THE Thames Advertiser. Favour to none; fear of none; justice to all. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 1899. Notes and Comments.

Thames Advertiser, Volume XXIX, Issue 9497, 28 November 1899, Page 2

THE Thames Advertiser. Favour to none; fear of none; justice to all. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 1899. Notes and Comments.

THE COOK STREET POI80NIN& • CASE. In a recent issue our Auckland correspondent stated that on the night of Friday, the 10th ina:, Mrs Wright, wife of Mr Thomas Wright, sailmaker, of Cook street at that city, and her four children, suffered from the : * ffeota of supposed ptomaine poisoning ' after partaking of some cheese which had been purchased at a store. Portions of tho cheese were takon possession of by the police authorities and handed over to Mr J. A. Pond, analyst, and Dr Maclaurin to be analysed The result of the analysis goes to show that the siokness could not have been due to ptomaine poisoning, but it is possible that sulphate of zinc may have been the disturbing eloment. The analysts, in their report, state :—" We have analysed these samples, mi have fou d_ no truces of tyrotoxicoa, the ptomaine, a poisonous alkaloid, which has on some occasions, though rarely, been found in cheese." Tho report adds that there is no evidence of any poisonous preservative in the rind, and goes on to say, "In the cheese in question we found zinc to the extent of 2-96 grains to the pound, calculated as sulphate of zinc. JHow this amount is not dangerous to life, but it is quite possible that portions of the cheese might contain a much larger propor* tion of this salt than others, and the symptoms observed aro consistent with poisoning by zinc salts. 'At one time zinc sulphate was habitually used in the manufacture of ohoeoe at some places in England, a practice which has been severely c ndemned. Whether in the present case tho zinc salt has been deliberately added, or whether tho contamination has cecumd through the use of zinc or galvanised iron utensils in the dairy, we cannot say, but an earnest warning should be given that the use of such utensils is attended with serious danger. As further that tho cheeae whioh we examined is not dangerous to life, we have fed several mice from two to three days from both samples without any apparent injufy to the animals. One of us has also ' partaken of the cheese submitted on two occasions. This was taken without other food, after fasting for four hours, more than half an ounce being taken on the second occasion I without any unpleasant symptoms being obseived." j

* # # * MINING UNDER MABIIAL LAW

The condition of the mining Industry in the Transvaal at the present time must be a very curious one. Martial law haf beea. proclaimed, and the mines where operations are in.progress are now working under the congenial administration of the Boer authorities • or at least, in the absence of authentic news, such is the "presumption. It may safely be believed that the mines [ will continue working if a sufficient staff of men can be obtained for the purpose, however the political or military aitnation may eventually develop, provided the necessary material is forthcoming. Even if the managements of the different mines were themselves inclined to slow up, there .s little doubt that the Dopper

bureaucracy would apply evory means at their command-and they are at present of the situation—to

the production at ita, highest I' pbssiblo/point, the. more especially as I" ihey are likely to be pressed for money I during the present campaign, There' ' is at the same time, every reason' to!/ suppose that hardly so satisfactory a'" production will be maintained as! has latterly been accustomed to, Already the scarcity of white skilled labor owing to tho recent exodus, is being felt ?.b a,cable informed;us pnly.'a few days ago," and' when the stress of the miliary situation becomeß acuteand for the present we are, of course, f only at tho commencement of it—a ' number of N material difficulties will ( make themselves foil. The exigencies ! iof the situation may compel the Boer.' I leaders to seize tho v hole of the stores I at the mines, which would throw obvious-and serious obstacles in the way of their continued working ; The current situation is, however, only a passing consideration, : .It is .pro- •■ verbially the darkest hour, which pre« cedeß the dawn, aud the present stage 'in the trials, whiph have afflicted the, joining industry, for so Jong a ; time pasty may, be merely the immediate;; precursor ;bf; a period of unoxampled prosperity. That this will be the case has become a di finite article h the creed of a large number of well known stock operators, who, as soon as war was declared began to pur«. chase, ~ - - - ;:r •

Tho Wakatere will leave ;the Thames this afternoon at 2.15 o'clock and not 1.15, as advertised erroneously.

Mr H. Greecslade' roturned to the Thames last'ovening from Gumtown'via The Settlers Track (Crosbio'a) andPungaFlat. "

Dr. T. 0. Williams severs his connection with the Thames Hospital on Thursday, and proceeds to Auckland immediately. Di\ Aubin > arrives here on Wednesday to assume the duties. of surgeon to the institution; .•■■ ; :

■ Tho Hon. Mr Cadman, who left the Thames by the,four o'clock trainifo'fTe Aioba on Saturday' afternoon returned yesterday morning 'and' liift'at'onoeforCoro. mandel,. travelling as f..r as Waikawau by buggy, and from thence to Coromandel on horsebaok.-

lhe Hgjj. E. J. Seddon, Premier, arrived at Paeroa from Waihi on Sunday af:ernoon and was mot by delegates from the various Liberal Labor Federations in the district. As a result of their deliberations we understand that tho Liberal League has decided to limit their voting to Messrs Drumm and Jaokson Palmer, and a poll will be taken shortly to decide which of these two candidates, the Federation will support.

Cricket appears to to in a laiiguisbing state in Waihi. It looks as if the affiliaiing again with the Ohinerauii Ac.ooiation is not going to havo the g.'eat effect that was fondly hopad for by Borne. It is now three w eks sinoo a match of any sort was played tbeto One feels inolined to think it would be almost better to throw the Association over, and to continue the district matches again. It would cer'ainly infuse far more merest into tho here.—Miner,

A meeting of the Hospital Trustees was ht-ld yf sterday afternoon, when [there were present Messrs Dunlop (in the Chair), Foy, and ! adford. The plans and specifications for the new surgeon's residence in connection with the hospital were tabled by the architect (Mr Mahoney) and approved of. Four tenders were opened for the erection of tire bui'ding, viz.: Mr Donovan, .4518;. Mr W. M. Hay, £498 12s; Mr C. E. Adams,'iGß.'O, and Mr Jas. (uombes, JM69 14s. On the motion of Mr Badford, seconded by Mr Foy, CoomlW tender, being the lowest, was accepted, l'he residence, the erection of which is to be proceeded with at once, 13 so bo built on the northern.side of the Hospital I oard office; "It will consist of the present'surgeon's residence,'with some additions;