THE HEALTH OF THE DISTRICT.

Waikato Times, Volume X, Issue 603, 1 April 1876, Page 2

THE HEALTH OF THE DISTRICT.

SATURDAY APRIL 1, 1876.

]t is with no little alarm we hear of ho many cases of typhoid and colonial fever in an open country district such as this, which, oven with the presence of large swamps in its urea, should be free ftoiu anything of the kind. A little of thtprevailing disease is due doubtless to the heavy rains of early summer, followed by great heat, generating miasma, aud we aie told that the Waikato in the summer of 1860, which was, as far as the weather is concerned, a very similar one to th.it of 1876, was noted'for the number of fevei cases. Wo are inclined, however, to think that ranch of the present disease, and b} fiiv the moie malignant portion of it, may be traced to other causes. Fevers of all kinds h.ive been prevalent in other parts of the colony besides Waikato, anil scarh t fever at the present moment prevails to a large extent at the Thames and Ooiomai - del. Wo happen to know, from piivaic sources, how that disease was first intndiiced into those districts, and we believe that the worst cases of lever in this may be traced to the tame source, —want if precaution on the yart of the authorities in preventing the introduction of dUea a into the country from immigrant vessels. So insidious are some of these diseases that clothes, used upon the "oy.ige an ' put away again, when taken out an I worn mouths afterwards vail spread the disease, tuid too much caution cannot thetetoiu.be used either in destroying or thorough y fumigating' every article of clothing vvhuh may be suspected of being capable ci conveying- tho seeds of disease. And abo\ c ajl is this necessary in the further use il tho immigrant cottages at Hamilton ai d Cimbiidge, in whicli fevor has broken out; otherwise fiom their very nature and u c these cottages may become the seed b, d for propagating disease in all parts of the district. We would bpuuially urge this en the notice of the immigration uuthoiitus. Fever foi many months Jims been hanging •irouud the liiimigration cottages at Cambridge, appealing from time to timo with I'.vtal oilcct, and now at the lapse of many monthh fioui )ib tiral app".irance there, we h.nu to record the death of one of tie most \ alu.ible and rejected of our suttlet s, ono of a family, whose intorcouno wrh Uie sick inhabitants ot these cottages in deeds of charity and kindness had bei n uureiijittent. In the case of the Ilam.lton cottages itjwould be well if the immigration authorities ior some timo used only those ou tho east side of tho river, whcie the fever has net appeared, and when the patient in the present cast) has recovered, took care that the premises were thoioug-h-ly fumigated under the biipurintendeiiee of a medical practitioner, and leit unoccupied for a time. Of all possible places, cottages, which arc used ns the <le})OC whence immigrants proceed to .ill parts of the di.su-ict, should be most cmfully purged of -ill p >s<-il>ihty of infection

Taie Cambridge Farm.- us Cu'h.— Hie wen:ben ot llii* Club will hod their uanul inonLiry uiwting on Tuesday evening noit, the 4th mat. Cattlk MB Auckland. — Another fine mob of fat cattle, flboiit 00 m number, p&racd through Hamilton yi*tor<lay lor Auckland. Immigrants rou Waikax^— A number of immigrants arrived in Hamilton by (he steamer on Thuvtday evening and were accommodated in the Eaat Hamilton .Barracks. Wo understand that they are passengers ex thip Brodnclt Castle, and are lor the most part Yorkshiremen. Bank of Nbw Zeaiavd.— Mr I) L Murdoch, Inipector of lh« Bank ol New Zealand, hss obtained a twohemonth'n leave of abkencu, itnd proceed* at once on a vitit to England. Mr John Murray \> ill tye JAeling Inspector during Mr Murdoch* absenceThji Law. — It will be perceived by advertisement that Mr C Madden, (Solicitor, late of the firm of Madden and O'Neill, but returned to tint district and intends carrying on his profestion at Hamilton. Many will be tflad to welcome ! Mr Madden on hid return to the Waikato, and in colonial parlance to wish him " good luok." Alexandra Public Hall. — Alexandra is at it again. It u only tue other day ire had to record a most mcceiiful entertainment, followed by • dance, and now another, we see, it to be given on the 7th imtant in the Public Hall — this time by the Te Awamutu Dramatic Club, and assisted, no doubt, by local talent. The entertainment cownuenceß at 8 pin, and the dancing two hourt Inter. Church Mkbting at Cambridge. — During his visit to Cambridge tho Bithop of Auckland, Dr Cowie, met tho members of the Church at an open meeting on the 27th inst, at which, amongtt other bunineis it was sugigosted that it would be advisable to increaaa the area ol the Church property in the township by the purchase of the contiguous allotment, which was for tale. The suggestion was approved of and ft resolution pasted to that effect. A subscription list was at once opened and the sum of £17 subscribed by those pre«eut. Thb Ngaudawahia Public Baths.— Botter Ittte than never is a true saying, and one which our Fublio Hall Company in Hamilton might take to heart when they learn tho progrets made lit Ngiiiuawahui in the erection of the public baths at that place. True the bathing seutson i« nearly over, but tho b^ths will be in readiness for the next and thtt is more than they might have bocu had the work of constructing them boon put off to a more convenient season. TVgaruawabia has sol a good example in this matter to other Waikato river Bcttli'munlt. A. doublo barge haa been 6cuuied mid safely moore") lo the bank, tho water flowing fiui'ly thiou^h it, anj built over so at to render it perfectly private Tlie work i* now wry ueurly finuhed and will b completed iv * few diy% when th» hu'hs will bi thrown opeu to iba public, certain hjur* bemg tjiecmll^ rottervod for eifchorsex.

PBKbBYTKBUH CHUROH, HaHILTON HIST. — Fhii building ire learn is to undergo a thorough »nd immediate repair before the winter, and < bonder! for carpenter* work will be received by ] Mr J X McDonald not later than 4 p.m. of ruesday next. Mr v[oDonald will bo at the church at five o'clock this evening, to show intending •outractor* the builAing, and give particular* of the work required. Raglan : Importation op Shk».— Mr John Runciman, the Gorernment Sheep Tmpector of this district, baa just returned from a visit to Raglan, at which plaoo three cargoes of *heep, oonmting of 5,000 in all, have lately been landed. They came from Canterbury, and were imported by the owner* of what is known as the Canterbury Ron, lying along the ooatt between Raglan and the Waikato Head*. The iheop were in good order, and received a clean bill of health. Hamilton Wbst Ratipayirs are cautioned to " ante up" before the 30th of this month or they will find themielre* before they know it at Court making a bow at Mr Searanoke's lev&>, and being irffermed what they have to pay without being put to the trouble of asking " how much." Dogs, too, will be required to *cc that they get thonuelveß properly registered, or they will find themselves ' ' collared " by the local constable instead of by their owners, and treated, the one to a dose of strychnine, the other to a fine. Application j©Rigist«r. — Human nature is the tame all the world over, and Proorastination has as many devotee* in Hamilton as any where else. Yesterduy morning our office* were at one time almost beseiged 'for Registration forms by persons who had neglected to register their application to be placed on the eleotoral roll, and J P's and elector* were eagerly (ought aft«r ns attesting witneises, thr3Ughout the morning. A good many will got on the roll by the -skin of their teeth, thanks to the reiterated warnings, not to be too late, given them by tbi* journal. Hamilton Church Vbstry Mbe ting. — A meeting of the members of the Hamilton Church Vo*try has been called for at 7 o'clock this evening, on whioh occasion the B'uhop of the Diocese will bt present ; and more than one matter of importance will be brought under diicussion. W« trust that the te*trymen will meet punctually to the minute, as Boma five or sis of them are required at aoon as the Church business is over to repair to the Court house and bake pirt in the rehearal of Bsrdoll v Pickwick and sundry gtees, and Chmty Minuttel »ong* in whic'i they will take parf on Monday cveniDg next. Distbict DEPPrr, 1.0 G. P. — An election, for the offico of Di»trict Deputy in the 1.00. T. i-» now going on. The various Lodge* in the Waikato have received order* from the Qrand Lodge to take tt ballot on th" names of the two cindida'es who have been nominatod, vie, Mr T C Hammond, of tho Waikvto Times *taff, who has been nominatod by the Hope of Waikato, Star of the East, Star of Waipa, and the Hopo ofCambiidge Lodges; nud Mr Lewi* O'Neill, who has been nominate i by the Onward to Victory and the Rose of Te Awamutu In all eight Lod.'cs have to vote, and the contest it likely to be a teen one. Exchange Hotkl, A.lex:andha. — We peroeivo by advert lsem-ut that the Ex. hange Hotel, ut Alexandra, hae changed hand*, the new proprietor beinc; Mr J G Wilson, who will doab leis he remembered by many of the settler* of the Waikuto, more especially about Cambridge, where he kept a »tore in the early day* of that settlement We beHevc it ii his intention to n.ako c mtiderable alteration* and improvement*. , Ho h al»o nbout to build a store for the purpose of carrying on a trade wi.b, the up couutry nativcc, and intendi to deil largely in native produce. We wi*h him every *uccess in his new under! uking. Nativk G-ora SbaHoit. — In the Ht Provincial Gro\ciiiment Gaeettc," which was received yesterday, nppears a proclamation ntiting that »H the native game mcn'ionoil in the stli section to tho Protection of Animals Act, 1873, except native pigeons anJ cuilewa, may ba shot wichin the p"onnce du-iojj April. May, June, and July, md Hint native pigeon* can be »hot only in May June, and July of tho present year. Last w<jek, in tho immediate neigifbourboo I of Hamilton, we Hushed a covey of about ten or twelve qiuil, They were strong on tho win?, but of what kind we nro unable to sai. The birds were smaller, however, than Australian quail. Saturday Night ha* been one of the few, perhaps the only real colonial literary spoculatioa of the kind, which has ever been a genuine succu. It hat tiken wonderfully not only in this Pr» vinci", but throughout tlm Colony ; and, we b • lieve, tint ten timps as mauy copie* of it are Bold m Waikato in the one day a* of other Auckland 'papers for the entire wo^k. *' Saturday Night" has added a vow attraction to its otherwise amusing o'lumn* by printing in tbepag'* of pach numhpr, it *ong with pianoforte accompaniment. In that of last Saturday wo have " Silver thread* nmong the Gold"— in to-days, "M\ own Ifiimn." In muBic»l families theio soiiu'^ will bo considered worth all the moiitu, atul tho new attraction will donbtles* tend to ronder tho work still more popu'ar. ILu'iMPrr Puffic School. — We nra glad to leirn tint 1 lie E du.itiounl authorities hevea teJ liboial'y tow-M'tU t'ns nowlvoreoiod s/hool distnpi of llar.tapi, in I'timting tho inhabitant* a mm(i r £5JO to Anic 1 * ilifl erection of u building. | lln> fi'imitoJ v»i{ of thi propos-d *chool house i \i tl'UI till MioMj into »>»tel iv thn matter aro I loli'rin i- '~i not lo #> to sleep upon It, but by I h >ok or In croik, by "übdcnptioa, or otherwise, jto rttiso tiif necessary balance. One of the firal steps wil l be the getting up «f a public entertainj rnent it Cambridge, and if all the available local I t»l nt ran bo secured, and l he inhabitants of the I disiri't nri 1 ap|>«-»lo'i to iv a ipiriied manner for 1 tht»ir suop >rt, jio doubt the amount realised will foi na a conM !«r iblo item on tha •übscriptioniiat towards meeting the balitnceof tho £130. Tki- Hamilton CuuEca CHOra —There hive lieen two practice* of the Church Choir id Hamilton, — on Thunday, and again l&>t evening, — iv the new church, in preparation for the opening services on Sundaj. The acoastio "propflrties of the new building appear to be tolerably good hu there was a want of clearnoss of the voices, a slightly confuted jumble of sound, for which wo do not know whether to blame the unfmiaho'l and oinpty state of the building, tho positioi m which ths choir it located, or the Singed themselvei. The mu»ter was an unusually strong one, *nd the choir coutoint many excellent voices but to attain that excellence which they might hope to do with the material at hand, a mucb closer attention to practice i* requisito than many «eem inclinod lo afford. The harmonium is not of the best, and we hope to sen a bettor bye and bye, for the choir is worthy of a more suitable one at least it may be made *o. Theri is the raw material for as good a choir as anywhere in the Province out of Auckland, not excepting even the Thames, but it wants working up. ROUBK UP, ROUBK ITP, M-Y MeRBT MrN All '—There seems to be a dearth of local new* in all other purtsof Waikato except in Hamilton, if we may judge from the paucity oT mitterof local interest forwarded to v* by ouf various local correspondent*. Somehow or another not i> day passes but something i« happening in Hamilton worth reoordmg as an item of newt, and this surely must be the co«e in the dther settlements, for we can scarcely believe that Hamilton is, as ■omo would believe it to be, all Waikato. Our objeot, indeed, i* to make the Times not a Hamilton but a Waikato journal, and we would even gladly exclude, as indeed wo lometime* do, Hamilton new* of mera looal interest to mako room for that of other parts of thi di«tnot. Whil*t urging, therefore, upon our " own cor respondents " not to let a man* hat blow off, and certainly not hit hou*e burn down a* on two occasions has been the cute, without recording it, we may state that we ahall always be thankiul to receive items of -passing local news from any of ourj subsinbers in up country district*, who may bo in a position to furmsU us with the same. We should regret exceedingly to have to *cald a child to deatli at Kihikihi, drown *orae mnn, name unknown, at Ngaraawahia, or burn a house clown at Raglan, but we ahall be driven to each extremity, lcvolting a* the aot would be lo our eonsoiunuo if "we had one — for ed te-r* aro furnished with gizzards only in ppyei ye of the con?( i.'iicos o iother men — if our correspondents leave vi utmipp iod nith account* of the currcut eveuts of liien several locditie*.

RSTIRKHEKT 09 Mil 0 SMITH, OHBKIST O» Hamilton. — The report that Mr Smith, ohemiit, of Hamilton, was about to retire from business has been received with very general regret bj the publm at large. Afr Smith was not only much liked and reiptcted, but hit services will be missed by a large number of people who can ill afford to do to. Ho w&a in fact the poor man's doctor. Number* who oould not afford to call in the services of a medical man could place the utmost reliance on Mr Smith's skill and long experience, and relating their symptoms and stating their case obtain the necessary medicaments and gratuitous advice to effect a cure. To his kindness, consideration, and Attention very many, of the working classes of this district bear greatful testimony. The business has been bought and, we beliere, will be almost isima* diately entered upon by a brothar of Mr Thomas Sandes, who has had considerable experience at the Thames and who will find a wide sphare of usefulness in this part of {Vaikato. Thi Late Accidbht to Ms Shbbift. — We are glad to learn that Mr Sheriff, whose leg was broken some few weeks since at the Pinko, and who, coming into Hamilton with the object of proceeding to the Hospital at Auckland, stopped here to avail hiinsolf of the medical services of Dr Beale, is rapidly improfing. The cause of the aocident was scarcely correctly stated at the time. The dray which Mr Sheriff was in was not upset, bu the horses bolted, and he fell out in trying to stop them. This is another evidence of the pressing naed of a public hospital for the Waikato district, in which anyone suffering like Mr Sheriff might receive medical attention on leaving home without having to take up his quarters at the house of a friend or an hotel, aud where too, which ■ of great consequence to many, he would receive muchcul attention at little or no extra cose. It would have been simply impossible, without putting Mr Sheriff to acute iu ßering, to have forwarded him on to Auckland in the stato he wai then in. When brought into Hamilton the skiu of the lepr was cut through by the fractured bone, which protruded, and, as it was, he suffered soferelj with the fatigue aud motion of the com garatively short journey from Piako to Hamilton Dangjrous — What might have been a most serious accident oeourrod to » Udy who does noi wish her name mentioned, while returning iron a friend's house on the west side of the rirer te her own in Hamilton East, on Taursday nighl last. When going ap the pathway which leid; from the ferry to the main ro id by the imini grunts cottages, she came toapirfc of it wbict has slipped trom the side of the hill and when a mere narrow path b*s been out deeper int< the sideling. Th -re ure two awkward holes however, ia the piiti at this spat, and tmssinj tier footing slid fell a consid-rib'e distance dowi the hill side towards the river, before she wa enabled by clutching the fern aud ti tree to i*vi Lcraelf from tailing into tho stream. We woul seriously recommend the Hamilton East Towi Board to sec at once to thu matter, for fron a decision given at Timaru it woald seem tha local boards are liable for the result o( sue: accidents, and the lady's young nun who cam with her to our office to giro the above infor mation assured us that had she been drovrne ho wsuld hare goue in for heavy dumagei fo said he, looking amorously at the young lad. in question, ''I valuo her at her weight ii gold;" and to judge from her proportions th l >dy would'nt have kicked the beam at les* thai fro-n twelro to thirteen stone. Sib Jctuds Vogel on Taxation. — At th< close of the banquet last week, at Wanganui Sir Julius was asked several que«tijns by thosi present. One was in reference to increase! taxation, when he said: — "Thatiftho Govern mont had made up it* mind on the subject o proposing additiontl taxation next session then wouLl be no objection to stating what the con elusion come to was ; but ho could give hi aasurauce that the Government had uome te no conclusion upon the subject. He might »aj that they did not go with chose theoruts wu< contended that whether or not extra taxatiot was desirable a property and income tat woalc hi acceptable. Those tuxes could no doubt* b< very well paid by the country, but would bj f very groat nuisance, and be exceedingly un popular. Ho wa* of opinion that the Govern ment Bbould not propose such taxation unlev it Was absolutely necessary. It mujr, bj re>*oi lected, also, that as the railways be some in >r ojmpleled they wjuld give larger returns Ih railways already constructed were now paying ; and it was a great result that, over and iib.m their working expense*, Ihey were recouping about half the interest on what lh» colony Im I borrowed for thjir construction— (applause) The lines were at present merely fragmentary, and it was right to look for greater result when they were co npletod and ran from end to end of eacii island, If the co ouy could tide over without additional taxation for a tine, lie thought it might get on wi'houc it altoijt Iher. Ue would much rather that New Zjaland should be looked upon as a colony without a pioperby or an income tax, tlifta that it should iollow the example of Victoria. He hoped the Government would be able to avoid such a course ; they would endeavour to avoid it, und lie believed that they would succeed in doing so— (loud applause). Uvpsr Thahus Couwtby. — The editor of the " Cross," as we noticed in a late issue, ha* been visiting the Piaso, Waitoa, and "Upper Thames couutrj, entering by way of Waikato and lcivin^ hy the Thames. As might have buen expectc 1 the " Croin," in its issue of I Tuesday, contains a long account of the capai bilities for sottlemsnt which those large tracts of land comprise, aad doubiless, from Alexandra to Giahanistown the whole country is capab'e of carrying a largo agricultural and pastoral population forming m one entire almost levtl plain, the largest tract of open couutiy in ths North island. The country lately visited by Mr Luckie has it seems other attractions also. The " Cross" m its article says : — Gold Ins been found m the creeks of the W.uhou, which is the native name for i he waters of the Upper Thames. This, wo weic informed of 'by ay intelligent native some time ago, and ftoni the same authority we leurn t int coal als>o cxi3ts in the Aroka ranges. Certain evidences in thecieckis and streams of this large tract of couutry dourly indicate the presence of iron. Since receiving the native report, which, in a matter of this kind, is the better of confirmation from other source*, we have obtained information that an eld Australian turner at present residing in the Upper lhames country, has twice successfu'y prospected a creek which falls into tlii Thames a little way above the main peak of the Aroha range. The gold was good creek gold, quartz well impregnated with the metal, und as deolared by a gentleman who saw the specimens to bet-xcelleut The Maoris heard of the miner's vi-it, and on the second occasion, when he also found specimens in the creek, they warned him not to com* again. Ho disregarded 'the warning, and vinted the creek a third time ; and once more he found specimens of quartz containing gold. He was again met by some Maoris, who told him if he came again prospecting for gold ihey would shoot him. Not Hilling to run the risk erf any *uoh disagreeable casualty, the prospector made no further visit. But he had already attained his primary object, and is in possession of the samples, which we hope shortly to obtain."

Wb are requested to inform the inhabitants of the Waikato districts that Mr Hubert's (tore, of Ng.»ruawahia, which has been closed for the lust month, owing to the change of ownership and the extensive alteration of premises, wiil be opened by J. Gilmour & (Jo on Thursday, the 30th mstant. There will be a cheap tale of the stock which was on hand previous to the puroh&s*. — (Adv r.) By advertisement in another column we are given to understand that the fast and favorite p. s. 'Quick«tep,' A. Marshall, master, is going to carry general cargo, paying one visit per week to Cambridge. This, we have no doubt, will be a great boon to the •ettleri of Waikato, by enabling them to get their goods with rather greater punctuality than herotojore. Mr C. G. Quick having m,ulo such arrangements with the Government as will enable him to compete successfully with the Waikato Steam Navigation Company in the transit of goods through roni Auckland to Cambridge and all intermediate stations, Mr Sheppard, agtnt for Auckland, will alwaj i be in attendance at the Railway SUtitn t« receive goods for Waikato.— (Advt.) ,