TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 9127, 11 June 1895, Page 4

TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Some corresppndenco baa I Sadden Deaths been appearing ia an ! in Auckland paper on the Auckland. que°tion of whether ; sadden deaths ore not much more common in New Zealand in general, and apparently Auckland in particular, than ia the case in England. One writer, taking it for grauted that a disproportionate number of such deaths did occur in the colony, gave expression to the dit-tum that sudden deaths came in with teadrinking, and a greater number occur out here because we drink more tea than people in England do. An unusual number of startlingly sudden deaths certainly have taken place in Auckland lately, and in order to ascertain if there was any foundation for the apprehensions which seemed to be felt in some quarters, a local doctor, who had just returned from a visit to England, waa invited to give his opinion on the subject. He at once said that he did not think sudden deaths were more frequent in New Zealand than in the Old Country. People, however, took more care of themselves there than they did here, and availed themselves more freely of medical advice. In a small community, too, like New Zealand such cases receive much greater publicity than they do at Home, which of course tends to confirm the impression that they are more common. The doctor is evidently no very great admirer of the Auckland climate. " There 13 no doubt," he said, " that we suffer from weak muscular action of the heart." He did not think tho climate had anything to do with causing the sudden deaths, but undoubtedly it predisposed to soft tissues, both muscular and mucous. Heart disease, moreover, was very prevalent in Auckland, and it was known that cases of consumption commencing there ran their course very rapidly. Japan, it was pointed out, was very similar in climate, and was about the worst place that anybody who was consumptive could go to. The Auckland climate, said tho doctor, was too mild and enervating, " The young people on the coast of the North Island undoubtedly lack hardihood, and one of the greatest evidences of it is the miserable teeth they possess. That is an indication everyone can see. Ido not suppose there are many places where dentists have ac many extractions as they have here." His remarks, be impressed upon his interviewer, related only to that particular coast line ; inland an entirely different class of people were bred, and the children in the Waikato were very different to those of Auckland. " Why," said the doctor, " the sleepiness of the people in Auckland is such that they always seem to seize the middle of the road to carry on a conversation; from choice if it is anywhere handy they select the middle of Shortland street at its junction with Queen street, about the busiest part of the city. They are so lethargic that one drives about in constant dread of driving over somebody," No greater testimony to the mildness of the Auckland climate could be furnished than is supplied by these latter remarks. We have not noticed any strong disposition* on the part of Ohriatchurch citizens to carry on long conversations at the junction of Colombo, Hereford, and High streets ; there is, as a rule, too much east wind about, even if they wished to do so. The newly-discovered element, argon, has been charged with giviug the. east wind its peculiarly piercing, shrivelling qualities, and judging from their sensations many residents of this city have come to the conclusion that the wind blowing in from the sea about five o'clock in the afternoon is nothing bijt argon.

An interesting and graphic A story of the native view of Pathan'a the fight north of the Panjkora Stosy. bridge, in the Chitral war, was given by a wounded Pathan prisoner to one of the correspondents with the troope. This fight, ifc will be remembered, was the one duriug which the brave Colonel Battye was shoe, as described in our columns yesterday. The Corps of Guides had eoflstiucted a bridge over the river, and were to protect it from the right bank, bub the native chiefs were struck with the brilliant idea of launching heavy logs from up stream to wreck the bridge, which was effectually accomplished. The prisoner described how the natives watched the "floating roadway "break up, how the news was signalled from bill to hill, and how the clans gathered for the fray, believing that the small detachment of British, separated from the main body, were delivered! igto theie hands, TUe mullahs preached the righteousness of their cause, and pointed out how Allah was mindful of his children by placiug »1000 rifles and much ammunition within their reach. " Now we sorely desired tiiose guns," said the prisoner, " and the'words of our mullahs excited us greatly." Having described in simple and vivid language the advance of the Guides next morning, and their subsequent masterly retreat) before the superior force of the enemy, the Pathan recounted how the mullahs and chiefs talked together and decided that they should creep upon their enemies in the night and fall upon them when the night was darkest. " Aud every man, , ' he said, " went willingly, for the guns were sorely needed. There were 2000 hilimeu who seb forth that night lo crawl up to the scldiera' camp. Wβ lay for hours in the wet fields, with the rain falling steadily, waiting far our chief to give the signal for the great rush. Word came round from chief to chief to be ready, and every man crouohed grasping bia weapon to run forward. But at that very "moment a devil's gun boomed forth, and lo * instead of« bullets and balls coming out, there burst over us a mighty light, so great that we thought the night had suddenly become day. And we cried aloud to Allah to abate his wrath against us, and when the great Jight faded we all hurried away, aud even oar mullahs bad do word to say." The explanation given bythecorrespondenb is that in order to guard against auy sudden night attack on the camp the British had fired a star shell. When such a shell burets it shows a brilliant magnesium light, vividly illuminating the surrounding country, and it was to such a peaceful method oi defence that the British force owed their escape from an onslaught in the dark, which might have resulted disastrously for them.