THE DISMISSAL OF HEALTH OFFICERS.

Evening Post, Volume LXVI, Issue 20, 23 July 1903, Page 6

THE DISMISSAL OF HEALTH OFFICERS.

[BT TELEGBAPH — PKESS ASSOCIATION.] CHRISTCHURCH, 22nd July.' Indignation succeeded s>urpris3 when it became known at Lyttelton to-day that I Dr. Upham had been dismissed in connec- , tion with the visit of the steamer Gracchus. His extreme conscientiousness in the discharge of his duties is widely recognised. Dr. Upham would divulge I nothing. It is understood, however, that i he first visited the Gracchus 'in his private capacity as a medical practitioner, and diagnosed a. case on board as smallI pox. He at once communicated with Dr. I Finch, Chief Health Officer for Canterbury, who agreed with the diagnosis, and , took the directions deemed necessary to deal with the situation.

The value of the hemp produced) in New Zealand during the past twelve months was about £750,000, and there is every indication that the output will be much larger during the current year. The number of mills is on the increase, and Mr. Fulton, the Chief Hemp Grader, states that there is < a-,genuine desire on tHe part of millers' to put the industry on a more satisfactory basis than it has ever been. Mr. Fulton finds there is a noticeable improvement of late months in the quality of the fibre from many of the mills, but he is not quite satisfied with what some of the millers are sending out. He is now going round the colony inspecting the. mills aoid conferring with the owners with the object of giving the latter the benefit of his experience. The tow which is being produced at a number of mills is a decided improvement on the article turned out a few years ago, and is readily saleable. Some of it has realised as muoh 1 as £13 a ton at Home. The Mataura Paper Mills use a good deal of it, and it'is aJso worked up for the backing of linoleums and other manufacturing purposes at Home. The idea of inaugurating a Harbour Boards Association was mooted at the meeting of the Wellington Harbour Board to-day by Mr. D. J. Nathan, who moved — "That a letter be sent to each of the Harbour Boards in New Zealand suggesting that a Harbour Boards Association should be formed, somewhat on the lines of the Municipal Association, to enable matters of mutual interest and of policy to be discussed, and to provide for concerted action in any matters affecting Harbour Boards." The mover argued that an Association would have greater weight with the Government and with the public than a Board working single-handed, and he believed that it would be found of use in relation to questions' of constitution, labour, superannuation, etc. The municipalities had found their Association of considerable value. The Hon. F. H. Fraser seconded the motion, which waa carried without discussion, and without dissent. Signor Bragato, the Government Viticulturist, »'ho went to New South Waleslast niontHrwitli a commission to purchase a stock of phylloxera-resisting vines, returned to Wellington by the Moeraki today. He was able to secure 50,000 vines at a very reasonable price, and has arranged to have some of them sent to Wellington aud the remainder to .Auckland. Signor Bragato considers that his mission has been an entire success, and he is satisfied that the new vines will do much to advance the New Zealand wine industry. It is probable that some of the vines just purchased in New South Wales will be distributed amongst private growers in various parts of the colouy.

AFFAIRS IN TONGA. « fBT TKLEURAPH — PRESS ASSOCIATION.] AUCKLAND, This Day. The Star's Tonga correspondent writes : —The nimour with regard to the annexation of Tonga is unfounded, and all here sincerely hope that our peaceable natives will be left alone. The merchant's in the group are perfectly satisfied with the Administration and existing laws. On 3rd June the British flag was hoisted on the Tonga flagstaff and saluted as an apology to Mr. Hunter, British Consular Agent, who accused the Government of treating him in an insulting manner on the -occasion of the visit of the Governor, Sir H,. M. Jackson, who was not allowed to land in consequence of the prevalence of measles at Fiji, the previous port of call. It appears that Mr. Hunter was stopped by a sentry when he went ashore to get audience -with the King. The Consul complained to the High Commissioner of the conduct of the sentry, and the King was requested to salute "the British flag as an apology. The nobles and chiefs are grieved at the construction put upon the occurrence. The indebtedness of the Tongan Government outside the Kingdom is £160.