Untitled

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5080, 5 July 1877, Page 2

Even the scientific man stoops to plagiarism. In our issue of yesterday we reprinted, under the head of “New Zealand Contributions to Science,” a notice by “ Anglo-Anstraliau” in the European Mail of a paper read by Mr. John D. Bnys, on “Sandworn Stones from New Zealand.” Mr. John D. Enys expatiated on his subject at great 'length, and, according to “ Anglo-Australian’s ” notice, with great ability, his remarks being chiefly devoted to explaining what he had seen at Evans Bay, Wellington. But it appears that Mr. Enys has pirated Mr, W. T. L. Travers’ work. Some years ago the latter gentleman read a paper before the Wellington Philosophical Society on the very same subject, and used as nearly as possible the very same words as those with which Mr. Enys has lately delighted the Geological Society of London. The must impudent act of all, however, was that Mr..Enys obtained from Mr. Travers the very drawings of the stones referred to as examples. A more barefaced piece of plagiarism it would be hard to conceive.

A proposal has been made to lay tramways in Melbourne city, and meets with very great opposition. The objections come not so much from the Press, hat from annoymous correspondents, and a severe wordy battle is being fought. A contributor to the Argus, under the nom de plume of “A Vagabond,” and who pleads guilty to the “ soft impeachment" of being a Yankee, to use a Yankee phrase, “ goes in bald-headed” for the new idea. “In nothing,” he says, “ can we so proudly claim to set a pattern to the nations of the earth as in our general adoption of the principles of street railroads, or, as you call them here, tramways and then he proceeds to eulogise American cities which have tramways at the expense of London, which has not. Another contributor to the same journal takes the opposite view, and says ; —“ The ‘Vagabond,’ being an American, wants us to imitate New York. I, being an Englisman, desire that London should be imitated.' London is a better kept city than is New York —a more enjoyable city for the traffic of all vehicles and for the general enjoyment of life. I mot many Americans who thought so, and gave reasons for the faith that was in them. The absence of tramways from the streets was one of those reasons. All Americans are not of one idea.” He protests against cutting up the streets of a city for achieving an object of questionable utility, and points out that tramways have not been untried in Australia. Sydney, he says, had a fit in- that way once. A line of tram-

way rails was laid down the length of Pittstreet, in continuation of a suburban line. The inhabitants of that second finest street in Sydney soon, however, protested against the nuisance that they found the tramway really and truly to be. ’ Kents of property in Pittstreet began to fall, and houses remained empty. Those who made inquiries before taking residences saw reasons enough to prefer streets where tramways ceased from troubling. On the general complaint of the inhabitants of Pitt-street, the rails were taken up, and property in that street rose at once 30 per cent, in value. In Wellington we are committed to street tramways, and we can only hope that our experience will not be that of Sydney.