The Evening Star MONDAY, MARCH 19, 1888.

Evening Star, Issue 7474, 19 March 1888, Page 2

The Evening Star MONDAY, MARCH 19, 1888.

The Mariposa, with the outward mail, arrived at San Francisco on the 17th inst,, one day in advance of contract time. A three - roomed cottage at Otekaike, belonging to Mr J. Porter, was burned down on the 14th inst. Insurance—L.loo in the South British Olfice.

The Premier was invited to attend the Home Rule meeting at Wellington last week but declined. He forwarded the following explanatory letter:—“My opinion upon this subject is well known, and my sincere sympathy is with those who desire to see Home Rule established in Ireland, with the view not only of doing justice to the Irish people, but of strengthening.the Union now subsisting between Great Britain and Ireland ; but, while occupying the important position which I have now the honor to hold, I do not think I should bo justified in attending any public meeting on this question, as my doing so might not unreasonably be taken as an attempt on my part to commit a large number of my fellow colonists, who, unfortunately, do not think as I do upon this important subject."

Friday’s rainstorm was genera 1 throughout North Canterbury. At Southbridge and Springfield severe thunderstorms were experienced. At Kaiapoi the water broke through the embankment at Charles street, and the north-east part of the town was flooded ; but the water did not attain within 2ft of the inundation of last June. No damage occurred to the railway, but a good deal to small bridges, culverts, and corn in stock. Not much live stock has been lost. The Rakaia was flooded heavily, and four piles of the railway bridge were carried away, the train passengers having to walk over the bridge.

A deputation from the Oamaru School Committee informally waited on the Colonial Secretary on Saturday and represented that the result of the new regulation providing for attendances being calculated on the strict average would be to lower the teachers’ salaries, and also the allowances made to school committees ; and, besides, it might end in an assistant having to be dispensed with at the Middle School and at other schools of the kind. According to the ‘ North Otago Times,’ Mr Hislop said, in reply, that he would see the Minister of Education on the subject, so that inquiries might be made as to the effects of the regulation in other school districts. If these effects were found to correspond with those mentioned by the deputation, the new regulation would have to be reconsidered.

The last of the pleasant Saturday afternoon excursions by the Union Steam Ship Company’s steamers was made on Saturday by the Penguin, which was fairly patronised, considering the threatening state of the weather. The Navals Band was in attendance, and played some inspiriting music on the run down and back. The steamer went for a three-quarter of an hour spin outside, and though there was a good sea on few people were inconvenienced. On returning the engines were slowed while passing the Opal, and she was saluted with three ringing cheers, the band meanwhile playing an appropriate air. We hope that these excursions will be begun much earlier next summer.

Late Home papers report the death of General A. F. Ansell, who was one of the fathers of the British Army. He was educated at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, whence he obtained his commission in 1820, his lieutenancy in 1836, captain in 1832, major in 1846, lieutenant-colonel in 1854, colonel in 1858, major-general in 1872, lieutenant-general in 1877, and general July 1, 1881, having been nearly sixty-eight years in the army. He served in the 74th Highlanders thirty years, and was employed upon the Staff in Nova Scotia from 1853 to 1872, when he lesigned on promotion to major-general. He had received a good service pension as a reward for his long and meritorious services. Deceased was the last surviving brother of the late Mrs Cargill, of Hillside.

In our report of the Dunedin Irish Bifles’ concert in eur Saturday’s issue we omitted to mention that Miss B. Joel gave a piano solo. The South Dunedin Bifles are in future to be known as the “Dunedin City Rifles,” the Governor having approved of the change of designation. The new title will be less likely to mislead as to the place of drill of the corps. To-morrow evening a new lieutenant will be elected and vacancies in the ranks will be filled by desirable men. The attention of members of the Dunedin City Rifles is directed to the advet tisement in another column.

The March number of the 'New Zealand Medioal Journal ’ is of special interest to the profession. Dr Alexander’s article on insanity m this colony, which has, we belieye, been since amplified and issued in pamphlet form, tcjla us some startling things. The Old Country still contributes the great bulk of our insane—viz., 1,302 out of a total of 1,613, whilst only 111 wore colonial-born. The Maoris contribute 21 for a population of 50,000, and the Chinese the same quota for a population of only 3,000. There has for sopse years been a steady annual increase of the numbers jp opr asylums at the rate of about 80. Attentiop is palled to the great cost of mamtainipg our huge asylums, ranging from L3OO a head at Seachff to Ll2 a bead at Hokitika, and a comparison instituted between the system we have adopted and that practised in America, and eulogised by Dr Tpke, of Sydney, of building asylums of lipflted size for the treatment of chronic cases—" country asylurps, ” as they are called, accommodatiug IQO patients, and costing LGO a bed and 8s 9d per capita fop maintenance. Dr Alexander further urges that a trial should be given to the boarding-out systems and that idiotic children should be gathered together and placed in a separate building attached to one of the asylums, Dy Gordon Macdonald details the results of big inquiries of his professional brethren as to tho causes of the frequency here of a disease peculiar to women, and is pursuing simi ar investigations as to the frequency of hydatids, Dr Maunsell records two operations Success-

fully performed by himself and assistants—one being, it is believed, the first successful operation for thyroidectomy (removal of a swelling in the lower part of tho neck) in the colonies. The editorial laments the presence of so many advertising quacks, and the apparent powerlessness of the law to deal with them. In the unsatisfactory state of tho law of libel, the Press cannot bo expected to run risks, when unprincipled men can readily command tho services of unprincipled lawyers. The doctors must look to this matter themselves, and agitate for greater safeguards in the_ way of admitting men to the practice of medicine, and at the same time purge their own ranks of men who have brought discredit on an honorable profession. “It would be no hardship,” the editor fairly says, “to ask a properly-qualified man to pass a test examination, and to prepuce evidence of good character from some reliable source before registration.”