ECHOES FROM THE CAFE.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 1939, 9 December 1884, Page 3

ECHOES FROM THE CAFE.

» Mr Edwin Mitchelson, Minister for Public Works in the late Atkinson Ministry, haB written-* a- letter to the Star, embodying the latter portion of his report on the rival routes for the North Island Trunk Railway, and stating his reasons for favouring the Central Route. . He puts forward his views very fairly W and forcibly, and no doubt that route would be the best for Auckland and the colony as a whole if the connecting lines join Taranaki and Napier with the line were likely to he commenced soon. But the question is, Are they ? Judging by the disposition shown during last session by the present Ministry and their supporters, there does not seem much probability of those bianch lines being undertaken until every main line and every branch line in the Middle Island has been finished. However, i there is some consolation in tiie knowledge that we arc, in no worse position, as far as the route of the North Island Trunk Railway is concerned, than we should have been if the Atkinson Government had remained in office. Had Mr * Mitchelson embodied his recommendation of the central route in his Public » Works Statement, as he assuredly would have done, that route would have been adopted, as it has now been, on the recommendatiou of the Special Committee appointed by Parliament, to consider the subject. Our representatives must see to it that strict justice is done— that the work is pushed on as rapidly from the Te Awamutuas from the Marton end. They will have to "keep their weather eye open," because it is to the | interest of the Wellington merchants that the work should be pushed on with more 1 expedition in the Southern portion of the line, and they will certainly use their best endeavours to secure that, and as Wellington is the seat of Government they have opportunities of attaining their purpose which are not enjoyed by the Auckland merchant?. # *■ One of our local medicos has been atto get a cheap advertisement at "he expense of the "Herald." In Monday's issue there appeared a half-column, evidently written by the gentleman in " question, describing an instrument called the " sphymograph," used for ascertaining and recording on paper or glass the beatings of the human pulse. This was quite right and proper, but when the writer of the article took to himself the honour and glory of having introduced the instrument to this part of the woild, it seems that he made a mistake. It transpires that, while he has had a sphygmneraph for two months, at least one* other medical gentleman has had a sunil. ■. ' icnt m use for three years. It is a |» .y lii.a people who are so very anxious to enlighten their fellow- men canno' content themselves with doing so, without also taking to themselves ciedit for that which, as in the present instance, ► does not belong to them. Tlieie is p great deal of force in the Eastern pi <v ci • , *' Do not tell all you have done you tell more than you h m* doi.e * On Monday la-.: then 1 died at hta lesi dence, Ju-'ge'- >\. thr si »i W Swain son, the fit" \'f. m > • -ei>> al of New Zealand, In- '< > i >, < . n ami' out here to occupy that po» r-- 1 in IS4I, when New Zealand was sepaiatc' from New South Wales and constituted aGrown colony. Sinclair and Mr Shepherd, who were Colonial Secretary and Treasurer at the same time, predeceased their colleague by many years, so he was left the last of the trio, and only one known even by sight by recent arrivals in Auckland. Dr Sinclair I do not lemember, but I have a very distinct lecollection of Mr Shepherd, who was the father of Lady O'Rorke, and the late Lady Whitaker. MrSwainson lived \eiy quietly at Judge's Bay, whence lie frequently came to town in his own boat, manned by his Maoii servant, Mohi, who, I am quite sure, mourns most genuinely the loss of a kind master. What a wondrous change has been wrought in Auckland since Mr Swainson arrived here ! Then the town consisted of a very few shanties situated in Foie, ShorHand iind High Btreet. The tide flowed n\cr what is now Queen-street beyond Shmtlandstreets. What is now the Ponsonby Ward was merely a waste of ti-tiee w lth- | out even a road through it, while Parnell was very little better, There was an almost impassable swamp at the foot of Grey-street, and Mount Eden was a great days journey from the town. In those day's there were no railways, nor tramcars, nor cabs, nor carriages, nor buggies. Drays were the only vehicles to he found, and there were not many of them. Those were not bad times, however. Though there were no rich people there were none really poor. There was no Opera House fc and there was no Bankruptcy Court. * There was no talk of an Art Galleiy and there was no mention made of a poor rate. Yes ! thin as are veiy much alteied since 1841, but I do not think in all cases for the butter. I wonder what changes the next foity four yeais will make, and how unny of us will be left to note the difference ! « From the telcgiams received fiom Sydney it appears that, not only has the small-pox not been stamped out there, but it has got a firm hold and is spread, ing, and as the hot summer weather sets in it is almost certain to spread still further. That being so, it cannot be long before it will make its appearance here, unless the utmost vigilance is observed by the local officials. Not only should the' quarantine leanhtion* be Btrictly enforced, but every wit should be taken to ensure the \,icd'ia'i>ii oi every infant and the ie- vaccination of every adult, audit absolutely ni-ccssaiy that irn.-»n? should he adopted for securing a plentiful supply of niuo l\mph. A bhoit timu a sot i e took place in eoiisequtMict* of the death of an infant lioin blood poiioniii}*, the rf suit of \.iccin ation, ami a number of people weie .so I much fiighttneu by that e.i".c that they have notli.nl their childieu vaccinated. I have not the *.l : <fhteM; doubt but that that infant's, (k.itli was caused by the use of impuic lymph. De«uu» of all that is said by those who do not liclie\ c | in it, it is a well establ'shed fact that vaccinatiou is a preventive, and the only safe and sure preventive, of {.mall-pox. This has been conclusively proved in Sweden and Denmark, which enjoyed an absolute immunity from that loathsome disease for twenty years, and in Austria, where very stringent measures of compulsion are resorted to, small-pox has been extirpated for very long periods. This being so, it is the bouuden duty of the Government to insist on the strictest observance of the law on the subject, and to adopt measures for providing an ample supply of pure lymph, and it is also the duty of everyone in the colony to assist in the prevention of the introduction of this scourge. # Last Friday the first annual meeting of shareholders of the New Zealand Iron and Steel Company was held, and was well attended. From the statement made by Mr Chambers, the chairman of directors, it is evident that the affairs of the company are in a very satisfactory condition, and there seems to be good reason for the belief that before long it will be in a position to turn out a large quantity of iron and steel, to the great advantage of the shareholders and the community at large. It has been known for many years that the millions of tons fc of iron sand strewed along the West Coast of New Zealand would prove a fortune to the man who could utilise them, and thousands of pounds were spent in futile attempts to do so. The process which is to be carried out at Ohehunga hau been successfully used in America for some years, and, seeing that par sand contains a larger proportion of .irpjnJbhan $he Am,e,r,icftn sand, and that the cost pi both conveyance of material €6 the {and of cpal are muc,h lesty the - "jjrttofifc here will be so much greater. The gueodts of the company is a raatteu of the f^Whto&tat toittaferopMti of the

Waikato coal mines, as thence will the 'supply of fuel be obtained, and it will be an enormous advantage to them to have a customer able to take thousands of tons of u>al per annum. Therefore Waikato will join with Auckland in wishing 'the greatest, possible success to the New Z ;aland Iron and Steel Company. * * There has been a shocking travesty of religion going on at Port Albeit under the name of a " Holiness Camp Meeting." The moving spirits in the matter hav< been some American " Revivalists," wh ' have bet n going about *aiious country districts tor some tune "a->L, loaiing on the settlers. A recent visitor to Warkworth told me that the people had been " converted," and that the only apparent result was the infusion of a spirit of quarrelsomeness and back-biting, which did not augur well for the genuineness of the " conversion." The " Holmes^ Camp Meeting"' at Port Albert has developed into scenes of the most outrage ous character, apparently more like Bee) lam broken loose than anything else When women woik themselves up into a state of frenzy and declare they see " Jesus up a b lut^'Uin tree," it really seems time to provide straight jackets for them, and birch rods for the backs of the men v '.<<j cause such sad exhibitions of " religion gone mad. " St. Mungo,