The Otago Daily Times. MONDAY, APRIL 23, 1900.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11714, 23 April 1900, Page 4

The Otago Daily Times. MONDAY, APRIL 23, 1900.

Of the vexatiousness of the quarantine regulations that are now being imposed in New Zealand there can be no doubt. If in the face of a grave danger, such as the introduction of the bubonic plague into the colony, these regulations are necessary, those who are put to inconvenience and expense in consequence of them are, however, not entitled to complain. The principle which must govern the action of the authorities in the present emergency unquestionably is thatprivate rights must be suspended and private interests must be sacrificed when the preservation of the whole community demands so great an interference with individual liberty. As to that there can be no dispute. Where a difference of opinion mny, and does, arise is over the subject of the wisdom of the quarantine regulations. Are they necessary? Are they an effectual safeguard against the invasion of the colony by the plague? Are they move effectual than other measures would bo which would cause less inconvenience to individuals and involve corporations and individuals in less loss? TTnless the answer to these questions is an affirmative one, it must be manifest that the quarantine system is not worth continuing. It does afford some protection to the community, of course, but if less drastic measures arc likely to prove as effective there is absolutely no reason why these latter should not be adopted in preference. Now, science and experience should be our guides in a matter of this kind. It is at least significant that the weight of opinion in the medicnl profession is distinctly unfavourable to the quarantine system. Dr Batchelor, speaking with the double authority of one who "stands at the bead of his profession and of one who has been personally subjected to quarantine at Port Chalmersj affirms that the system that is in vogue is clumsy, obsolete, and— worst of atl—inefficient. But. this, criticism cf the arrangements we have adopted bo modifies

to some extent U> saying- I:lint the safeguard 'they afford is-disproportionate to tho loss and 'inconvenience caused, and that "just as efficient means are avails able-which would cause less disturbance to trade and less public inconvenience." Dr Batchelor does not adviso the abolition of quarantine, but he would. greatly restrict it. In his opinion passengers arriving from an infected port should, before they are permitted to land, be required to pass one night in a quarantine stirtioiij where their clothes and baggage should bo 'disinfected. The passengers should, he thinks, in tile morning take a bath containing some disinfecting fluid, and, themselves and their apparel having thus, been disinfected, they should then be permitted to land upon their undertaking to present themselves daily, for n specified period, for medical examination. This plan proposes the adoption of the system of "observation," supplemented by a precautionary measure in quarantine. Elsewhere the system of observation has. itself been regarded as sufficient. Quarantine has been • abandoned in England, and the Venice Convention agreed to the acceptance of the observation system in Europe. In parts of India, actually,. where plague has raged with appalling virulence, it has not been thought necessary to institute a system' of quarantine. In the Presidency of Madras, for example, a ship, though it may come from an infected port, is considered as free from infection if ■there has been no death or ease of plague on board, either before departure, during the voyage, of on arrival, and is give'ft free pratique at once. And the ploguc regulations even provide that,, in the case of a ship, with plague on board, the passengers who are. free from the infection may be disembarked subject to their submitting themselves to surveillance for a period not exceeding 10 days. In contrast'with what has in other countries been considered a sufficient precaution against the introduction of the plague, it must be confessed that the measures tliat have been adopted in New Zealand are suggestive of an un-called-for state of panic. The isolated position of this colony in itself constitutes an important safeguard, for, the incubation period of plague being about five days, no vessel can reach us from an infected port in which the infection, if any, among the passengers is not likely to have manifested itself before arrival here. But if the period of incubation should be longer than the average, the health of the community would be protected by the strict maintenance of surveillance over the passengers, for, as Dr Batchelor has pointed out, in all cases of plague recognisable symptoms of ill-health must appear for some time prior to the excretion of plague germs from the body, and when they present themselves the spread of the infection can be prevented by the rapid and thorough isolation of the patient. In.the light of all the knowledge that is available on the subject it certainly appears that quarantine, such as is being imposed in the colony, is unnecessary, and, if that is so, the heavy loss which is at present being thrown upon shippiug companies, and the disturbance to commerce which it entails, is unwarranted. After all, there is, in all likelihood, a greater danger of the introduction of plague • into the colony in the importation of goods carrying the germs than iv the admission of passengers from infected ports, and it is allimportant that there should be a careful and ■ absolute fumigation of every vessel that comes from an infected area, and of its cargo and of the personal effects of the passengers and crew. We are pleased to learn that, it is the intention of the Government to insist upon a perfect fumigation being carried out on all ships from ports outside the colony. "While this is so, the local bodies will be guilty of dereliction of duty if they leave any steps imtaken that would render the colony an uncongenial home for plague. In filth plague thrives; cleanliness is its enemy. When it invaded the Continent of Europe in the seventeenth century it was the advance of sanitary reform that gradually drove it but. And it is by attention to sanitation that our local bodies must prepare to meet it if it should come.

•-"Councillor" writes on the want of courtesy, displayed by the Mayor of Port Chalmers in peremptorily ordering Cr Innes Jo sit down when he wished to ask another councillor a question bearing'on an expression of opinion the lallef had just given. "Councillor" says it is an old-established rule that when a councillor is out of order lie is politely aslced to sit down, and the mayor jgivos an explanation as to his ruling. This was all Cr Innes asked Tor. Previous mayors, aiid especially the last in office; always treated the councillors fairly and with due consideration. .The.Hon. Thos. Fergus^nd Mr T. Brown being about to visit the Homo country, their fellow-members of the (Hugo Club gave a com-/ .plimentary dinner in their honour at the club j House on Friday evening.' The .1. C. Thomson (the president) presided, and every avail-able-seat; was occupied. A very pleasant evening was spent by all, the speeches being interspersed with music and recitations. ■Reference.-.was made to Hip. meeting of delegates from the Chambers of Commerce throughout tho Umpire to take place in London in June next, and which is to be attended by the gnests of the evening, as representatives of ,the Dunedin Chamber, and it was recognised that it would be ably and well represented by them. They were wished bon voyage, a pleasant trip, ijnd a safe return in ' a most enthusiastic and hearty manner. Mr fi-Tt 7. Lucy writes to tire Sydney Morning Herald:—"lndirectly, the effects of the Avar are felt in most of the ways of business life., There is no large commercial establishment in London that lias not had il« staff drawn upon. A member of (he Houso of Commons^ head of a firm of world-wide fame, whose assistants number something like a thousand, tells me tiiat, hearing that some of hie young men wero desirous of joining the volunteer corps, he in a moment of misguided enthusiasm promised to present each recruit with 550 for bis outfit. At the time of speaking to me he had, in fulfilment of his pledge, drawn cheques amounting to £2500. The railways, which employ a large number o{ army reserve men, have been put to serious inconvenience by the call to arms. In the innumerable flats that dominate London the hall porter is invariably an oid soklfrar on the reserve list. These have been called out by .the score, to the great inconvenience of the residents. The interruption of telegraph communication between London, tho northern counties, and Scotland, which took place a. fortnight ago, was of 'exceptionally long duration. In ordinary cases similar disaster is repaired within 24- hours. A fortnight ago the interruption extended over quite three days. A telegraph official tells me that this delay was directly due to depletion of the staff for service at the front. A large proportion of the out-of-door-workmen belong to the Engineers and other branches of the army, and,.these being called upon to rejoin t'»o colours, it has not yet been found possible to fill up their places with skilled men."j ■ The Rev.r\V. H. Sheppard, an American, in charge of the Presbyterian mission at Ltiebo, Congo Free State, has just formulated some shocking charges against the Government of that country. According to his story, a parly of 500 Zappo-Zaps had been tfent by the Free State to collect tribute of ivory and rubber from certain tribes, their orders being to •'■' make fire on all who refused an ample supj)ly." That order, it is alleged, was carried out with vigour. Many men, women, and children had been ruthlessly massacred, and Mr Sheppard, who liad gone on a special mission to the disturbed country to get at the facts, counted 81 right hands which had been cut off, and were being dried in order to show •to the Stale officials on their return! The leader, Melumba by name, readily told Mr Slieppard all that had taken place; and the latter, through the secretary of the Mission Board, has now given the facts to the world. ■ The members of tho Otago A. and P. Society are invited to nv;et at the Grand Hotel this afternoon at 4 o'clock to wisli bon voyage to the Hon. T. Fergus,' who is leaving bn°a visit to the old country. Mr Fergus leaves by to-morrow's express, to join the s.s. Gothic at Lyttelton. ■■ The's.s. Tarawera having been released from quarantine yesterday, Mr A. W. Baker (director of the South African Compounds Mission) will be at liberty to attend the reception meeting arranged for t-hir evening at the "Y.W.C.A. .ooms by tho ministers and other workers of the city. Mr John Wilkinson is to take the chair. The golden wedding of a respected townsman in the person of Mr Julius Hyman is to be celebrated on this day week. In connection With the celebration a religious service will be held next Sunday afternoon in the Synagogue, of the congregation of wJiich Mr Hyman is the president, and on the evening of the anniversary of the wedding a conversazione will be tendered to Mr and Mrs Hyman by numerous friends of all denominations, and various presentations will be made to them. These will include a very tasteful album, containing an illuminated address,: from the Jewish people of Dunedin, who will also present Mrs Hyman with a golden wreath and her husband with a golden souvenir badge, an emblem and address from the Masonic body, and an address from the Cheora Eindreßha, an organisation in connection with the Jewish denomination which Mr Hyman formed in Dunedin. A musical programme -will also be provided, and the happy event, upon which Mr and Mrs Hyman will be warmly congratulated by all their friends, will «i every respect be fittingly celebrated. ■ Sales of-grain and produce will be held to-day as follows-.-Messrs Donald Reid and Co., at 10 a.m.; Messrs Dalgety and Co., at 10.30 a.m. ■ Messrs A. Moritzson and Co., at 11 a m Messrs Park, Reynolds, and Co. will hold a sa^e of household furniture to-day on the premises, Leith street. The Farmers' Agency Company will sell ■prime fat wetkjrs at Burnside on Wednesday The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company will hold a sale of stock at Clnuon on Thursday next. ._A notice;to' ratepayers in the St. Kikla .Borough- appears j n oar advertising columns A^ notice to-intending passengers by tho ss Gothic appenrs elsewhere in this issue lenders are invited for the purchase for removal.of a dwelling house in High street. Umcers nnd members of the Zealandia Marino Masonic Lodge, No. 2GI, are requested to atf £ th<7* u"eral ot the Bro! E. Bauchop at.Port Chalmers.to-dav " S°tai?, a;s i .° ns of candidates for a. vacancy in the bt. Kilda Borough Council close pi noon of Monday, 30th inst. The first statutory general mectiii" of shareholders in the Point dOr Gold Dreclghi" Com-n-nefCo^ officS et^ t vMeBSrB Bl'°SThe name of Mr ".David Baxter was inadvertently omitted from the list of these present at. the meeting of the Charitable Aid Board on ThursdayTenders arc invited for the right of grazing stock on corporation reserves in the Wai? kouaiti district. Who is Pj3 TER i>i CK ?—The most reliable Watchmaker and Jeweller, opposite - Coffee John Hist.op. cidesi established Watchmaker and Jeweller, 74 Princes street. Good assortment Watches. Clocks, nnd Jewellery Spectacles suit all sights-,.—Atlvt. • New Season's D,rapery.—Caster and Co. have opened up ex. Kmigctira and Maori their first two shipments.' They have the Whakntane and Gothic here now with their third and fourth.shipments. Visit Carter and Co. early.— The place to purchase presents is undoubtedly Cr.-ancl '1. Young's, watch nnd jewellery establishment, 8S Princes street. Yon can always rely upon getting value for ram- monev'there See advt. first ];nj:p. .My mother nays you need only scan the newspapers to know which Teas to avoid bnyin» She never buys extensively advertised ten, or tea with which you are promised someihinr lor nothing. Jt :ill has to be paid for by reducing quality. She buys Ktizie, at 2s, and geta value ami purity always.—Advt. Treatment by massage and electricity for rheumatism, paralysis, nervous, and "joint troubles. Ifr and Mrs Edwtx Booth, Stuart etreet. Under medical patronage —&.a %. — The cost of entering the copyright of a literary work at Stationers' Hall is s*. THE 'MANY USES IT SERVES makes Brown and Poison's "Patent" Com Flour a prime favourite with every thrifty housewife and handy cook. It is not only a food for children and a diet for invalids; it san be used for a hundred light and appetising dishes. Mixed with milk, it is a deliciou-, substitute for pie-crust as a. covering for stewed fruit. It makes a splendid blancmange, or it can be mixed with fruit instead of milk to form moat attractive fruit jellies. Besides this, it is invaluable as a thickening for soups, sauces, nnd gravies. To got the best results it is, of course, necessary to use the best Corn Flour; so be sure you get Brown' and Poison's " Paieat" Corn Flour—the recognised best.