DUNEDIN NOTES.

Cromwell Argus, Volume IV, Issue 174, 11 March 1873, Page 5

DUNEDIN NOTES.

By 0. p. Q.

I The very serious injury received by the I unfortunate man Alexander Steele, while I ; wrestling with Macdonald in the Provincial! : Yards on Monday last, and the accidents i j which are continually resulting from the same I cause, give cause for consideration whether | wrestling should not be made an offence j against the law of the land instead of being J encouraged as at present. If a return could be made of the number of persons who have received broken legs, and sustained other serious injury from their wrestling propensities, in this Province alone, during the last few years, it would go very far towards leadI ing people to think that some steps should be ] taken to discourage this barbarous, rough- ; and-tumble '' amusement." It will no doubt { be said that when wrestling is carried out j with a due regard for the scientific principles ; of the game—or whatever it may be called—i there is very little danger of accidents occur- ! ring ; that it is a manly exercise ; that a knowledge of the grips and throws may often prove of great service to its possessrr, &c, &c. It may be so ; yet past experience does not warrant entire belief in the propositions. No matter how scientific a man n ay Income as a wrestler, a false step, a slip of the foot, jan over-straining of himself, may result in i some injury which ail his science could no" save him from, and the fractured limbs and i internal injuries which are constantly formj ing the subject of newspaper paragraphs, ! although frequently, perhaps, the result of I want of skill, are beginning to have their in- | fluence on the opinions of most people upon j the subject. There are plenty of harmless | exercises well calculated for aiding in the j physical development of the body, without ; running the risk of receiving life injury ; and ! such being the case, if men have so little, regard for themselves as to engage in such rough, dangerous handling of each other, the State should step in and take care of them by passing a law making wrestling as much a breach of the peace as lighting or any other disorderly conduct. This last unfortunate | case in Dunedin should have the effect of at ! least awaking our Caledonian Society to the [ fact that wrestling is not one of the sports deserving the prizes which they annually award, but one which is rather deserving of their condemnation than their patronage. The resignation of Mr Waterhouse, in Dunedin, as elsewhere, has gained for that gentleman most unenviable notoriety. His action is universally condemned, and certainly displays a want of consideration and | poox-ness i >f spirit which few would have given . | him credit for. Some of his legislative : j speeches in the New Zealand Parliament, I before he attained his late position as Premier, were of more than ordinary merit. , and were sufficient to induce, considerable confidence in his ability and strength of character. But, alas, how public opinion has been disappointed ! Few will have a good ; word to say for one who has so utterly belied ; his promises, and has deserted his colleagues at a time above all others when unanimity of purpose and assistance to each other are most i needed. He has irretrievably damaged his political reputation, and even if he continue ! to hold his seat in the Legislature, his .utterances will be regarded with but little i; attention. It is hardly possible to conceive ■ i how anyone possessing a lengthened political :; experience such as Mr Waterhouse, could so , j blind himself to all honourable patriotic fcel- .! ings as to break faith with his co-Ministers, for : I it is only natural to suppose that Mr Vogel and i j the other members of the Executive, after ; S Mr Waterluwse's expression of opinion that . j he had accepted the position of Premier after ; | careful consideration, and would not re- • sign it with rashness, regarded hint a3 being II sufficiently honourable to keep his word, even • ] were the duties of the position to involve

him in considerable personal inconvenience. His action seems, and indeed is, al!ogethei unjustifiable, when it is remembered that one of the hading members of the Cabinet was absent from' the Co'ouy, that another had resigned, and that the Governor was on the eve of taking lis departure. It is clear that. Mr Waterhouse had better retire from the political world, and content himself with tin peaceful obscurity of the private life from which he dearly should never have emerged. There lias been quite a warfare earned on in the Dunedin papers for the last week between Dr Dunn and a number of persons, headed in point of position by Professo! Macgregor, on the subject of Dr DunnV clairvoyant powers. Dr Dunn is very straightforward and open in his challenge to tin medical profession to put his powers to the test, but up to the present no public trial of his skill has taken place. Meantime he continues to receive patients, and to diagnose the diseases under which they suffer, with varying success. He ha', I understand, been wonderfully correct in many cases in his diagnosis of disease while in a clairvoyant state, while other persons who have been to consult him say that his diagnosis of their respective ailments has been quite at variance with their symptoms, and altogether at fault. One thing is very clear, however : he will leave Dunedin with his pockets well lined with the cash of her credulous citizens. And tins no doubt is the great end and object of the gentleman's trip round the world in the "interests of science," in company with the " Seer of the Age," who in the first instance does the "drawing'' business, and directs attention at his lectures to "his friend Dr Dunn's wonderful clairvoyant powers." There is something of the " you claw my back, and I'll claw yours" stamp about the friendship | of these two interesting scientific travellers which is eminently refreshing ; and as I presume they are working in "pocket" they will no doubt rejoice at being able to devote their leisure time during the voyage to China by adding a chapter to the book which Mr Peebles intends publishing, entitled "The scientific extraction of gold," detailing their success in 'this particular branch of science in New Zeaj land during their prosperous sojourn.