The Evening Star MONDAY, MAY 31, 1875.

Evening Star, Issue 3827, 31 May 1875, Page 2

The Evening Star MONDAY, MAY 31, 1875.

Although it ia the fashion to boast of the march' of progress—of civilisation, it is net an entirely self-congratulatory fact that man the civiliaer has, in hia colonising efforts, introduced pests of all kinds, which before his era had no native existence. Inexorably just, as Nature is in all her laws, the civilser’s back has now to bear the brunt of the burden. . Germs of typhoid fever were unknown in New Zealand until civilisation, so called, began to collect the wealthy into centres for social benefits, and to draw together with them in the same centres enterprising money makers and a largo laboring population, all hoping to make a livelihood in ministering to the rich—if not in the end to supplant them. When the accumulated filth of thousands thus collected together waa'iallowed to stagnate for months in all parts of the town, or to be exposed in the same state of putrid stagnation upon the edges of the harbor, to be there acted upon by atmospheric agents, and blown back upon the town, fever of the worst type was at once produced. There is no mystery about typhoid ferer. It is the fashion for a certain class of professional men in all countries, who go in for mtoriety advertisements, to establish and keep alive discussions, as if the origin of the fever was a matter of doubt. Nothing, however, is so clearly proved as the fact that the germs of typhoid are the direct products of stagnant fi th, insufficient drainage, or the insufficient sanitary state of even one house So well recognised is this principle that in London, where now the evil is almost stamped out, typhoid fever is known as the enemy of the wealthy and not of the poor. The laboring classes, which, form the bulk of the Metropolitan population, are fore d to be clean ; the wealthy have a license to gild over the unclean. So long as the sanitary state of ©ur towns is neglected, so long and in increased proportion will its inhabitants suffer from typhoid fever. We do not believe that the Municipal Council will ever adopt a comprehensive scheme of drainage until forced to do so. The interests of the Province are so intimately connected with the public health of the towns, that it would be equitable to assist out of general funds while making drainage compulsory in all cases. Municipal Councils should be compelled to construct adequate drainage works undex qualified inspectors. If they cannot raise sufficient money to carry out public works, assistance should be given. The good health of the people is of far more importance than the consideration as to who is to pay for its security. An equitable distribution of rates to pay for the maintenance of works, and interest on the capital borrowed is only a matter of detail very easily adjusted Smaller pests are troubling our legislators at present. To-day the rabbit nuisance is to be discussed in the Provincial Council. In a day or two the same body are to be exercised about thistles. An Ordinance and a grant of £I,OOO are to be asked for the eradication of thistles in the Peninsula. This is a process we fear only to be compared to the historical attempt to keep back the ' Atlantic with a mop. The State Babbit destruction besom, if employed, will fare but little better. No plan for the artificial destruction of rabbits will be accepted which does not throw the whole cost of destruction upon the landowners and lessees by special rate. If they will not accept legislation upon these terms it is obvious that the disease is not worse than the cure at present available in private hands. As a comment upon the rabbit question, wo append a Christchurch telegram received to-day ;— “Encouraged by the' Premium offered by the Acclimatisation Society, people are destroying hawks wholesale. Over sixty have been shot in three weeks.” Of a truth the present race of civilisers are strange people and their ways ncomprehensible.