THE WAIMATE ADVERTISER. SATURDAY, JULY 14, 1900.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume III, Issue 19, 14 July 1900, Page 2

THE WAIMATE ADVERTISER. SATURDAY, JULY 14, 1900.

It ii extremely disappointing that juit as Sydney was declaring herself a clean city she should have been visited by another case of plague. We have tro doubt, however^ that the authorities now .have the epidemic, under, control, and that, even with the return of

hot weather, there will be littkdanger of another alarming 01 extensive outbreak, The Beveritj of the visitation was due to tin filthy condition of certain quarters of tho city and to the apathy of the health officers ami municipal authorities at th<beginning. Sydney has now, w^ relieve, undergone a thorough •.laaning, and many portions, especially in the vicinity of the wharves,, have bonn rebuilt. When one© the Government recognised that the suppression of the plague was an affair of colonial, rather than municipal, importance, it inaugurated » vigorous policy of broom and whitewash-brush, which has, happily, been successful. The example thus set has not been lost on the other colonies, and the sufferings of Sydney have saved the citios of Victoria and New Zealand from anything approaching a real plague scare. It is beyond question that many j-towns in New Zealand are cleaner to-day because of Syd'ney'asorrows, though we are still not convinced that they are as clean as they should be. Sir W. J. Lyne's Government, therefore, deserves the gratitude of more people than live in New South Wales. At the eaine time, we cannot, from mere gratitude, consent to regard Sydney as yet j firee from plague, and it would i^iave been wiser for Sir W. J. Lyne to have waited a little longer before asking the other colonial Government! to remove the restrictions at present placed on vessels trading with his capital. The request was certain to follow after a short period of immunity, and as our own trade with Australia suffers considerable inconvenience and loss through the quarantine regulations, we are naturally anxious to have the normal condiiions restored. But we do not think that the request okfi be entertained now. Plague isf:still claiming its victims in *Que*nsland, and cases continue to occur in West Australia and in Adelaide, so that even if the disease should be quite stamped out in New South Wales, Sydney would still be in the same category as Melbourne as far as we are concerned. The health of the community must bo the first consideration of the Government, and we are eure^that Mr Ward would not have sought the powers conferred on the Government by his Bubonic Plague Act if he contemplated any immediate removal of the restrictions on the Australian trade. The provisions of that Act have been brought into operation in several districts of the colony, and, unless the Government decides otherwise, will remain in force until after the close of the present session of Parliament. Probably a similar period may be set to the present f arrangement! regarding foreign trade. The continuance of plague in Queensland will prevent the resumption of normal conditions for some time to come, but yve hope that it may be found advisable, after another month, to. retax the severity of the regulations* with regard to i steamers from Melbourne .and Sydney.