The Star. MONDAY, JANUARY 30, 1882.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 4297, 30 January 1882, Page 3

The Star. MONDAY, JANUARY 30, 1882.

Xhb Legislature of New South Wales are being widely congratulated upon the passing af an "Act to make further provision to prevent the spread c£ small-pox." The Act does not provide for compulsory vaccination, which has again and again been declared to fee the only real preventive measure. It reließ chiefly upon the imposition of a heavy penalty — not more than £50 and not less than £10 — in any case of concealment. The Australian "Medical Gazette" states that, since the fL'Bt appearance of the complaint in Sydney, about 33 per cent of the persons attacked have died. So heavy a rate of mortality shows that the disease has been virulent in its character ; and •s in New South Waleß there is an admittedly large proportion of people who are unprotected by vaccination, the rigourous fine provided for can scarcely be deemed excessive. But the more enlightened amongßt the community ara by no means satisfied. They are hoping to secure, with* 13 a comparatively short period, a Compulsory Vaccination Act, and other measures tending to bring about a better sanitary condition. We hsve no sympathy with the alarmists in New Zealand, some of whom are led to foresee a decimation of the people, and appear to think that they are unfairly done by because the muck talked of scourge does not at once establish itself in our centres of population. Still less have we any sympathy with that wretched Donothingißin which neglects even the most simple precautions, and, -when it ha 3 begun to move in a given direction, seems fated to submit to a shameful retreat. To a case in point -we have ahead? referred, — the instructions issued for the compulsory vaccination of all school children, and the unexplained abandonment of the measure. Apparently, however, the Do-nothings had not even taken the trouble to make themselves acquainted with the nature and extent of their powers, before committing themselves. In another direction, the provision of proper facilities for the fumigation of incoming mails, there is the fatal barrier of dilatoriness ; and despite the length of time that has elapsed since the Zealandia warning, it "is only within the past few days that the Government have asked somebody "to see about it." There will be the usual routine report, more or lees elaborate; then a "reasonable" amount of time will be required for consideration — on the too well-known spigot and bunghole principle; — and then, perhaps, the provision of the needed appliances may become one of that densa cloud of administrative details, in which the dodgers of awkward questioners are supposed to be veiled from the ken of mere new-fledged politicians.