The Timaru Herald. SATURDAY, AUGUST 4, 1883.

Timaru Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 2766, 4 August 1883, Page 2

The Timaru Herald. SATURDAY, AUGUST 4, 1883.

Little by little the magnitude of the enoruioua loss indicted on New Zealand by the rabbit pest, is coming to be realised. The (statement that the rabbit question is one of national concern no longer excites contemptuous laughter m the Legislature, as it did a few years ago. " Liberal" politicians no longer seek popularity, as they did a few years ago, by declaring that the rabbits ought to be encouraged as a means of driving out the squatters. The thing is becoming too serious, and the time is not far distant when even tho most thoughtless and irresponsible amongst our public men -will be compelled to give attention to it. The inhabitants of New Zealand are gradually awakening to the fact that if they do not suppress the rabbits, the rabbits will most assuredly suppress them. It was not very long ago when the idea of the Government having anything to do with the destruction of rabbits, was scouted as ridiculous. That was the affair of the squatters, it was said. Let them kill the bunnies at their own expense, ov else let anybody who liked, go on tho runs and shoot them. Now we have a regularly organised rabbit department, and the annual expenditure on this service is £10,000. It is well known that that amount is not half enough ; and those who understand the question best are of opinion that it would actually be economical to expend £50,000 instead of £10,000. Sir John Hall, who knew very well what ho was talking about, warned the House that if they stinted money m this matter at first they would see the charge mount up to £100,000 a year before they had done with it. Many people, perhaps, would say that is nonsense, because the House would not vote such a sum, and the taxpayer would not stand it. But if those who talk like this will only take the trouble to look into the question for themselves, they will see that neither the House nor the taxpayers will have any choice aa to providing the money. They must find any amount that is required for combatting the rabbit nuisance, and the less they lay out at first, the more they will have to pay m the long run. If the voice of warning had been listened to ten years ago ; if only the same means had been employed then that are being employed now ; the public expenditure on the destruction of rabbits might have already ceased, and a public loss by rabbits of millions sterling, — not hundreds, or thousands, but millions sterling — would have been obviated. If more vigorous efforts are not soon made than are being made now, the drain on the Treasury for this purpose will assume larger proportions every year, and the loss to the country will be simply ruinous. We must say, taking a practical and bnsiness-like retrospect of the rabbit question from the time when it first came into public notice, it is astonishing to see how far the Government, the Legislature and the public still are from recognising tho necessity for x'esolute and effective action regarding it. They are slowly coming to recognise it, but while they are slowly coming tho necessity is rapidly growing more and more urgent ; and if they do not accelerate their pace, the necessity will one day overwhelm them altogether. The fact is the rabbit nuisance has already reached a stage where the facts connected with it are not easily believed. They are partially believed, because the evidences of them are partially visible ; but they are not fully believed, because they are too startling to be readily comprehended. It is noticeable, too,

that the more strikingly the facts are stated, the less willing the authorities and the public are to give heed to them. When it is a question of a farthing rate, on a few thousands of pounds for a steam service, or some trifle like that, everybody takes an intelligent interest m it, and the welfare of the colony is usually well looked after under the pressure of a sound and active public opinion. But when it comes to millions, people shrug their shoulders, and say it may be all true, but they doubt it, and anyhow, it's not their business. Tet it is all true, and it is their business ; and if they only knew it, they are now at this moment, all classes alike, paying dearly for the past neglect of tho rabbit question. Why are so many people, so many thousands of families, m straitened circumstances just now m New Zealand P Because the times are dull, and all branches of trade are stagnant and depressed. Why are the times dull, and all branches of trade stagnant and depressed ? Because the spending power of the people is diminished down to a point where they must either live very quietly or else get into debt. Why is the spending power of the people thus diminished ? Because the value of tho staple export of the colony, wool, has fallen off alarmingly. Why has the value of this all important export thus fallen off ? Because tho rabbits have destroyed the pastures which formerly produced the wool. That is the whole story m brief. If figures are asked for, and will be studied, here they aro. The Registrar-General's returns show that m 1874, there were m the colony 1,181,360 acres under artificial grass, that there were 11,704,853 sheep, and that the value of vrool exported was £2,832,695. There were rabbits enough, even then, and the value of rabbit skins exported was £1878. In the year 1878, after the rabbits had had four years' longer license, there were 2,608,839 acres under artificial grass, there were 13,069,338 sheep, and the value of the wool exported was £3,292,807. It will be seen that though the area under artificial grass had been extended by 150 per cent, the number of sheep had only increased by 12 per cent, and the value of wool exported by 16 per cent. This is at once explained when we learn that during the same interval the value of the rabbit skins espovted bad risen from £1878 to £33,460, — an increase of 1700 per cent! But let us go on. In the year 1881, three years later, there were 3,556,949 acres under artificial grass, there were 12,985,085 sheep, and the value of wool exported was £2,909,760. The area under artificial grass had increased during the three years by 948,110 acres; but the number of sheep had actually decreased by 84,253, and the value of wool exported had also decreased by £383,047. Meanwhile the value of rabbit skins exported had risen from £33,460 to £84,774. It should be mentioned with reference to the " value " of rabbit skins exported, that it costs nearly £2 to get £1 worth of skins. Last year, notwithstanding an increase of about 400,000 acres m the area of land under artificial grass, there was scarcely any increase m the number of sheep and only a slight improvement m the value of wool exported. In short, though the colonists have gone to the expense of bringing 2,756,700 acres of land under artificial grass, besides effecting vast improvements m their flocks, and m the management of their business, since 1874, they still stand just about where they did then, as regards the number of their sheep and the value of their wool. The rabbits have deprived the country of the profits of all that outlay and enterprise — profits which but for tho rabbits would by this time have reached at least £1,500,000 per annum. The country, that is to say, is now suffering, and has for some years suffered, a loss by rabbits of over a million a year m solid cash. That money just makes all the difference between prosperity and depression, between progress and stagnation. We have read with much interest, two letters which Mr 0. de V. Teschemaker, of Nelson, has recently published on this subject, and m which he sets forth all these facts m a very striking way. He comes to the conclusion that the loss to the country by rabbits has already amounted to ten millions sterling, and that the annual loss is at present about equal to the charge for interest and sinking fund on the public debt. In ten years' time, he calculates, if the loss goes on increasing m the ratio of the last ten years, the colony will be absolutely ruined. We believe he is perfectly right. But we do not think that ratio will be maintained, because the time is at hand when the Government will be compelled by irresistible circumstances to take Che rabbit question m hand m such an effective manner as at least to stave off the catastrophe which Mr Teschemaker contemplates. But every day'B delay means increased loss and increased cost.

Fhozen Mbat. — The Committee appointed at the public meoting held last Saturday, re the meat-freezing industry, will meet at tbo Ship Hotel nt two o'clock this afternoon. Bailwat Book Stall. — Messrs P. W. Ilutton and Co. bare, ■no learn, secured the right for two years and a half, to keep .a book stall nt tho Timaru railway station. The stall will bo a great boon to the travelling public, and wo trust it may also prove o sourco of considerable profit to the proprietors. Theatre Royai,. — Mr Kook's diorama of scenes m Egypt and incidents m the lato war will open this evening m tho Theatro Royal. It will also bo on exhibition on Mouday and lucaday orenings. Tho diorama has, we beliove, been thought a good doal of m tho Southern towns. Anxivebsaky Sbbvices.— Tho Congregational Sunday-school anniversary will bo celebrated to-morrow m tho Church, when special sermons will be preached morning and evening. In tho afternoon at 2.30, the scholars will perform the pleasing scrvico of song entitled " Jessica's First Prayer." At cacli serrico there will be collections m aid of tho Sunday-school fund. Mechanics' Institute. — The President of tho Timaru Mechanics' Institute publishes an abstract of a Bill introduced m the House of Representatives by Mr Turnbull yesterday. Its purpose is to extend the borrowing powers of tho Managing Committee to enable them to borrow a sum of money not exceeding £3000 to build a public hall on the vacant portion of tho Institute section. 1.0.G.T. — Tho usual weekly meeting of tho Anchor of Hope Lodge was held on Thursday lost, Bro. Gibson presiding. Tho Lodge was opened m duo form. One candidate was proposed for membership, and being m attendence, tho Lodge Deputy granted a dispensation, and he was duly initiated. Bro. Clayton resigned the' office of W. 0., and Bro. Francis Anderson was elected to Cll tho Tocsncy. Owing to lome

of the roports not being brought m, tbo installation of oflicors was left OYor till next Lodge night. The receipts amounted to 17s 6d, and the expenditure was nil. After going through the usual business the Lodgo closed m due form at [).4O p.m. The Dublin Informers. — It will be Been by v cable message from Melbourne, published this morning, that threo of the informers m tho Dublin murder case, viz., Kavanagh, Hinton, and a. third man whoso name is not given, have been identified on board the steamer Pathan, and that the Victorian Government have refused to allow them to land m that colony. JuvßJfilE Opera Tbocfb.— Stanley and Darbyshiro's Juvenile Opera Troupe, who were so well patronised m Timaru a few months ogo, and have since been "doing" the Southern towns, return hero next week, and appear at the Theatre Royal on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings. When hero before they played " Pinafore," " Le3 Cloches do Corneville," and a pantomime. This time they present tho well-known comic opera " The Grand Duchess," tho fun of which- is well within the powers of clever children to express. That Stanley and Darbyshiro's little people succeed m it is shown m the fact that they ran the pieco for weeks m Dunedin. We have no doubt that their many admirers m Timaru will be glad to ccc them again. Football. — A match has been arranged for this afternoon, Hankers and Lawyers v. the World. Play will start punctually at 3 o'clock. Burnett, Chapman, Eichbauin, Fisher, Goodall, Hassell, Haigh, LcCren, Lixurenson, Maingay, Nowbauld, Smith, Shury, Roborts, and Tate, with Wood as captain, have been chosen to represent tho Bankers and Lawyers, with Hughes and Haigh as emergencies ; and Campbell, Cole, Hughes, Haylock, Jones, King, Kay, Lough, Melton, McGuinneßS, Steven, Shepherd, Turner, W. Wood, and Reid, captain, to play for the World, with Cook and Mclntoeh as emergencies. If tho players chosen all put m an appearance, an interesting game may be expected. Unwelcove Visitohs. — Two men were brought up at tho local Court yesterday on charges of drunkenness, whose liistory is not of the most enviable character. One of them, a man named Pearson, possesses a pretty full acquaintance with the gaol life m the colony, having been incarcerated 6ome dozen times before. He was fined 20s, with the alternativo of 48 hours' imprisonment, and having but 8s fid ho was compelled to accept the alternative. The second man has a still worse churnctcr. Ho is called Titmus, alias Morrison, alias Pullen, alias Moonlight, and has a record of two-and-lnenty convictions. He spent a good part of last year m gaol, for larceny and vagrancy, lie had but 6d m his pocket when searched at the lock-up. The Bench of Justices gave him a broad hint to leave Timaru as soon as possiblo by sending him to gaol for a month on tho charge of being drunk m a public place. Police Court, Timaru. — At this Court yesterday, before E. G. Sterieker, Esq., and H. H. Hennali, Esq., J.P.s, threo men brought up for the first time on charges of drunkenness were fined the usual first fine, ss, or m default 24 hours' imprisonment. Henry William Pearson, charged with being drunk m the Main South Road tho previous evening was fined 20s, or 48 hours' imprisonment. The charge-sheet showed that this man was an old offender. In December hist he was fined 20s for drunkenness ■ m November he got seven days with bard labor for indecent exposure j m the previous May he got threo months with hard labor for larceny, and there were ten convictions recorded against him before these. Georgo Titmus, another man well known to the police of New Zealand, was also charged with being drunk the previous evening. This accused rejoices m a string of aliases, being variously known as Titmus, Morrison, Pullen and Moonlight. In April, 1882, he was sentenced to some months' liard labor for vagrancy and using threatening language ; m August of the came year he received three months' hard labor for larceny, ami there are about twenty other convictions on record against him. The Bench sentenced him to one month's imprisonment with hard labor. Georgo Ingram, an unmarried man, aged 32 or 33, who has resided some time at St. Andrews, was brought up as a lunatic with suicidal tendencies, and on tho certificates of Drs Drew and Maeintyre, was ordered to be lent to Sunnyside Asylum. TiMAntr Hospital. — Tho following is a, return of tho patients treated m tho Timaru Hospital for the month of July : — Patients under treatment at the beginning of tho month — males 17, females 3 ; admitted during the month — males 12, females 2 ; total treated, 34. Discharged during the month — cured, 8 males ; relieved, 2 males, 2 females, discharged as incurable, 1 male j total discharged, 13. Remaining under treatment — males 18, females 3, total 21. Out-patients treated during tho month — males 10, fomales 11, total 21. A meeting of the Hospital Commissioners was held yesterday morning, at which little but routine business was done. Tho Resident Surgeon reported that onepaticnt had shown such decided symptoms of insanity, that he had handed him ovor to tho Police, and he had that day been formally committed to the Lunatic Asylum. The Chairman stated that m reply to a communication asking that the man Samuel Thompson, who has been a long time m the Hospital, should bo received into the Old Men's Home at Ashburton, M» March had written to say that that institution was quite full at present. It was stated, however, that an old man had been sent up from Timaru to the Home since that application was made, and tho Chairman was requested to mako a further application for Thompson's admission. Ewatisn Caulk News. — The following special telegrams appear m tho Press: — " London, August Ist. The Earl of Northbrook, first Lord of the Admiralty, disapproves of the proposed alterations by the Victorian Government of tho armament of H.M.V.9. Cerberus, which now carries a lOin 400---pounder m each of her turrets. Baron Alcostor approves of the Victorian schemo of defence. — The system of parcel post m England has been successfully inaugurated." " London, August 2nd. It is announced that Mrs Langtry will make a professional tour of the colonies towards the ond of tho year. — Up to the present cighty-fivo deaths amongst tho British soldiers m Egypt havo occurred from cholera. — ; Tho news of Carey's death appears to have inspired national vigor among the Land Leaguers, and m consequence of this jurors who decided m the Phconix Park trials, and tho leading officials of tho Court, are protected by a large staff of constabulary. — It having been docided to accept the assistance offered from India towards preventing the spread of cholora m Egypt, a lnrgo number of doctors, accompanied by numerous hospital assistants, will shortly proceed from India to Alexandria. — The Mcssagerios Maritimes steamer Peluse has been quarantined at Marseilles. Two of her passengers from Egypt died from cholora during tho passage.— Another shook of earthquake has been experienced at Ischia, but no damago is reported. — O'Donnell, who shot Carey, is one of ' the Invincibles.' " Rouoh Tatooikg.— A uorthen paper says a man named Marshall residing m the Waikato, had a most miraculous escape a few days ago. He had discharged his gun, and was loading again from a one pound canister of powder whon a spark, probably remaining alive m the barrel, caused the powder m tho canister tojoiplodo. Strange to say the only injuries received were a Bprained thumb and both eyes and cheelts bunged up with portions of the uneiploded powder, which was forced into tho skin. Marshall went to Dr Carey at Hamilton on Saturday, and had his eyes cleaned of tho powder, so that he was able to see, and a considerable quantity was taken from under the Bkin of his face, but he will be tattooed for life, though not otherwise injured. Testing the "Habb System."— The Wellington Post says : — A somewhat singular method of testing the Hare system of voting has been set on foot by the Government with' a view, we suppose, to its possiblo adoption m connection with the Legislative Council. A circular has boon sent by tho Premier to each official ia the Government Buildings enclosing a list of English authors, and asking the recipient to write down his ten favorite authors m the order m which ho prefers them. Tho circulars after being filled up will be examined m accordance with the Hare system, and it Trill then bo seen who are

he writers most affected by the occupants of he "Big Buildings" — or, what perhaps may v lot bo precisely the same thing, the authors i irhom they wish it to bo thought thoy most kffect. Humor has it that a number of the I r rounger clerks somewhat hastily jumped nt t ;he conclusion that a paternal Government, imittcn with remorse nt its past conduct m regard to the 10 per cent reduction, and * miious for the intellectual improvement of , the Service, intended to make them presents " Df books, nnd this was the reason for en- ] ijniring into their literary predictions. The clisgiißt of these young men with representative institutions m general, nnd the Haro . syßtem of voting m particular, now that they have ascertained the real purport of the memorandum, may be better imagined than described. Porcixe Statistics. — A Cineinatti paper ( publishes the following return of the number of pigs m the United States m 1883, m the United Kingdom m 1882 and m other countries having 100,000 or more m 1880 : — United States 43,270,000, Russia 10,332,000, Germany 7,324,000, Austro - Hungary 6,995,000, France 5,801,000, Spain 4,352,000, United Kingdom 3,940,000, Switzerland l 2,000,000, Italy 1,501,000, B.N.A. Provinces < 1,419,000, Koumania 837,000, Portugal 717,000, Belgium fi02,000, Australia 567,000, Denmark 504,000, Sweden 426,000, Holland 352,000, Argentine Republic 342,000, New Zealand 207,000, Greece 180,000, Cape of Good Hope 132,000, Norway 101 000, total 91,964,000. A New Gbain Dbbsseb. — Messrs Connell nnd Clowes, of Oamaru, have just fitted up a Barnard and Leas' duplex grain separator and grader, which, besides separating the different qualities of grain by means of sieves, makes a second classification by means of strong currentß of air. The North Olago Times gives the following description of it : — It is worked by a three-horse-power water motor. Grain is delivered from the sack into a shoot, whence it is elevated by an endless leather band with cups attached, into a conveyor crossing the top of tho machine. A worm working along this conveyor distributes the grain into a shaker, fitted with sieves which may be arranged according to the quality of tho grain. From the sieves the grain is shaken into a shaft nnd thence into double " trunks " through which a Etrong current of air draws up any but the heaviest grains and deposits them m the seconds chamber j there, again, a further separation takes place by a still powerful curront of air, and the refuse gram is finally deposited m a hopper, while the dust, &c, is blown off into a dust chamber. If not required for seed or other purposes the seconds may be re-elevated from the seconds chamber and put through tho process a Becond time, and provision is made for the regulation of the draught according to tho sample required. The work done by the machine appears to be as near perfection as is possible, the grain turned out of it, whether firsts or seconds, being absolutely free from any impurity. A PuehistObic Ckmeteby. — Two miles frtmi Mandan, on the bluffs near the junction of the Hart and Missouri Rivers, says the local newspaper, the Pioneer, is an old cemetery of fully 100 acres m extent filled with bones of a giant race. This vast city of the dead lies just east of the Fort Lincoln Koad. The ground has the appearance of having been filled with trenches piled full of dead bodies, botli man and beast, and covered with Beveral feet of earth. In many places mounds from eight to ten feet high, and some of them 100 feet or more m length, have been thrown up nnd are filled with bones, broken pottery, vases of various bright colored (lint, and agates. The pottery is of a dark material, beautifully decorated, delicate m finish, ami as light as wood, showing the work of a people skilled m the arts and possessed of a high stato of civilisation. This has evidently been a grand battle-field, where thousands of men and horses have fallen. Nothing like a systematic or intelligent exploration has been made, as. only little holes two or threo feet m depth have been dug m some of the mounds, but many parts of the anatomy of man and beast and beautiful specimens cf broken pottery and other curiosities, have, been found intheso feeble efforts at excavation. Five miles above Mnndsui, on the opposite 6ido of the Missouri, is another vast cemetery, as yet unexplored. We asked an aged Indian what his people knew of these ancient graveyards. He answered : " Me know nothing about them. They were hero before the red man." Typhoid Pbbtextiojj. — Now that sick- j ness is prevalent m tho district, a few words on typhoid fever will doubtless be of interest. We (Tapanui Courier) notice at tho present time that this fever is, we might almost say, raging m Now Zealand, two deaths occurring therefrom last week m Invercargill alone. During the prevalence of nn epidemic, great attention should be paid to the character of the water used for domestic purposes ; drinking water should be boiled to obviate danger. Milk should also bo scalded. Typhoid poison may be and doubtless often i 3 received into the system through aerated beverages ; and we have no guarantee that any precaution is taken to ascertain that the water used m them is pure and freo from tho possibility of typhoid contamination. This matter should be thoroughly looked into by all boards of health, especially m large centres of population. Some pcop'e labor under the impression that typhus and typoid fever are almost the same ; but this is radically wrong. Typhus is highly contagious ; typhoid is not. Attendants touching a person suffering with typhus fercr run a certain amount of risk of catching the diseaee, and doctors and nurses frequently Buffer where this fever is prevalent. In Ireland m 1847, 800 medical men (being one-fifth of the entire number) suffered from typhus, and of those 127 died. In the Crimea also a large number of army surgeons died from this disease. In hospitals, unless those suffering from typhus are specially isolated, it spreads rapidly. In the case of typhoid all this is reversed. Ono can stay with a patient all day withour running tho risk of catching it, and doctors and nurses do not suffer more froqucntly than othcrpeople. In the largo London hospitals patients suffering with typhoid areput into the general wards, no steps are taken to isolato them, and it never spreads from bed to bed. 2500 typhoid patients were treated m tho London fevor hospital during fourteen years, nnd yet only eight cases originated m tho hospitals. If, then, typhoid fever is not contagious, one naturally asks, how do we get it? It is not given off marshy ground, or due to decomposition of animal substances. It must consist of human excroment, and that from ono suffering withtyphoid fever. This certainly seems very horrible; We naturally say wo cannot eat or drink such a thing ; but unfortunately it is not very difficult and is usually introduced into tho system through tho medium of water. Waterelosets aro often built noir waterwells, no precaution being taken to prevent the contents of the closet soaking into the ground, and m time into the well. Let but one typhoid " stool " be emptied into a cesspool closet, and the mischiof is done. Nearly all thoso drinking the water from tho adjoining well will get tho disease. It is on record that epidemics have been caused through a whole stream being infected with typhoid poison. A person diod from typhoid m a lunatic asylum m a German town, her clothes and soiled linen had been soaked iv a brook close by, and nearly all thoso receiving their water supply from this brook were attacked ; and it was some time before the source of all the mischief was found out. Boiling tho water would m this case have saved many from catching the disease. Every motion of a person suffering with typhoid should bo at once disinfected with a strong solution of carbolic acid ; nnd should be buried m a trench as far as possible from the house, and soiled linen should be at onco boiled m water containing Condy's fluid. Those attending on a patient should wash their hands, and brush their nails previous to taking meals. Typhoid fever generally attacks the young and strong, those suffering from chronic ailments usually escaping. After one attack, it rarely comos again to the same person, SYNOPSIS OF NEW ADVERTISEMENTS. Maclean and Stewart— Will hold a clearing sale of rceliolit land, stock and implements, on the 23rd in.it. R. Wllkin and Co.— Preliminary notice re sale of household furniture and effects ; will sell cattle and iheep at Studholme Junction on Monday. R. Turnbull and Son- Will &ell produce, furniture, jooks, etc., this day. W. Collins and Co.— Will sell produco and miscelaneoiu goods this day. Congregational Church— Anniversary services of Sunday school to-morrow. Theatre Royal— Kook'a Diorama of Egyptian War >pen> this evening. J. Matintosh— Has Shag Point coal for tale. ,

Terouka Koad Board- Invites tenders for road works. Canterbury Farmers Co-operative AssociationHave clover and grass seeds, etc. , on hand for Bale. Juvenile Opera Company— Open In the Theatre Royal on Thursday neit. I'residcnt of Mechanics Institute— Notice of inUatirm to introduce Bill m the House ol RepresenUUvts. Funeral Notice— One. Waiting employment and wanted— General servant! at Davies 1 Labor Exchange. In Bankruptcy-Re F. Franks; J. Proudfoot.