THE CHOICE OF EVILS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1796, 22 March 1888, Page 3

THE CHOICE OF EVILS.

" Of two evils choose the lesser," says one proverb, while another bids us " bewaro lest m leaping out of the frying-pan we fall into the fire." When wo we m doubt as to which of the two evils is the lesser, proverbial philosophy again comes to the rescue with the parallel sayings, " 'Tis better to boar the ills wo have than to fly to others that we know not of," and the more terse, if less delicately expressed affirmation that " Better is the devil wo know than the devil we don't know." No doubt it was the influence of such considerations as these which induced the Legislature of New South Wales last week to deal with the proposal to import the microbes of chickon cholera for tho purpose of rabbit destruction as a matter of urgency, and to pass a Bill to prevent it through all its stages on a single day. For admitting fully, as every colonist must do, tho serious evils of tho rabbit pest, it is unquestionably desirable to make entirely sure that the remedy proposed^ is not as bad, or even worse than tho disease before sanctioning its application. And, M. Pasteur's experience notwithstanding-, there docs appear to very great uncertainty, and consequently grave risk attending the- expedient he proposes, This was clearly shown only a few days ago at a meeting of the Royal b'ocioty of Australia, where a discussion took place upon this very subject, initiated by the reading of what is described by telegraph as "an admirable and exhaustive paper" by Dr Wigg. After giving M. Pasteur (the pun is unavoidable) a thorough Wigg-ing tho learned doctor " explained the nature of tho microbe and its mode of cultivation, showing that poison might be multiplied many million-fold, out of the body. He showed that tho disease would bo more fatal to domestic poultry and wild birds than to rabbits, and pointed out grave dangers which would arise m the Colony from the destruction of those birds which prey on locusts and grasshoppers, and on their «ggs, considering that the damage dono by uncontrolled swarms of locusts would far exceed the mischief caused by tho rabbits. He .... referred to the proposal to conduct experiments with microbes m Australia safely, within walled paddocks, but he demonstrated that where they were m the spore condition they might bo B^7cpt along with tho dust by the winds thousands of miles without losing their virulence. Great • stress was laid upon tho fact that no one could possibly toll what tho offcefc of the introduction of the microbes might bo, and the author concluded by 'saying that ■ if wo trifled with this new disease wo " might find our prosperity gone and ourselves a laughing-stock to the civilised world."

In the discussion which followed, several speakers expressed general agreement with Dr. Wig£> among others I)r, Jamieson expressing his strong disapproval of the proposition to admit microbes and stating that "while causing great devastation on fowl-farms, chicken cholera destroyed also pheasants, pigeons, geese, turkeys, and other birds, while it was extremely probable that it was tho same disease that prevailed among deer and other game m Germany m tho year 1878." More was said by other scientific men to tho like effect, and m view of the information before the meeting it is not surprising to find that those present resolved " That tho Royal Society advises the Australian Governments to refuse their permission to any person to introduce any form of discaso for purposes of chocking tho rabbit plague until tho wholo question has been fully considered." Now South Wales, as wo have seen is acting, if not upon, at least m accordance witli this recommendation, and it is to bo hoped that our own Government will be exceedingly guarded and careful m tho matter for, again to fall back upon the storehouse of popular proverbial wisdom, it is always ". better to bo sure than sorry."