The Akaroa Mail. TUESDAY, JUNE 25.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 2, Issue 202, 25 June 1878, Page 2

The Akaroa Mail. TUESDAY, JUNE 25.

While the present alterations, or rather additions are being made to the Hospital prior to its being handed over to the charge of the local governing bodies, what has hitherto been a great want, might be easily supplied in the erection of a detached building of the nature of a strongroom for the accommodation of cases of insanity, resulting from whatever cause, where confinement in the ordinary look-up would prove dangerous to the health of the sufferer. We have had instances come under our notice in this district where some unfortuate victim to intemperance, suffering from delirium tremens, has been borught to the police, and, in default of other accommodation, has had to battle with that fearful disease in the cold draughty cell of the lock-up, everything around him only tending to increase his malady, and the more endanger his life. We are riot in the least casting any blame on the p.lice for want of attendance, or such comfort as they have it in their power to give, but we maintain that the lock-up is not a suitable place for such patients, and we venture to think that medical testimony will bear us out in this opinion. It was only the other day that a man suffering from rheumatic fever, and with the delirium of that disease acting, as is presumed, on an already unsound mind upon him, was removed, in consequence of violent conduct, from the sick ward at tbe Barracks, to the lock-up. There he retrained some eighteen or nineteen hours in the cold, dreary cell, until next morning, when the doctor ordered his removal to the Hospitnl, under the charge of a constable. This man's confinement there in the state that he was then in, might have resulted fatally. Other instances might be cited where it is necessary to keep watch and guard over the patient, and to separate him from the others, and for cases of this nature no provision is made. On this account we suggest that the authorities be communicated with at once on the subject with the view to obtaining fuithe r . addition to the Hospital of a room, set apart, and built especially fortius purpose. Now is.the time to move in the matter, while the workmen are upon the ground, and before the institution has been turned over .to local management.

As the s.s.- Akaroa was proceeding down Lyttelton Harboryesterday on her usual trip to Pigeon Bay, she was signalled by the ship Soukar, which arrived on Sunday* from London. The captain of the Soukar wished to be towed'up the harbor. Capt. M'Lean accordingly went about, and towed the vess.l in, with the result of being tfoinewhat late in his arrival at Pigeon Bay.

As yet no further cases of diphtheria have occurred, and it is to be hoped that the prompt sanitary measures taken b}* the Board o£ Health, have rendered futile the insidious approach of this dreadful scourge to the young. As far as we are aware, the medical instructions with regard to disinfection have been very generally acted up to, and, to judge by the odour of sulphur auu carbolic acid that assailed one's olfactory nerves on passing any house in the town, fumigation has been performed unsparingly. Wo cannot help thinking that if this same process was

ordered to be gone through in every house in Chris'tchurch once a week for a short period, the city of the plains would smell less of the cess pool, and be a decidedly healthier locality.

On the night of Friday, the 21st inst., a heavier fall of snow than can be remembered for many years, visited Akaroa. Not only were the ranges white from pase to summit, but even down to the sea shore itself, the ground was covered with snow to the depth of between or-a and two inches. The morning of th e;22nd dawned bright and clear, with a fresh south-west breeze coining into the harbor, and the first peep out of the window must have reminded many a one % f the good old winters in the old country, somewhere about Christmas time, and many a mind must have reverted to that happy season j where, with kith and kin gathered about one round the cheery fire, life was everything that was enjoyable. If such reflections were indulged in, the stern realities of Colonial life soon bade them disperse, as suddenly, doubtless,' as. the crisp fine weather of that morning changed toward nightfall, bidding the garb of winter to disrobe itself for the dirt, slush, mizzle and drizzle that have marked this season for sometime past. While the snow lasted, boys of greater and lesser growth snowballed .to their heart's content, and we hear that, even the fairer' "sex indulged in the unwonted pastime. The short change, however, was not the less welcome, that it, to a great extent, cleared the atmosphere, . which was heavy and damp from the long run of wet weather, fog and mist.

'On Saturday last a marriage was celebrated in St. Peter's Church, Akaroa, between Maria, daughter of Eli, chief of the Little River Kainga, and Charlie Tikao, son of the Chief of Wainui. Owing to the snow-storm of the night before, to those of poetic temperament, it was highly suggestive that the Peninsula generally had put on a bridal array in honor of the event. The ceremony was performed by the Rev. P. C. Anderson, assisted by the Rev. G. Mutu, the service being conducted in the Maori language, with the exception of a hymn, which was nicely sung by a few of the church choir as the bride and her friends advanced up the nave. At the conclusion of the service, the wedding march, with cornet obligato, was played by Messrs Fenton and Daly, with striking effect. Altogether, it was as pleasing a ceremony of its kind as we have ever witnessed, and it could not but be gratifying to bur Maori neighbors to see so much interest taken by the pakeha in their doings. "We wish the young couple long life and prosperity.

With regard to the boy Rasmussen, who was injured at Mr Smith's saw-mill, Le Bon's Bay, we are glad to report that he is going on favorably, and that the injury to the leg is less severe than was at first supposed, though the limb, besides being fractured, is badly bruised from the knee downwards.- We understand the little fellow keeps his spirits up wonderfully, and is quite cheerful, despite the suffering he must still endure.

At a meeting of the Akaroa and Wainui Road Board, on Saturday last, Mr H. Piper somewhat abruptly resigned his office as Chairman and member of the Board, and left the room. Inconsequence of this it was considered advisable to adjourn the meeting to yesterday, the 24th instant.

Mr H. Citron has, in the interests of science and the public generally, lately made a chemical analysis of the water in the various creeks in the town, and, with his kind permission, we shall be able shortly to publish tho result of his investigations, which cannot fail to be interesting to all who depend upon these sources for the water that they drink. There is not the least doubt that much of the impurity of these streams is consequent upon the careless placing of the outbuildings of dwelling houses on the very borders of the creeks, the reckless throwing out of refuse, and their pollution by cattle, &c. The Board of Health would do well to cause a searching enquiry into these matters, and to cause a by-law to be framed, which shall interdict any such buildings being within a certain distance from the stream. Nothing breeds disease so surely and rapidly as foul water, save, indeed, polluted atmosphere, which is itself often the result of exhalation from impure water. . Another fruitful source of this impurity is the superabundant growth of water-cress, and the occasional clearing away of-this -plant would conduce greatly to the cleansing of tbe streams. We trust gfhen tlie results of the chemical analysis are published, that an investigation may be set on foot by the Board into those creeks which are most tainted. Precautious of this kind are quite as necessary as those taken lately in the matter of fumigation.

A painful accident occurred on the 22nd instant, to the eldest daughter of Mr Wight. It appears that the children were gathered round the fire, when a saucepan of boiling water became overturned, severely scalding the child's leg from the knee downwards. In attempting to cut away the stocking, the skin peeled off from the flesh, shewing that the scald was even worse than was cat first thought. Everything was, of course, done to relieve the pain, and it is gratifying to learn that the injury is progressing as favorably as can be'expected.

We have to remind our readers of Mr C. W. Bridge's sale of land, which takes place to-day, at his offices, Beach road. Tlie sections to be offered are situated in different parts of the town, and are valuable for building purposes. Taking into consideration the ever increasing value of land, an opportunity is here afforded to purchasers which should not bo lost.