The Globe. FRIDAY, JANUARY 24, 1879.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1540, 24 January 1879, Page 2

The Globe. FRIDAY, JANUARY 24, 1879.

In the published reports of the arrival of the ship Waikato at Lyttelton, very serious complaint was made by the representatives of tho Press of tho manner in which they were treated. Wo have abstained from commenting upon this matter for some days in order that time might bo given to those concerned to rebut the very serious charge made against them. But no justification whatever of the course pursued having been advanced, it becomes necessary refer pointedly to what is now becoming a common practice on tho arrival of foreign ships in harbour, Tho point of the complaint is this: —When tho ship Waikato arrived, tho Imraigrr.lion Officer, Mr March, tho Health Officer, Dr. Rouse, Chairman and general manager of the New Zealand Shipping Company, besides a number of other persons, whose names could ho given if needful, went off in tho Government launch, and all went on hoard tho ship. Shortly afterwards the representatives of tho Press wont off, but wore forbidden to go on board on tho ground that

the ship was not cleared. The prohibitory order was issued by Messrs March and Rouse, and the latter thought it needful to add that anyone who violated the ordo should bo prosecuted. This, bo it remembered, was done in face of the fact that there wore at that time a number of persons on board who had came off with Dr. Rouse himself. Wo do not altogether agree with the complaints made on behalf of the Press. Until the ship was cleared,"reporters were clearly not entitled to go on board; but neither was anybody else, and it was in permitting a number of people * r ‘ to go on board, that the Health Officer was guilty of a very flagrant violation of his duty. This instance is by no means the first of the kind that has occurred, and therefore it cannot bo attributed to a casual failure of judgment. It would almost appear as if the Health Officers had not the strength of mind to assert themselves, when people of local influence are involved. It must bo 'borne in mind that it is no mere matter of etiquette that is in quostion on these occasions, but the safety of the community from imported disease — an i*sue which is of too groat moment to be trifled with, oven for the pleasure of allowing officers to oblige people of influence or their representatives. No one whatever has any business to board a ship until it has been ascertained that she is free from all dangerous disease, and anyone who does so ought unquestionably to bo kept there until a clean bill of health has been granted. As matters are now conducted at Lyttelton there is hardly a vessel enters from foreign parts that a great risk is not run. Long immunity from any disaster, and absence oven of serious alarm, have made the authorities careless; but it is quite certain that in the long run this carelessness will, unless checked, find us out, and it will be then too late to deplore the blindness which overlooked the repeated shortcomings of a too facile officer. Wo are very loth to say anything that can have the appearance of an attack upon persons who are so much esteemed as Messrs. March and Rouse, but we repeat that the risk which is constantly being run is altogether too groat to bo trifled with, and therefore we are not disposed to mince words in dealing with a very palpable dereliction of duty on the part at least of one of them.

Thk Government have issued a Oazette notice of the main conditions upon which exhibits from residents in this colony will be forwarded to the Sydney Exhibition, to be opened in August. These conditions appear to be as liberal as could be desired, and the facilities given will doubtless bo very largely used, and the colony’s products will thus be well represented amongst those of our neighbors. Judging from the number of applications for space at this show which are pouring in from Europe, the Exhibition will bo a far greater success than any which have been heretofore held in these colonies, It may equally be taken for granted from the interest shown in it that it will be very largely attended by visitors fro m foreign parts ( and will,therefore, be an excellent advertising medium of the wares of exhibitors —and this after all, and not philanthropy in any form is the main object of all such undertakings, With respect to New Zealand’s part in the show, a Commissioner is it seems, to be appointed in Wellington who will draw up and circulate a detailed series of regulations for exhibitors. It may bo hoped that no time will bo lost in taking these preliminary steps, as the interval between this and June, when the articles are to be forwarded, is none too long for the preparation of specimen articles of manufacture, or collection of natural products. In this connection it is right to address a word of congratulation to the Government upon their conversion from the narrow and injurious doctrines which they held and carried into effect when the proposal that this colony should be represented at the Paris Exhibition was mooted. Then they would do nothing to assist, because they held that such shows were of no particular benefit to the countries taking part in them, and, moreover, they pleaded that the expense would bo unjustifiable. It is quite pleasant to find now that the Ministry are ,not altogether impervious to ridicule, and that the large amount of it which they brought upon themselves at the time referred to has wrought such a highly salutary reformation. After this who shall despair of their being brought to reason in other and more immediately important matters wherein they have been accustomed to exhibit a similar obtuseness to the best interests of the colony.