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Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 6, Issue 1770, 25 August 1884, Page 2

We have heard it stated that the diptheria cases which have recently proved so fatal in this neighborhood originated in an alleged nuisance which was brought a short time back officially under the notice of the Borough Council by its Inspector. This may or may not be the' case and- without further evidence in support of such an allegation it would be unfair to reflect upon the action of the Borough Counoil. It is, however, yery desirable that an investigation should be made upon the cause of an epidemic by which several lives have already been sacrificed, and we trust that the Council will deem it a duty to make such an inquiry. In .the particular case to which we refer there'was a conflict ofopinion between the Inspector of the Counoil and its Medical Officer. The; public will not be satisfied, in view of the serious turn affairs ■ have now taken, without some-'further investigation into the complaint which the Borough Council shelved. ■

Sir George Grey' recently declared that certain Ministers ought to be dragged from their seats. He is now endeavoring to obtain the co-operation of these very men to form a new Ministry. The country is not likely to put up with political perfidy of this character, and we trust that the House will,resent it also. A GreyAtkinson combination would 'be another unholy 'ami immoral alliance. At whatever cost the banns should be forbidden,' as the just cause and impediment is so palpable. Of course it is inconvenient to have one Ministerial crisis following on the top of another, but it is far better to have a new Ministry twice a week than for the House to accept a debased cabinet,

In our last issue "A Parent" complained of the criminal negligence of the school committee iu not closing the public school during the. prevailing epidemic. Had " A. Parent" taken the trouble to ascertain the steps taken by the committee at this juncture, be would probably have written in a very different tone, The committee, we'may inform him, took medical advice as to the measures necessary to prevent contagion in connection with the school. The advice given fras.

adverso to closing the- school, but in favor of certain precautions of a preventive character. Both the public and"Parent" may rest satisfied,that the;committee is quite alivo to the gravity; of the prevailing epidemic and that it has! already taken all necessary steps to prevent ;it spreading through the school. \

The farmers of Masterton are to be congratulated on their enterprise in inaugurating a genuine Farmers' Club, for which purpose rules and regulations have been adopted, and the necessary officers elected. It is a gratifying sign of the character of the new club that at present every member of, it is a,farmer, We hope to see this distinctive feature maintained, If once the club begins to admit farmers' friends as members—to , let in the butcheiy the baker,-and the candlestick maker—it will loso more than it will gain, A Farmers' Club of a similar character was started in Masterton some six years ago, and was simply smothered by the numerous nonfarmers who were enrolled as members. At one meeting at which we were present about twenty members took part in.the proceedings, aud of this score only three had a claim to be considered farmers. If the new club is to obtain the success which we trust to see it achieve, it will have to guard against the admission to its ranks of non-farmers,