TOPICAL READING.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXVIX, Issue 8140, 16 May 1906, Page 4

TOPICAL READING.

An Auckland doctor, speaking to a reporter, on tne subject of surgical operations, said:—"There; is bo doubt that there is a tendency to operate far too much nowadays. The result is that the art of diagnosis is being negleoted or lost sight of to a great extent. I remember the time whoa., the best doctors would speud hour after hour making a oaieful diagnosis, and they took a pride in this work. Now, instead of making the same endeavours to ascertain the uafcure of an ailment, there is a widespread tendency to operate. There are a lot of people who take a delight in having a whole crowd of doctors round them, and very often quite unnecessary, and which could be well avoided by a rest in bed for a little while. If a practitioner will not operate they will go elsewhere and hare it done. I urn quite sure that there are many oases of appendicitis now operated for, which could.be equally well dealt with by medical treatment and the rest cure."

The powerful Emir of Hadeija, whose death was reported in recent cable messages, has proved troublesome for some time. Two months ago it was decided to' despatch an expedition against him, and it is this expedition whioh has brought the Emir to Various oausts were assigned for the disturbance. Hadeija, it was known, bad been on the point of rising for alone; time back, and, according to late English papers to hand, his hand was forced over tbe murder of a soldier which took place some months ago. This soldier disappeared, and was put down as having deserted with his arms and equipment. Some time after, however, his servant, a small boy, returned to the Kesident at Hadeija, with the story that he and his master bad been deooyed into the Emir's palaoe, and the latter had been detained and theii killed by the "Serikin Yaiki," or "Chief • o* War," and his body buried inside the King's house. The boy said he himself had been sold to a caravan going north, with orders only to

travel at night. However, a friendly chief bad released him, and sent him to She Resident. The "Serikin Yaiki," is really the leader of the malcontent* at Hadeija, the Emir being little more than a figure-head.

In a circular to all dairy factories in the colony the Dairy Commissioner says—"ln addition to having all the latest butter and oheese-mak-ing appliances possible, in use at intervals at the Christohurcb Exhibition, lam certain it would be a good advertisement for New Zealand produce, if a large arch were built of butter and cheese box ends, neatly branded with the impress brands. Seeing that there will be a large number of visitors attending the Exhibition, such an arch should prove an excellent means of bringing individual factories* brands uader their notioe. The advantages are so apparent that the Department has decided to erect suob an arch at its own expense, provided each faotory will supply, gratis, two ends of butter boxes or,,oheese cases, neatly and deeply branded with their impress brand. All. packages to be addressed to the Dairy Commissioner, Wellington. Care should be taken to have the impressed faces of the ends well-proteoted, so as not to beoome soiled or smudged, and the name of the sender should be marked on the outside of the parcel. I shall be glad if the factories will forward the impress brands at as early a date as possible."

At a railway'servants' social at Dnnedin recently one of the sneakers Baid a few anomalies had occurred iu connection with the increases of pay, one of them being that while platelayero got an increase of Is per day, ga asters reoeived an increment of only 6d per day. It was to be hoped, however, that this would soon be remedied. The eight-hoar day had been granted, bat not altogether as it bad been promised. It had been promised that no concessions formerly granted were to be interfered with, but than promise had not been kept. He understood, however, that the matter was now qnder consideration, and that the grievance would soon disappear. When a man had been punished in any way he was always under the impression that his past character was always dragged up, bnt in connection with this matter the general manager informed the delegates at the last conference that the Department never went back more than twelve months ic considering a man's case for appeal, promotion, or anything else. This was a step in the right direotion. The sooiey bad offered the Government £IO,OOO if it would agree to place those men ,who had lost their positions through the strike in a position to receive the fall benefit of the superannuation scheme. According to legal advice all broken service should count for superannuation, but if it was not allowed to count, members mast endeavour to do something to enable the men to receive fall benefit for their services. Every man should be made to feel that his services were fully recognised and that his grievances were receiving attention; in fact, the Government should make the men feel that they had no, grievances.