PLEURO.

Waikato Times, Volume XIV, Issue 1204, 16 March 1880, Page 3

PLEURO.

TO THE EDITOB. Sir, — By your issue of last Tuesday I see a letter from H. Kelly, recommending inoculation as a preventative to pleuro-pneumonia. Being n old Australian, and having had much experience in fighting the disease, in all its stages, I have no hesitation in stating that inoculation, when properly performed, is a thorough preventative. From the early days of pleuro, I always inoculated my own oattle, and performed the same service for many others, So st ong is my belief in it, if I only had ten head of cattle I would go two hundred miles to obtain the virus.— l am, &c, J. McNicol. Ohaupo, March 13th, ISBO.

TO THE EDITOR. Sic, — I was Burpris dat the extraordinary letter appearing in Saturday's Times, under the heading of " Billiard playing, Dancing", Sabbath-brenking, and Drunkenness : The four great evils of Waikato." I must confess that I have always regarded the inhabitants of all the townships in Waikato as particularly orderly, and sober, not to say slow. After a long colonial experience, I may safely assert no where have I seen lesdrunkenness or excess of any kind than in Waikato. Judginsr from the lugubrious tones of the letter the writer must be one of those unhappy men whose religion is of the gloomiest character, and in whom the milk of human kindness has turned sour I admit that the over indulgence in what he calls " ill-named innocencies" such as billiards and dancing, is in the case of the former bad for the pocket, in the latter for the ladies complexions, but I protest in the name of common sense against these being termed "iniquities." Itis the abuse and not the use of any and everything which tends to demoralise mankind. An Almighty Providence has given us ears with which to hear light fascinating music, and legs to move in unison therewith, and to designate the taking advantage of these two gifts as " iniquitous " is simply Puritan - nical impertinent gondyism. Billiardplaying I allow is calculated to lead to evil consequences, except in the case of those able to lose money, for it is undoubtedly an expensive pastime— except, perhaps, to the few good players one occasionally comes across — and should not be indulged in by the youth of provincial towns But here I again state chat billiard-playing is not a custom among the youth of the Waikato. I have gone into the billiard- rooms of Hamilton over and over again, and found them empty —they are not tempting saloons, certainly —and but for the occasional visitors to Waikato I opine they would soon be closed altogether. As to drunkenness, it is absolutely false that this is a great evil in th 6 Waikato : the records of the Police Courts throughout the Waikato will prove very conclusively that Waikato settlers do not ?et drunk. All the cases, or at any rate three out of four that came before the Magistrates are loafing blackguards, looking for work, and praying that they may not find it ; such cases as that of the man Lawlor who was last week sent by Messrs Searancke and E. M. Edgcumbe to Mount Eden for a fcojoui'n of two months. In conclusion, sir, I will apologise for trespabsing so +ar on your valuable space, but, as an old settler, I cannot allow such false statements as are contained in the letter under notice to pass uncontradicted. I do not say it in any boastful (spirit, — for God knows we are no better here in Waikato tb»»n we should be — but I will cay that 1 believe we are more free from drunkenness and general immorality than most districts of our population. In conclusion I would recommend your correspondent to look, if it is in him, a little on the bright side of things. Christianity and religion do not prohibit recreation ; religion is a bright hopeful jewel, and it" services should be bright and sparkling ; the temples of the Most High should be cheerful in their appointments, and not as so many are, bare barns, casting a gloom on all around. If a little more soul was infused into the services of the churches in Waikato it is mo c than probable that what your correspondent states to be the case — but which I also deny — namely, that the churches are empty, would not be so. Your correspondent, like the Pharisee of old, thanks God that he is not like other men— let him take heed lest he fall. — I am, &c, Mexs ana ix OoxtPOKE Sako. Cambridge, March 15.