NOTES AND COMMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10565, 5 October 1897, Page 4

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Melbourne: will hare the finest abattoirs in Australia , when some improvements, agreed upon by the city health committee, and estimated to cost £12,000, are carried out. The buildings at present in use for slaughtering purposes at 'Fleming ton are not only too small in capacity, but oldfashioned, inconvenient, and defective in their sanitary arrangements. Some are to be removed at once, others gradually, as the requirements of the trade demand. Those to bo retained for the present are the mutton houses. There is to be an entirely new set of buildings for the killing arid hanging of beef. These will be erected in pursuance of a plan for ultimately effecting • complete separation between the two processes of slaughtering beef' and mutton.- Eight large- killing'places' are tojw added to the 25 already existing at the abattoirs, and in ventilation, drainage, floorings—in short, in every respect— the new, buildings will be superior to the old. Through lack of sufficient accommodation- in the existing buildings a large quantity of meat is constantly' being re-' moved before it becomes "set," but this is now to be provided against, and there will be improved means of collecting the blood by drains under the floors. The blood is desiccated on the premises, and meets with a very ready sale at about £3 10s per ton,' having rich fertilising qualities as a manure. The corporation has in view a future concentration at these abattoirs qf all the slaughtering done for the butchering trade in and near Melbourne. This will mean a total abolition of private slaughter houses, as has been donein the large centres of France and Germany for the purpose of ensuring bettor sanitary supervision and a more certain detection of diseased meat.

The commission under the direction of Professor Koch, which investigated the origin of the plague in India, has issued its report. It states that the plague bacillus outside the human body of certain animals has very brief vitality. Pure cultures with which experiments were made were killed, by sublimates at boiling temperature immediately, by mineral acids in five minutes, by a solution of one per cent, of carbolio acid in ten minutes, and by milk of limo exposed. to sunlight in one hour. The duration of the life of the bacillus was found to be from eight to ten days at the most. The bacilli could not develop without the influence of atmospheric oxygen. Experiments on animals showed various results.. Rats were found to be in the highest degree susceptible, and to be spreading the plague germs and communicating them to human, beings. For experiments with the objeob of producing immunity apes wore used, and it was ascertained that grey apes were' as highly susceptible as rats, while brown apes, were lees no. Immunity was established after a lapse of between five and seven days. Apes thus treate* possessed a high degree of immunity and could endure; a large quantity of plague culture, about two milligrammes. For the pur. poses of serum experiments Yersine serum was employed. Its protective power in the case of brown apes did not'exceed eight days. Strong injections of serum proved to be -of unquestionable curative officacy. The Commission observed only isolated cases of illness among people camping in the open, while among those who had remained indoors the epidemic continued. its ravages without abatement. Professor Haffkine'e system of inoculation, .which was applied to 1400 patients, showed, undoubted protective results, although a number of the patients were taken ill in consequence of the inoculation.

; The over-capitalisation 'of mining com panies was specially dealt with by the Victorian Secretary for Mines in his last annual report ' His observations on this ' subject have attracted attention in Stock Exchange circles in London, for 'comments on his remarks appear in ; several of the financial and trade journals received from England by the last mail. Generally these papers seem to regard the warning as well-timed and very { necessary. In his ■■ report the secretary ' pointed out as an instance of the evil : thai 15 mining; companies were lotted in London) in 1896,' with an tvertge capital of over £100,000, while ;lie ,v average capital of companies ecently • floated in Victoria ; was from £34,000 to £35,000. .*■" It is quite reasonable 0 assume,'' the Secretary' for Mines added, 1 That i mine might pay (air dividends on

!!®k

» working capital of £40,000. used solely fo, ' developing such mine, but would tawifeTlM be a failure on a capital of £100,000, £60, ' of which passed into the hhfr'-frWffg broilers as commission for floating the cm;. '4 pany. When the English capibalUta tteJ. ;, '"r" niae the force of this assumption it), they will find that the Viotoriii'. jjojj. " fields afford unlimited scope for profiUbli investment I '.. Alluding to these /remirkrfti the London Mining Journal obwrt* •,! "The* are wise and weighty words, and •" echo our own sentiments !on this mitt* They strike at the root of a very and one which we almost despair of Wring wll eradicated. At any rate, iftrHtors Maty ■ be wise to take these, words'to heart, tad lb act up to the writer's counsel in the futon ''' when mines, Victorian or otherwise, an !?|i floated on the market." , y^||§ Some desperate fighting ii reported frSi'lfl the Afghan frontier. The rebel poiitiot Agrat was stormed after shot the tribesmen stubbornly defending them- 'ill selves. Three British officer* »nd ; thnl" : .\# privates were killed, and several othen '"fi wounded. It is stated that it it useless te ■ treat with the tribesmen until they haw?® been thoroughly crushed. The Greek Chamber of Deputies has. tacitly acquiesced in the peace proposals. The Frenchlf||| Minister of Foreign Affairs proposes thi"ju| appointment of a joint Commission for tlx 'M settlement of - all outstanding disputes' be. tween France and Britain in West Afrieli; Senor S&gaita, the Spanish Liberal leader, is forming a strong Government. Tbegg§j American newspapers express'approval el '-H the names suggested for the new Ministry, The South Wales and Monmouthshire miners intend to terminate the slidinj a scale. The Belgian Miners' Congress hairi||;f| threatened to order a genoral strike unless an increase in wages is conceded. Mr. si %'| H. Savage Landor, an artist and trawller ; who attempted to reach the capital of'g| Thibet, experienced terrible treatment. H< ( ran out of provisions, was deserted by hit f followers, and subjected to terrible torture* 'i at the hands of the Thibetans. ' . : Mp ===== 'M LOCAL AND GENERAL NEW? Ml -

Good progress! has been made with..th||pji work of forming a truck to the suminil of Rangitoto, and erecting a wharf at the island. The contractors for the fdr.,'.-i'i-'. nation of the road have completed theii f'sf work, and a splendid road is now available 1; ? from the bottom to the top of the cons. M Owing to. the site of the wharf having beei ;(:Y changed, another two chains of roaa will ; have to be formed, and though this work • will present more difficulties than did l thi'i|pj other portion of the road it is expected that $$0 all the formation work will be completed % shortly. The wharf will be about 60 f«i§v& long and about nine feet wide, and at the W end there will be a tee 40 feet long. Tbi»S|s| work is well advanced, and it is expected that in a few weeks the formation of thsi|fo@ road and construction of the wharf will be | completed. . {Mm . The coroner's enquiry into the circumstances surrounding the fatal railway crow > ;- : - ing accident of Friday night last wii continued at the Auckland Hospital yesterday before Mr. Ebenezer Baker (coroner) 0A and a jury of six, Mr. John Burton being foreman. A number of the passengers on V? the ill-fated 'bus and onlookers gave evidence. A detailed report of the enquiry, which will be continued to-day, appears in another part of this issue. ( i A fire broke out on Sunday night (write* ,-1% our Paeroa correspondent) in a four-roomed cottage, owned by Mr. Parker and tenanted by Mrs. Blank. It was discovered in an early stage, and an alarm having bsen given the flames were speedily extinguished, • though not before damage to the extent 01-|ji £30 was done. The building was insured tiyj for £70 in the Phoenix office. , • - Cws On Saturday afternoon the steam-launch Despatch went down to St;' Heliers Bay, with a number of the members of St. George's, Rowing. Club, to search for the body of Mr, Brodie. oria of the victims in ' the late boating disaster. A thorough i search' was made all along ,the bay by the - t party, but without any result. On Sunday several whaleboats of the club, manned by members, made a further search, and, not-, withstanding the bad weather, continued at the work until dark. . M T */"<§§ Two men, named Charles and Joseph Shivnan, were charged yesterday at the Police Court with drunkenness and resist*' ing the police. They were' arrested on - ' Saturday, and liberated on their own re-V sg cognizances to appear before the Court onv.V'g Monday. They pleaded guilty to both charges, and as they had no explanation of their conduct to offer, were each convicted Mid sentenced to one month's imprison-, irient. When the Court business was |§| Snished, however, Mr. Napier appeared on >J";J behalf of Charles Shivnan, and asked .ttf&ag lave the sentence reduced to a fine. Shin V ' "; : j lan, he stated, was doing business as t blacksmith, and imprisonment, even for a"' nontb, would mean financial ruin. As the . * jolice had .no objection to such a course, lis Worship agreed to give both men an- - : Jj ither chance, arid reduced the sentence to •''s i fine of £10.' Charles Shivnan was also vi irdered to pay £2 Is 6d for damage done o Constable Eraser's uniform in the/,/ truggle that ensued when the men were 'M ieing arrested.

The series of concerts which have been 'M so successfully conducted by Mr. F. R. Dix during the past winter wan brought « to a conclusion last night at the City Hall, 0 when the 26th entertainment was given/ There was a crowded house. Beforethi;^

programme opened Mr. Dix announced that, -i at five o'clock that evening the police had waited on Mm and stated that if the sewing 'M machine was given away as had been adrer . H| tised they would be obliged to prosecutl |'| him, Mr. Dix offered to give back the ad« . % mission money to those who wished ib, and ' apologised for the disappointment. Only '' : ; s three boys filed out. Madame Cadzow con« tributed a pianoforte selection, and accom*, 'i:|i panied with her usual taste. Miss Ma; Uudijing was also successful in her vocal items;/"Waitine," "May Morning,' 1 and "0, Maritana" (the last with Mr. Cadzow). >i| Mr. W. B. Cadzow pleased tho audience greatly by bis singing of " MacGregor's -|g Gathering," "Romany Lass," "Esther O'Flynn," and his duet with Miss Dudding. A recall followed each item. Mr. George jjgj Garry's cornet solos, " Death of Nelson," j| and "A Che la Assorta," were charmingly played, and gained him enthusiastic applause. Well received items were also if given by Master Garrv, Mr. M. Lewis. Mr. a P. Stein, and Mr. T. W. Allen. Mr. P. R. 1 Dix thauked his numerous patrons for their generous support during the last seven j|i months. The opening run of cyclists, under the 'ffl auspices of the Auckland Cycling Club, will take place on Saturday next. The .% route chosen is a popular* one, being from , M Devonport ferry tee, via Queen-street, ;|i Albert-street, Hobson-streek, ' Pitt-street, Karangahape Road, to Three Lamp*, :'v thence to the Choral Hall, via Ponsonby Road, Karangahape Road, and Lowm Symonds-atreeD. The club have endeavoured to popularise the run this year by offering some valuable trophies for thl >>§| handsomest, moat original, and moil •»;>$ comical costumes, together with a trophy for the best . decorated bicycle. It is expected that a large number of cyclist* will join in the procession, which starts ab:pK a-quarter past two p.m. i§m

The series of Jubilee Kinematograph ; ; |k pictures to be' displayed at the Opera - House oil Monday next and following even* j:jo inge, were secured during the great pro-, Vs cession, ' The views were taken at different) points of the route, >and conclude with •jSpl striking presentment of the Royal party i|| arming at St. Paul's. Crowded house! hare witnessed the exhibition in Christchurch, Dunedin, Wellington, and Napier, the audiences greeting the pictures of He! g! i Majesty with great cheering, and singing verm of" God Save the Queen.", • ; . . The Mario-Gardiner Company appear foi two nights only : at the Opera House, on ;¥g Friday and Saturday next. , The company includes Mr.?Mario (late of i the? Flying-M Jordang Company) one 'of the, finest per- ;vj formers on the' horizontal bars that has yevgiJ-; .visited the colonies. The -Gardiner family -j|| of instrumentalists ; are < also well-known. The ; company should meet with - • Mara rga| reception in Auckland. The' bos pla» it .j®, | at Messrs. Wildman and Lyella.