MR FANTHAM AND THE PLEURO.

Waikato Times, Volume XIV, Issue 1214, 10 April 1880, Page 3

MR FANTHAM AND THE PLEURO.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, — On reading the report of the South Auckland Cattle Board, on Saturday last, I was much struck by the fact that Mr Fantham. in his zeal for the public good did nearly all the talking, and indulged in Billingsgate of the choicest description. None of the members appear to have been able to get a word in edgeways. The whole tone of Mr Fanthams remarks savoured more of personal spite and animosity towards the Piako Swamp Company than of any wish to eradicate the disease. His vulgar personalities and wild statements were more like the ravings of an escaped lunatic than the grave and weighty utterance of a member of that learned body, the South of Auckland Board. In fact, Mr Fantham exhibits all signs of pleuro mania, and I believe that it will be necessary to inoculate the other members of the Board with virus obtained from the Whau, to prevent the disease spreading. The other members of the Board seem to be sensible men who would hardly wish to have as their spokesman, one who cannot speak without proclaiming himself to be a lineal descendant of Balam's ass. These gentlemen are no doubt heartily ashamed of the way in which their iijipetuous colleague conducted himself at last Saturday's meeting. What we now require for the public safety is a complete and thorough inspection of all herds of cattle in the Waikato disti'ict which have not yet been inspected, as there are rumours of the existence of disease among several herds which are popularly supposed to be like Ctesar's wife, "above suspicion " Let our Inspector, Mr Runciman, be alert and vigilant, not waiting for announcements from owners ignorant of the nature and appearance ot pleuro, but exercising his well-known penetration and detective skill to perceive the first symptoms of tbe disease. Let Mr Fantham sit down for five minutes, till we hear what someone else has to say. Let us have less howling and more common sense. Instead of foul | invective and filthy abuse, let ua have the calm and deliberate opinions of practical men, and who know what they are talking about ; and, above all, let us act like men ard brothers in trying to devise measures for the public good. — I am, &c, Virus.

Many a man's conscience is just as good as new at forty for the simple reason that it has never been used. As AWFtn. example. — A certain man got mad at his editor and stopped his paper. The next week lie sold all his com at four cents below the market price ; then his property was sold for taxes because he didn't reUd the sherifl's sales; he lost 10 dollars betting on Mollie MeOrthy ten days after Ten Broeck had won the race ; he was arrested and fined 8 dollars for going hunting on Sunday, simply because he didn't know it was Sunday, and he paid 300 dollars for a lot of forged notes that had been advertised two weeks and the public cautioned not to negotiate them. He then paid a big Irishman with a foot like a derreck to kick him all th.9 way to the newspaper office, where he paid four years' subscription in advance, and made the editor sign an agreement to knock him down uwl rob him if he ever qrderud his puper to bo bfapfwl Rgaju.