The Dunstan Times. Beneath the rule of men ENTIRELY JUST the PEN is MIGHTIER than the SWORD. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1877.

Dunstan Times, Issue 816, 7 December 1877, Page 2

The Dunstan Times. Beneath the rule of men ENTIRELY JUST the PEN is MIGHTIER than the SWORD. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1877.

A kind of scare was caused in the town on Friday last, -when the information got abroad that Constable M'Laughlin was to be transferred to Clyde from Lawrence. The question was at once asked has he a family 1 and on receipt of an answer in the affirmative, and, moreover, that several of them had been suffe'-ing from scarlet fever, the scare as it were sot in, and as time passed a feeling of alarm that the dreaded disease might be thus introduced into our midst, coupled

■with one of indignation against the Government for proposing so maniacal a step seized upon one and all. The resident Police authoritieswere at once waited on, and requested to communicate with the head of the department with the view of cancelling the transfer order, the local Board of Health was hastily got together for a like purpose, and at a ’later period of the day Mr Vincent tyke—in his dual capacity of Member of the House of Representatives for the District, and Chairman of the Vincent County Council—was interviewed. The effect of the representations of all these was that the order was cancelled, and the threatened danger averted. We can not for a moment think but whoever it was that ordered the removal of a public servant from what cannot other than be looked upon as an infected district into a clean one, did so in utter ignorance of the facts, the readiness with which the appeal of the people of Clyde were attended to and complied with is sufficient evidence; but if it were possible to think that it was done with a full knowledge of the whole of the facts no punishment, however severe, would meet the case. The precantionary measure taken by the local authorities, and by the resident Police, was the only one that could have availed ; and they richly deserve the heart-felt thanks that were accorded them when it became certain that there was no further need of alarm. With daily communication between here and Lawrence every precaution should be taken against introducing the disease ; while, at the same time the Local Board of Health should be so prepared that, if it did appear, every remedy would be at hand to prevent it spreading. By this we mean that the town should be thoroughly cleansed, and a plentiful supply of disinfectants procured to meet any emergency. The following article, taken from the Grey River Argus, is well worthy consideration :

“ The calamitous prevalence of scarlet fever in Hokitika—a town with which the people of Kumara and Greyraouth are in constant communication—should teach a salutary lesson to the authorities of these places. They have as yet escaped, but still this terrible disorder may at any moment become established in them. The number of houses that have been rendered desolate in Hokitika during the past few months is pitiably great, Hardly a street but Rachel sits weeping for her children, and refusing to be comforted ; and all this misery and death is due to the criminal laxity of those whom the law has armed with powers to prevent the introduction and spread of infectious or contagious diseases. Months ago our Hokitika contemparary pointed out m the clearest and most forcible terms what should be done to preserve the public health, and what would inevitably happen if the proper precautionary measures were not adopted. But in spite of all remonstrances, backed by'the highest authorities on sanitary laws, the local Board of Health which happens to be the- Borough Council, did nothing but talk-talk and do nothing. Meanwhile iheAngel of Death,with noiseless wings passed from house to house, and now, with the consequences of their shameful negligence before them, the Municipal authorities seek to palliate their conduct by invoking the Almighty to interfere with the perfection of those natural laws which they perfectly understood, hut refused to recognise. On the principle of shutting the door after the steed has been stolen, the local Board of Health in, however, now making some show of action after the children of the town have been almost decimated, but all they can now do cannot atone for the neglect of the past. The disease might have been stamped out months ago without much difficulty, but it has attained so strong a foothold that very vigorous measures will have to be taken to subdue it.”