The Evening Star. TUESDAY, MARCH 14, 1871.

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2519, 14 March 1871, Page 2

The Evening Star. TUESDAY, MARCH 14, 1871.

We are not alarmists? and when a danger docs arise, would have it met as becomes intelligent men. If it is one that can be seen and grappled with, the right means must be adopted for repelling it: if, on the other hand, it assails us in the form of disease, the highest attainments of science must be put in requisition to prevent its spread and to relieve the sufferers. We have often been amazed at the apparent paralysis of effort induced by contagious disease. It is looked upon by many as a special visitation, rather than as a mark that some law of our being has been disregarded. There may be doubts as to the extent to which immunity from special diseases

may be attained, for we know that they may have their origin in pestilential malaria generated far from the spot where their' ravages prove most fatal. But there is scarcely a fact better established in science than time the seeds of disease perish without reproduction on ground not prepared to receive and nourish them, and that the healthy human body, placed in favorable conditions, is not readily injured by them. We did hope, notwithstanding the barbarism manifested on our Quarantine Island, that the infection of scarlet fever would not have spread, and that the healthy climate of Otago would have counteracted any contagion that might have escaped the very incomplete processes the arrangements of our Government have provided means for. In this we regret to find ourselves disappointed. Case after case occurs; and although each cannot bo traced to the Robert Henderson, wo may fairly conclude that the spread of the fever is some way or other connected with that vessel. We do not know the extent of the powers of the Board of Health. We believe they are not only very limited, but very ill defined. One very important thing they could do, however, without any infringement whatever upon the liberty of the subject. They could draw up and circulate a few simple and clear directions as to the necessity for minute attention to the cleanliness and ventilation of dwellings; to the advisability of removing to a distance, or destroying substances likely to taint the air through putrefaction, and a few hints as to the best disinfectants and the best mode of using them. So far as we yet know, scarlet fever has only appeared in dwellings that have been crowded with inhabitants. This is very natural. Hr Angus Smith says

We cannot imagine a state of the atmosphere in which theie is no organic matter ihnting: that is to say, not ammonia <r other gases, but organic matter, which leaves charcoal when burning. It is given out by all animals, ami it is probable, that being a necessary state of things, anti not removed by health, it is also conducive in like degree to health. But when it collects it is very injurious. In a crowded room it may be gathered, and its concentrated qualities he observed, but even here it is notapestiler.ee; it only becomes so after the time necessary for decomposition has set in. It follows from this that in onr small and sometimes inconveniently crowded dwellings more than usual care is required. We should like to see houses for all classes in which the living and sleeping apartments could be kept separate. Unfortunately in the Colonies the cost of building is so great, that many shifts have to be resorted to in order to accommodate a numerous family. But there are other faults in house construction that invite disease by lowering the tone of bodily health of the inhabitants. In most cases they have been run up without the slightest regard to sanitary considerations. The rooms are often low, and so contrived that not a breath of really fresh air can be admitted. Even the windows, those poor substitutes for means of thorough ventilation, arc in many instances fastened up, through motives of econo my in construction. The effect of this is to aggravate any contagious disease, and invite its spread through direct agency; but the indirect is perhaps more pernicious : it leads to the perpetuation of ignorance of the means most conducive to the preservation of health. So little are these understood, that we have seen most efficient systems of ventilation, both at sea and on the land, absolutely destroyed by the persons to whose wellbeing they were almost a necessity. Some of these were persons of even more than average intelligence on other matters; but on this—the most important as affecting their bodily welfare—they were incurious and apathetic. The common effect on the’ human mind is, however, different. When certain contrivances are seen, the general result is to inquire the end and purport of them, and the knowledge why they are needed almost of necessity follows. On this ground, in our opinion, every building that is constructed should undergo strict supervision by a competent person, in order that provision should be insisted upon for ventilation, light, and drainage, Nothing is so marvellous in our social system as the value placed upon property above life. In order to secure neighbors from injuring each other by fire, an inspector is appointed who takes care that certain specified rules are complied with, and, if these arc neglected, he is vested with certain powers to compel their observance. But houses may be built that, through faulty construction, may become pesthouses—nurseries for disease, preparing ground for its growth and spread. Even were tho evil certain to remain in one dwelling, and to visit only the unfortunate dwellers in it or any one of them, there is sufficient ground for legislative interference; but when the community are in danger, to look on and wait for an attack is the height of folly and wickedness.

Thk Libel Casks. —ln the Resident Alaeistatc’s Court, before A. C. Strode, Esq., 11. M,, Mr Cl, B. Barton, charged with libelling the General Government, was remanded to Tuesday next. Mayor's Court. —The business at this Court to-day was confined to the fining of two drunkards, and the further investigation of the charge of stealing a dress, preferred against John Baxter, who was discharged after the evidence had been gone into.

Princess Theatre, —The house presented a very animated appearance last night, the occasion being a “bespeak” by his Excellency the Governor, Sir George Bowen. The ball opened with “ A Winning Hazard,” a sparkling little thing, in which Mesd mes Carry George and Collier, and Messrs Lawrence, Collier, and Musgrave, kept the audience in constant good humor. This was followe I by “Caste,” never better played by the company than on this occasion ; having a foretimes fully done justic ■ to both author and actors of ths excellent comedy, further comine ,t is unnecessary. To-night Tom Taylor’s comedy, “The Unequal Match,” will be presented. This, one of the best of that versatile author’s works, ought to draw a large audience.

Who is to Blame ?— A good deal of money has been spent or rather thrown away in making a new road from the head of the Lake to Martin’s Bay. The Provincial Government provided the funds, but the road is almost as far off completion as ever. The men employed upon it state it would co-t a mint of money to make and keep in proper repair. Those surveyors who reported favorably on Dr Hector’s route have left the service. Dr Hector’s experience of the now road is told in a few words. He Condemns it, and wonders why an attempt should have been made to elimb up and down mountains. '1 he route will during al! seasons be dangerous. The Government appear, therefore, wilfully to have been guided by the raditions of the survey department; to have accepted a biased ipse dlr.lt. They had a good and safe road laid down for them in another direction, hut provincial jealousies prevented its adoption. But this is not all. Dr Hector states that for one acre of ground the present road, will open, the other would open fifty. Who is to blame ? The New Drill. —The Wanganui Herald gives the following description of the new squad an 1 company drill to he used by the Volunteers “ The drill is certainly an improvement on the late drill, inasmuch as the recruit being trained in the first and second stage of squad drill, becomes at once familiarised with all commands which he will Jjaye to he made acquainted with afterwards in company or battalion evolutions. For instance a squad is told off into two parts called right and left half squads, so with a company the stupid term sub division is dropped, .and half-company is substituted. And likewise with a battali n the word wing becomes obsolete, and half-battalion introduced. The term wing is only applicable to the right or left portion of a large array. The places of ,oncers are better defined, the captain always feeing three paces in the rear of the centre of bis company, while the lieutenant as right guide, fend ensign as left guide, always direct except in a few cases of parade movenunt. Column right or Je,fb in fejnt is done away with, the column movement being denoted by the command—.column by the left, \\ hep the 1< ft guide directs, and by the right when the right guide directs. Ip line, the right guide always occupies captain’s former place. ijiskirupgshi.ngordcr,i'?fficer ( retur;nswords, and the companv extend in single is,nk, the rear rank man dividing the ordered interval between his own and his outward front rank man- Ggi the command or the bugle sounding ‘ fire,'’ it is understood to be a permissive order only, captains of skirmishers using their own discretion as to what part «f the line should opep lire, andguidesand markers supervising their own spct\ons independently ; this of course is intended to check a waste of ammunition, and is particularly detailed for -the needle giyi. But the single rank line of skirmishers advancing .or retiring (firing) is the easiest method yet introduced, and shoujd at once be adopted -by adjutant and instructors of permanent staff throughout the Colony, but mare particularly by the A.C. who are armed with the iuiifeg rifle. The mode of proving a company proves the drill to he quite simple and moat useful, the old mode being almost wiped away, Th * following being the new commands, viz. : Right half company —trail arms; left half comarms j Oliver sections order arms ; inner sections—order arms ; fours deep—front; fours right—front; fours left —front; fours about—front, A company is made fitting to take post in battalion in the short space of two months. A most remarkable feature in the drill is that infantry need not form square in opposing cavalry, but receive them in line throwing forward one flank and hack the other so.