The Timaru Herald. MONDAY, JUNE 1, 1885.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 3331, 1 June 1885, Page 2

The Timaru Herald. MONDAY, JUNE 1, 1885.

Not unnaturally New Zealand is proud of what is very aptly styled her " Wonderland." We refer, of course, to the marvellous Hot Springs district m the North Island. The popular reverence for this great inheritance hestowed upon us by Nature is m fact almost m danger of developing into a speciea of fetish worship. The scenery is so weird, bo awe-inspiring m its general eifecfc, and yet possesses features of such exquisite beauty, that it cannot fail to produce the strongest impressions on the mind of the spectator. It is a Bethesda, where strange cures are wrought amid circumstances calculated to heighten the effect produced by the healing process, by stimulating the imagination and oppressing the intellect with a sense of the mighty forces still at work m this plutonic region. In these circumstances it is not to be wondered at if there should be a tendency to over-rate the curative effects of the springs themselves. The human mind is prone to run after panaceas to cure all the ills that flesh iB heir to. From the earliest ages man's attention has been constantly directed to the discovery of some "elixir of life," and that the credulity of the race on this subject is not yet exhausted is sufficiently evidenced m our own days by the handsome fortunes made by proprietors of patent medicines, whose active properties are probably m inverse proportion to the strength of the owner's assertions. In the Hot Springs we have a remedy, or rather a collection of remedies, by which remarkable cures of various diseases undoubtedly have been effected ; thousands of " grateful patients " have vied with each other m proclaiming the fact, and, to crown all, the marvellous curative agent comes direct from the great laboratory of Nature, and is produced amid circumstances calculated to impress beyond measure the mind of the patient. What wonder is it that there has sprang up a belief that when everything else has been tried and has failed, a visit to the Hot Springs is bound to restore the shattered frame no matter what disease j has broken down its vitality. In many instances the result of thus disregarding the real therapeutic qualities of the springs, and the demands and capabilities of the patient's constitution, is a good deal of unnecessary suffering, and m some cases an absolute shortening of life. Bearing m mind these facts we welcome a pamphlet written by Dr Ginders, resident medical officer at Rotorua, and printed by authority of the Government, giving a number of hints on cases likely to benefit by treatment at the thermal springs. Every year, the author tells us, a number of invalids come to Rotorua who ought never to have left their homes, and the result is disappointment to themselves and their advisers and undeserved injury to the reputation of the district. Dr. Ginders points out that the two moßt important questions to be answered before sending a patient to the Springs for treatment are — first, has the patient sufficient strength to bear the journey P and, secondly, is the case likely to benefit by treatment P With regard to tba former question, he says, it muet be remembered that the het

day's journey before reaching the place is very trying to an invalid, and will continue to be so until railway communication is an established fact. A case otherwise suitable, however, need not be kept away because the journey may occasion considerable fatigue, or even temporary increase of pain, provided there be sufficient vitality to render such inconveniences mere matters of temporary importance. In reference to the second question, Dr Ginders gives a number of details, many of which are of interest, not only to medical men, but also to the public. For instance, he tells us that chronic skin diseases, whether arising from ordinary or specific causes, are often cured, and usually benefited. Dealing with gout, the author says he presumes no person suffering from chronic gout, would expect an hereditary constitutional tendency to be eradicated by a visit to the Hot Lakes; still to a patient who is willing to adopt such habits of life as are necessary to control the gouty diathesis, the thermal springs offer a valuable adjunct to treatment. Among 'other things he says they " reduce plethora and corpulency without prostration," a piece of information which will probably be of interest to many a portly citizen who is not afflicted with gout. To the patient really suffering from the " aristocratic disease " Dr. Ginders gives a serious word of warning, never to attempt the use of the springs except on professional advice. Some latent organic mischief, unsuspected by the patient, may make all the difference between safety and danger. He gives a similar word of admonition to rheumatic patients. " Some remarkable cures " he adds, " have been made here m chronic rheumatism, so much so that we have come to regard such cases as the most satisfactory we have to ti*eat. It is no uncommon thing to see joints that have been immovable for months recover their mobility m a few days." This will, we are sure, be good news to many sufferers from a disease to which New Zealand settlers appear peculiarly liable. Of the influence of the springs on sciatica and other forms of neuralgia., Dr Ginders speaks favorably, and m regard to cases of paralysis, says : — " There must be no myelitis, no cerebral softening; the disease must not have advanced beyond the meninges of the cord ; if the condition may bo fairly attributed to meningitis spinalis benefit may be expected, but it is ridiculous to expect hot water to regenerate nerve elements which have been extensively destroyed." Referring to the great scourge of the human race, consumption, Dr Ginders says it has been his practice to discourage phthisical patients from coming to Rotorua, under the impression that the atmosphere of the baths, charged as it is with the gaseous compounds of sulphur, would be too irritating. " However," he adds, " if we are to believe the parasitic theory aspromulgated by Koch and others, these aeriform parasiticides may proveof use." It is interesting to learn that the district iB singularly free from throat affections, and that diphtheria is unknown even among the natives. The latter, indeed, are wonderfully free from epidemics. They have endemic diseases of their own, and they suffer occasionally from continued fever of the typhoid type, but Dr Ginders is satisfied that at Rotorua they receive the matcries morbi by ingestion and not by inhalation ; or, to put the matter m homelier language, they swallow the germs with their food or drink, so . that the atmosphere of the district is not responsible for the sowing abroad of the disease. Lastly Dr Ginders has some very seasonable and apt remarks addressed to the " invalid tourist," who expects to be able to exhaust his energies to any extent m Bight-seeing, and yet to be cured of his ailment by a bath here and a bath there, as it happens to suit his convenience, who, of course, is generally disappointed, and who goes away declaring that the Hot Springs district is an over-rated place. " I have tried it, Sir," he says, " and believe me, I came away rather worse than better." Dr Ginders emphatically adds, "No doubt of it. If my medical brethren would kindly advise the invalid tourist to attend to business first,' and take his pleasure afterwards, they would be doing us yeoman's service, and prevent our reputation from suffering unmerited reproach." We congratulate the author on the interesting, common-sense style m which he has contrived to convey so much useful information, and we hope that as his experience of the healing qualities of the springs extends, he will give the colony at large the result of his observations.

The Ceixs. — Three inebriates occupied free quarters at the police camp last night. They will make their appearance before the presiding justices this morning. Waimatk Stbbflbchasbs. — We publish the train arrangements for these steeplechases this morning. The meeting comes off on Friday next at Waimate. School Cohmitteb. — An ordinary monthly meeting of the Timaru School Committee is to be held this evening at the Board-room, Main School, at eight o'clock. Insubawcb.— Mr W. J. Rudd, travelling agent of the Government Insurance Association, advertises that he is now m town and may be consulted either at the Post-Oflice or the Criterion Hotel. The Travelling Public ore reminded that Breakfast shall for the future be ready at the Railway Refreshment Rooms m time for the Early Trains at It 6d. la Hot Lunch as ÜBual from 12 till 3. 1b 6d Tea Dinner from 6 till 8 o'clock. What a Boon •— [Advt.] Suicide.— lnformation was received m town yesterday that a man named John Anderson, a shepherd on the Levels Estate, Tengawai, had committed suicide by shooting himself, it is supposed on Thursday night. The body was only found at noon yesterday. No causo is assigned for the rash act. An inquest will be held at Pleasant Point this afternoon by J. S. Beswick, Esq., Coroner. St. Mabt'b, Timabu.— The prizes gained by tha children attending St. Mary's upper and lower Sunday Schools are to 'be distributed this evening at the School-church, Bank street. Proceedings will begin at 7-30, and parents and friends of the children are cordially invited to be present by that hour. The prizes to the Sa'ndie Town scholars will be presented on Sunday next, and to those attending the Waimataitai School on Sunday week. Thb Ibiand Stham Sbbvicb.— -Mr W. Gray, the Secretary to the Post Office, Wellington, telegraphs to us yesterday stating that the particular* published m our paper on Saturday, with respect to the Island steam sorrice wero inaccurate. The service, we learn, commences on the 4th instant (Thursday next), the steamer Janet Nicoll leaving Dunedin md way ports on that date, for the Islands. She will arrive at Lyttelton on the stb, Jeave on the 6th, arrive at Wellington on the 7th, sail the next day, arrive at and leave Napier on the 9th, reach Auokland on the 11th, and finally take her departure from this colony on the 16th. She is expected to reach Tony* on tb» Kit tart.

Thh Club Hotel.— To suit the convenience of the public, from to-day the Is luncheons at the above Hotel will be* from 12 ' noon sharp to 2.30 p.m. — [Advt.] The Melanesia^ Mission. — The offertories at St. Mary's Church, Timaru, yesterday, were devoted to the aid of this mission. The Yen. Archdeacon Harper gave an intoresting Bketch of the history of the work, showing that it was inaugurated by Bishop Selwyn, the first Bishop of Now Zealand, about the year 1841, and subsequently carried on by Bishop Patteson, who met with a martyr's death, and at tho present time by Bishop Selwyn, son of the founder. The preacher gave a number of statistics regarding the mission,^ mentioning, inter alia, that there were 43 schools fully established m tho islands, and attended by 1478 scholars, besides adults, who a' so came for instruction. There are 15 clergymen attached to tho mission, who have gained peaceable entry to something like 90 large islands, m which tho population is to be counted by hundreds of thousands. I Trial op Disc Harrows. — A public trial ' of improved disc harrows manufactured by . Messrs P. and D. Duncan, of Christchurch, : took place on Saturday afternoon at Geraldine, m a paddock near Dr Fish's residence ' belonging to Mr R. Taylor. There was only j a small attendance, but tho trial was m every way successful, and demonstrated most conclusively the superiority of these harrows to ordinary tine harrows. The stiff clayey soil of the paddock wob such that tine harrows would have made little or no impression on it except after several strokes, and then only the surface would have been affected. A single stroke of the disc harrow, however, worked a marvellous change, the furrow being cut and broken to a good depth and m a very even manner. A second stroke prepared the ground very efficiently, and produced a moat solid and even seed-bed. The ground being rough it gave tho harrows a very fair ti'ial, and showed that Messrs Duncan's harrow is a most effective pulveriser m the roughest land. Messrs Duncan claim for their improved implements that owing to tho discs being closer together m front thnn behind, they are not liable to become clogged. Certainly m the trial there was not the slightest tendency to clog or get out of order m any way. The gangs are adjustable to any angle, and will cut deep or shallow as desired. One great improvement on disc harrows was the compact way m which this implement could be adjusted so as to be transported from place to place, the work of preparing the harrow for travelling or work occupying only v few minutes. Wo notice that out of 18 entries at the Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association's 1883 . Show, Messrs P. and D. Duncan's disc harrows took both first and second prizes. London Savagery. — A Fijian cannibal of fifty years ago would have felt himself dis- , graced by such disgusting brutality as was exhibited by a laborer named Thomas ' Chambers. The tale as unfolded before a ' London police magistrate gives a terrible ; picture of the sort of life which many a poor woman endures. Having met her husband : coming from a publichouse, they returned | home togethor, whereupon, disdaining the ' offer of the key, the savage kicked m the ■ panels of the door. When the wife had entered the brute rushed m, and, having seized her, kept knocking her down, lifting ' her up again each time by her hair. He also ■ put his right foot on her chest, while with the ; left he kicked her about the ribs and body ; until she became insensible. When she re- j covered consciousness she got up and dragged herself into the passage, where she met her ! husband coming from the kitchen. Without j saying a word, he clutched her by both ears | and drew her towards him. He then gnawed her nose clean off. The Soudan War and the Factory Act. — At the Liverpool Polico Court, before the Stipendary Magistrate, Messrs Read Brothers, tank manufacturers, Bridgewater street, Liverpool, were summoned under five informations taken out at the instance of Mr H. S. Richmond, Inspector of Factories for the district, for having employed five apprentices after six o'clock m the evening. The charge was admitted, but a gentleman from the office of Messrs Read stated that tiiere were several extenuating circumstances m tho case. The fact was that at the time the infringement of the Act took place the firm was busily engaged m completing a Government order for camel water tanks which were to bo despatched to the Soudan. The Government urged them to execute tho order as quickly as possible, .stating that the delay would cause "great national inconvenience." They wore asked to work both early and late, and also on Sundays, but the latter request was not complied with. Only a few days after tho lads were found working late, the Factory Act was suspended at Woolwich Arsenal. Mr Richmond — Yes ; the authorities had power to suspend the Factory Act at the Government Arsenals m time of war, but private factories are not allowed to do so. Messrs Read Brothers ought to have employed men, and not to have allowed tho boys to work after the regulation hour. A fine of Is and costs was inflicted. For offences of a similar nature, Messrs W. Edmunds and Co., ironfounders, of Northumberland street, and Mr Jos. Matthews, engineer and millwright, of Park Road, under these informations, were each fined 5s and costs. The Mahdi's Latest Manifesto. — The Arabian papers publish the full text of the manifesto which the Mahdi has issued m reference to his claims to the Caliphate. In this document the Mahdi says : — " I testify before God and the Prophet that I am drawing the sword, not for the purpose of founding an earthly empire for myself, nor to amass wealth, nor to live m a magnificent palace, but m order that I may afford help and consolation to the faithful, with a view to their liberation from tho slavery imposed upon them by the Infidels, and m order that the power of the Moslems may be restored m all its ancient splendor. I am, therefore, resolved to carry my sword, first from Khartoum to Berber. Thence I shall proceed to Dongola, Cairo and Alexandria, restoring Moslem rule and government m all these cities. From Egypt I shall march to the Land of the Prophet, to drive out the Turks, whose government is no better than that of the Infidels; and I shall restore the land- of Arabia, with its two sacred cities, to Islam. Sons of Ismail, you may depend npon my soon making my appearance m your midst with the Sword of Faith." Akothee Version of Gordon's Death. — A native has arrived at Korti from Khartoum, bringing yet another account of the circumstances connected with the capture of Khartoum and the death of Gordon. He states (according to the Daily Chronicle correspondent) that Gordon was at the palace when the enemy were treacherously admitted into the city. A body of the enemy at once made their way to the palace, whether they were guided by a man who had upon several occasions been employed by Gordon as a messenger to carry communications to and from the Mahdi. The enemy apparently intended to take Gordon alive, but hearing thorn approaching he rushed outside the house with Ins revolver m his hand. He was at once attacked by the rebels, against whom he defended himself until bis revolver waß emptied, and was then killed. The native adds that every Egyptian and other "foreigner" found m Khartoum was killed, as well as_ every soldier. So little treasure was found m the city that the Mahdi became suspicious that Gordon had previously hidden tho bulk of it. Several natives supposed to be m the secret were brought before the Mahdi and ques tioned. Professing ignorance, they were put to the torture, but even then were unable to give i any information as to the whereabouts of tho missing treasure. The Daily News correspondent says the Mahdi often goes to Khartoum from his residence at Omdurman. Ho can find no treasure, though the natives are supposed to know where it is hidden, including tho money of M. Marquet, a French merchant, who was tortured and killed without any information being obtained as to where his treasure it buried. The same correspondent says : " General Gordon wrote a letter, dated December 15th, to a military friend, saying, 'It is all up with us. Goodbye to you and your wife. " Sewbr-Mbn and Typhoid. — During the reading of the report of the medical officer, Mr M. A. Adams, to the Maidstone Local Board, some questions were asked about a man who died of typhoid fever who had been employed m repairing ft sewer. Mr Adams said that the man had told him that ho was more subjected to the effluvia than the bricklayer to whom ho had to hand tbo bricks.

He added that some one must do this sort of work, and he did not think any blame attached to anyone. One of the members of the Board stated that "at the last outbreak of cholera m London the Board of Works furnished their eewer men with some kind of drink, and it was remarkable that although these men were working constantly amougst obnoxious smells, none of them were attacked with cholera." He then moved a resolution requesting the medical officer to suggest to the surveyor gome drink or other preventive which would render the sewer men less liable to infectious disease. Mr Adams said it was a difficult thing to be asked. People fancied that he himself had something m his pocket which prevented him from contracting small-pox, etc. He, howeTer, had nothing of the kind any more than any member of the Board. If he knew of anything which would be of service to the sewer men, he would make use of it at once. The days when doctors carried a gold-headed cane containing fragrant essences for antiseptic pnrposes are past, and it would be well for members of local Boards and others to understand that disease such as are contained m typhoid stools ought to be disinfected before they reach the sewer, which should itself bo subjected to the action of similar agents, and, above all, thoroughly well ventilated through properly constructed shafts. There would then bo less faith m prophylactic draught?, camphor lockets, and other charms fop the prevention of infection. Royal Extravagance. — The King of Bavaria is accentuating his devotion to Waanerism by having a most elaborate candelabrum made for one of his costly private theatres, where he has Wagner's operas performed m most complete and elaborate style, simply for hia own enjoyment, no soul but the actors, actresses, scene shifters and other servants being allowed to be present. This great candelabrum will hold 108 wax tapors, and will cost just £1000 sterling. English Journalism. — They would seem to be getting quite savage m England m their commentß upon public men. The following passage from Vanity Fair of the 21st o£ March Bmacks of the politics of the old days of Qilray and Rowlandson : — " lam greatly disappointed to learn that the man Kimberley, who was hanged at Birmingham on Tuesday, was not a Cabinet Minister, after all. For a moment a bright hope dawned upon me that, «t any rate, wo had got rid of ono of them. But it seems that the Secretary for India had nothing to do with the murder of the woman named Parker. He has hitherto only been convicted of complicity m the murder of the man named Gordon." Russia is the Pacific— "Vladivostok, a place which was all but unknown a few years ago, is already assuming some importance as a military port and naval station. It bears a singularly ambitious name ; for it signifies " the ruler of the East." Only a few miles from the mouth of the Amoor, and equally near to the frontier of Corea, Russia is preparing to make it the base of future operations ogainst the latter. The mouth of the harbor is defended by a battery of 9in guns. A good floating dock has been constructed, and the surrounding heights are dotted with forts and earthworks. China surveys these preparations with as much distrust as the Government of Corea does. The Royal Visit to leeland. — The magnificent reception of the Prince and Princess of Wales m Dublin, says the Daily &cuss of April 9th is an event of the happiest augury amid the gloom and anxiety of the times. Nothing could exceed the cordiality and enthusiasm of the'national greeting. The good nature and good feeling of the Irish people, the chivalry which belongs to the true Irish character, sprang forth to give them an Irish welcome. In the well- worded reply made by the Prince to the address of the citizens, he expressed his regret at the Jength of the interval which had elapsed since he and the Princess were m Ireland, expressed the desire to see much of the work as well as to join m the amusements of the Irish people, and paid a well-merited compliment to Ireland as " a country where courtesy and hospitality hare been the characteristics of the people." Mubdbr op A FAMJLY.-jfA horrible crime was lately committed at Siedlec, m Poland. The armourer of one of the regiments quartered m the town occupied the whole of the second floor of one of the largest houses m the principal street, together with hie wife, two children, and a niece. They had a Russian soldier-servant. On the evening of Saturday, March 28th, groans were heard on the staircase, and the soldier-servant was discovered terribly wounded. This led to a further search, when the whole of the armourer's family were found to have been murdered. It is supposed that the murder was committed by some comrades of the soldier-servant, and that the object of the murderers was robbery, as the armourer was known to be m very good circumstances. A Vbnebablb Hoese. — A remarkable instance of equine longevity hat occurred m Staten Island, U.S., where a famous trotting horse, named Old Turk, died on the 6th of March last. His first race was run m the year 1842, so that he must have been something like 46 or 47 years of age. At that time he trotted against and beat n, field comprising some of the best horses of the day. About 12 years ago he was standing at the bow of the ferry boat Westfield when she blew up. He was hoisted between 30ft and 40ft into the air, but landing m the water, with the hair scalded off his back, he swam ashore. The last years of his life were spent at the Richmond County Poor Farm, where a comfortable stall had been built for him. He had loßt nearly all Ids teeth, and lived upon boiled food for eozne months before his death. Deterioration of Hr/HAN Eyesight. — An American newspaper, animadverting upon the fact established by medical science, that the human vision, m Western Europe, at any rate, has steadily deteriorated during the last 60 years, and that this decay of eyesight is progressive, argues, half m jeet and half m earnest, that civilised man will be totally blind nt the end of another century. " This will, of course, mean his extinction," observes the writer, "for the uncivilised races, led by dozens of Mahdis of different varieties, will overrun Europe and America, and will find no difficulty m driving the blind men into tha sea. It would not, perhaps, make much, difference if English statesmen and English generals should be physically as well as mentally blind, but an army of blind soldiers would be completely helpless, and could offer no resistance to hordes of keen-sighted Arabs or Chinamen." Compulsory Inbijbance m Gbbiiany. — Some of the mischievous consequences of the German laws of 1883 and 1884 for insuring workmen against sickness and against accidents respectively are already beginning to make themselves felt. With, respect to the first, as there is practically no precaution against malingering, fraud, recklessness, and ignorance, while the ordinary stimulants to independence and self-help are withdrawn, the temptation to lie m bed, or to remain m the house on half-pay, is too great for the naturally indolent and the "crawlers" to resist, and the town is obliged to maintain them m idleness. In the case of accident* the insurance tax comes out of the pookefcs of the employers, who add it to the price of the tho goods they manufacture ; and thus one set of people are provided against illness and misfortune, which may be entirely the result ■){ individual carelessness, or worse, at the ex» lonsa of those who have to maintain them* lelvcs under similar circumstances. The Lost Pboyikces. — Although 15 fears have elapsed since Alsace and Lorraine aassed from under the French flag to that of Germany, both the provinces appear to be as rreconcileable as ever with the rule of their lew masters. And tho feeling is said to be nuch stronger m Alsace, where most of tho people have German names and faces and ipeak German, than m Lorraine, wliere French names and tongues are the rule* fear after year both provinces send Pro» *stant, i.e., protesting, representatives to the leichstag, and the alienation of the people Tom their rulers is m no wise lessened by apse of time. Unfortunately for Germany, leither the military nor the civil officials do roything to concifiata the population, and heir conduct is described as harsh, and stern o the last degree. The result is, we are told, hat " there are everywhere cold faces, formal reas and nays, and dosed doors for the .ffieials and tho immigrant Germans." In Consumption, " Baxter's Long Pro* erver " has been signally euooessfnl. In Croup, "Bxater's Long Preserver perates magically, its expectorant and other ropertaea affording speedy relic

Soro Throat quickly yielda to "Baxter's Lnriff Prosorver.". . _, In Whooping Cough, " Baxtor s Lung Jrraserver" \a n specific. _ „