian pilots to join d’Annunzio’s ranks, put out of use, by taking away essential pieces of the engines, all aeroplanes, civil and military, in the kingdom. The Italian aviators now in India appear to be ignorant of this development.