The Telephone. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE POVERTY BAY STANDARD. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. GISBORNE, TUESDAY, AUGUST 5.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 201, 5 August 1884, Page 2

The Telephone. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE POVERTY BAY STANDARD. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. GISBORNE, TUESDAY, AUGUST 5.

The question of small-pox is not by any means a nice one to have to discuss, but nevertheless it is one which claims most serious consideration. The old adage anent prevention being better than cure is specially applicable. Our telegrams inform us that the Government are alive to the necessity of taking some steps to prevent the introduction of the disease into the colony, and in all probability the startling intelligence received from Napier yesterday that a passenger having the disease had been landed from the Waihora on Saturday will rouse them to a sense of the responsibility resting upon them, and the absolute necessity for immediately taking most stringent

measures. We thoroughly coincide with a writer in the Christchurch Press, who says There is no question that with small-pox in a neighboring colony, only five or six days' steaming from our ports, the only chance of keeping it out is by a rigorous quarantine. The incubation period of smaH-pox is fourteen days. A passenger may embark after contracting small-pox in Victoria and land here apparently in good health, without the slightest visible trace of the disease, and fall sick a few days after landing. The question is not one for health officers to decide. There can be but one opinion about it. The real fact is that the steamship companies, the merchants and importers, the banks and the mercantile interest generally are all dead against quarantine. I was a health officer of shipping for five years, and I know what it is to have to oppose these powerful interests. They use every influence they possess to prevent: the imposition of quarantine. The scare about small-pox is out of all proportion to the mischief it is likely to do in this colony by its direct action, and it seems to me a very shortsighted policy to run the risk of getting the disease into the colony for the sake of obliging the Union S.S. Company and a few Melbourne importing houses. This is what it is in plain English. We can surely manage to do without imports from Melbourne or Sydney for a fortnight, and this is the outside of what would be requisite. In fact, if the ship had no sickness on board, and had been five days at sea without communication with the shore, ten days quarantine would suffice. If quarantine is enforced let it be efficacious. An imperfect quarantine is worse than none at all, for it produces a false feeling of security, and is simply vexatious. All goods, passengers’ clothes and effects, in fact, everything that comes off the ship, must be fumigated or disinfected in some way, and so must letters be. Bank notes in this Colony being the almost universal currency, would speedily diffuse the disease if it made its appearance. In concluding Dr. Bakewell remarks that when the disease appeared at Trinidad his plan to stop it was rejected by the Government because the cost was estimated at £5OO. Thirteen months after the disease was still raging and had cost the Colony /T 3,000. These are telling facts, and the Government should not allow either false economy or political influence to weigh with them in a matter of such vital importance to every resident in New Zealand.

The only information to hand regarding the outbreak of small-pox in this Colony in addition to what we published yesterday is to the effect that the Government have issued fresh regulations to the health authorities at each port, demanding that on the arrival of a vessel from Victoria a most stringent medical inspection shall be made on board, and should any suspicious circumstances be discovered, the vessel, with her passengers, will be quarantined. So far as all past experience teaches, this course of action is nothing more nor less than humbug. Dr. Bakewell’s letter plainly points out that fourteen days must elapse before contagion discovers itself, and therefore the mere fact of making the suggested medical examination is a farce. The run from Melbourne to the Bluff, or from Sydney to Auckland occupies about five days. The examination is made say at the Bluff, ten days before the disease could possibly be developed. As a matter of course, no suspicious circumstances are discovered, the passengers are landed in Invercargill, and the vessel goes on. Next day the same farce is gone through at Port Chalmers with a similar result. And so on at Lyttelton, Wellington, Napier, and Gisborne. With the Sydney to Auckland boat the programme is simply reversed. It will thus be plainly seen that under the new regulations issued to health boards at the various ports, the colony can be inundated with smallpox patients before any “ suspicious circumstances are discovered,” The exigencies of the case imperatively demand that for a time at least, vessels from infected ports must be debarred from landing goods or passengers for fourteen days after leaving port in order to allow time for the developement. One peculiarity has been pointed out to us in connection with the man Mouat, who is now in Napier. The information forwarded yesterday stated that the case was one of confluent small-pox, which was suspected on one day, and confirmed the next. Now, confluent small-pox is a second stage of the disease, and before a case had reached that stage there could not under ordinary circumstances be any reasonable doubt as to the nature thereof. Either Mouat’s is not a typical case, or else an attempt has been’made to keep the real facts from being made public. We have already been accused of causing unnecessary alarm in the minds of some imaginary old ladies of keen nervous susceptibilities and weakly health. We emphatically deny the soft impeachment. The heading of our extra was “ Small-pox at our doors.” Well, we might certainly have put instead, if we had so chosen, “ Small-pox next door,” or “ Small-pox at Napier,” or a thousand other headings, or, in fact, not have issued the extra at all, which would have been the course most likely to please the susceptible old ladies hinted at. But we did not choose to do so, hence the trouble. What we conceive to be the essence of news is to have it red-hot. In the present case the extra was issued within twelve minutes from the time it was received by us, not by any means an extraordinary feat on our part, but a little smarter than Gisborne readers have been used to. We “insiders” can fully appreciate the enterprise displayed by an “ outsider ” (if it was really not an inside hatching) in rushing up to our contemporary in so short a space with some O. C. copy, and his insinuated spmpathy with them for being a few hours behind time; but it will always be our endeavor to supply our readers with any important items of news at the earliest opportunity. There is very little time on an evening paper to study whether expressions will hasten the demise of ancient ladies—the main point being expedition. We trust our readerswill bear this in mind, and look over any little inconsistencies, either real or fancied.

Local and General. - — Harbor Board,:—The ordinary meeting of the Board will be held to-night. Pritchards.—The Pritchard Family perform at Ormond to-morrow night.

The Omapere.—The Omapere will be up from South to-morrow morning.

Garden Trees.—Satisfactory prices were realised at Messrs. Oarlaw Smith & Co’s, sale of fruit and garden trees this morning.

The Southern Cross.—This boat leaves Auckland to-morrow night, and will arrive here on Friday. She will be the only boat from Auckland this week. Southern Cross Petroleum Company.— The latest news with regard to the Southern Cross Petroleum Company is to the effect that the boring was down to 200 feet on SaiuMay last, and they are now driving at the rate of seventy feet a day, with two shifts.

Masonic.—The Turanganui Lodge, No. 1480, held its regular monthly meeting last night. There was a good attendance of brethren and visitors, Bro. E. K. Brown, W.M., presided. W. H. Clayton.—A large supply of building material has just been received at the Central timber yard ; also a lot of ornamental pickets, and an endless variety of mouldings and joinery. Mr. Clayton executes builders’ orders on commission.

David Isles.—The manager of the South Pacific Petroleum Company announces that shareholders who have not paid the fourteenth sixpenny call, due on the 9th ult., will forfeit their shares unless they pay up before to-morrow (Wednesday).

Hatton, King & Co.—This firm of confectioners, the premises of which have twice been destroyed by fire within twelve months, have taken offices in Bond-street, Dunedin, where they will be happy to attend to all commands with their usual promptitude and care.

T. J. Dickson.—ln another column will be found a new advertisement relating to the Argyll Hotel. This popular hostelry is known to be so well managed that to praise it would be as useless a work as that of painting the lily or gilding refined gold. One good turn into the Argyll bar not only deserves but ensures another.

J. A. Slack.—The eminent photographer, Mr. J. A. Slack notifies that he has given up the idea of depriving this district of his services, and having enlarged and refurnished his studio, is now prepared, with the aid of a fresh supply of materials specially imported, to execute all descriptions of portraits from carte-de-visite to life-size. First-class work guaranteed or the. money returned. R.M. Court.—The following cases were adjourned this morning:—Cameron v. Wilson, for one month; Warren v. Robertson, for one week ; Warren v. Kinross & Graham, for one week : Burnand v. Murchie, till Friday next; Rosie v. Gould, for two months; Keefer v. W. O’Meara, for one week. There were other cases settled out of Court and some withdrawn.

The Small-Pox.—A little later news than that referred to in our leader is to hand, but does not contain much information of importance. It appears that all necessary precautions are being taken in Napier. It is also stated that Captain Edie was very much surprised when he was informed in Auckland of Mouat’s case. A rumor was in circulation yesterday that the Government were warned before the arrival of the Waihora to take precautionary measures, but no confirmation has been received.

Trust Commissioner’s Court.—The following business was transacted at the Trust Commissioner’s Court yesterday Kopuni : Deed of lease from Karauria Pahura and another to A. Reeves. Certificate to be affixed next Monday. Whatahaungawhuru : Deed of lease from Anaura Matete to T. U’Ren. Adjourned till Monday next. Ngakaroa: A memo, of transfer from Mere Peka to Geo. Bourne. Adjourned till next Monday. Makauri: Deed of conveyance from Kate Gannon to Percival Barker. Adjourned till Monday next. This morning the certificate for the deed of conveyance of the undivided interest in Makauri, Taruheru, and Tahoka, from Tamati Te Whatiwhati to D. Doull, was affixed.

The Late Miss Bullen.—lt is our painful duty to have to record the death of Miss Winnifred Bullen (more familiarly known amongst her intimate friends as “ Daisy.”) which occurred at two o’clock this morning. Miss Bullen, who was only 19 years of age, had been ill for some time past, but a fatal termination was never contemplated. The immediate cause of death was exhaustion, the result of inflammation of the bowels. As a symbol of the respect in which the deceased young lady was held, all the places of business have had their shutters up to-day. Wo deeply sympathise with the parents in thier heavy bereavement. The funeral is announced to leave Mr. Bullen’s residence, Peel Street, at half-past two to-morrow afternoon. Ada Mantua’s Sweep.—lt appears an error occurred in the local we published the other day about this sweep. From information received to-day we learn that the first and third prizes went to Dunedin and the second to Coromandel. With regard to the Tologa Bay winner, the holder of the ticket mentioned was telegraphed to to the effect that he had got “ Pride,” and in a moment of excitement he must have mistaken it for

“ prize,” hence the error. The error might have been seen through easily, because the wire was sent some days before the race was run. “ Scottie ” informs us that his stock of tickets is getting very limited, and intending investors had better make early application to avoid disappointment.