The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE. TUESDAY, DEC. 3, 1889.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 2714, 3 December 1889, Page 2

The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

TUESDAY, DEC. 3, 1889.

Equal and cxact justice to all men, Of whatsoever state or persuasion, religious or political.

A subject of some importance was brought before the Piako County Council at its meeting on .Friday last ; namely, the existence of the loathsome desease of leprosy amongst the Maoris. The attention of the County Chairman was drawn to the matter by a letter which appeared in this journal and signed " Public Health.'' The writer gave the unpleasant experience of Mr Fraser, Native A-cut, in meeting with a native woman whose hands were attacked with the disease, and who had prepared food for him. Our correspondent also vouched for the existence of other leprous cases amongst the tribes in the neighbourhood of Cambridge. It has long been an established fact that leprosy was to be found amongst the aboriginal people of New" Zealand loan extent sufficiently great to warrant precautions beiii" taken by the colonial authorities in order to isolate the afflicted beings and guard the public health from contamination. We believe if proper enquiry were made, true leprosy would be discovered amongst the Maoris, prevalent to a degree not thought of, as well as diseases of a leprous and scrofulous nature, which are peculiar to races ignorant, of the laws of health, and wliose code of Plurality is a lax one. The contact between Europeans and Maoris, with lepers mixing freely amongst them under such circumstances as thosj experienced by Mr Fraser, as related by "Public Health,'' is most undesirable, and calls for restraint, which would be a merciful one. Jt is, perhaps, too much to expect a Father Daniien to arise in New Zealand who would sacrifice himself to provide a refuge for, and alieviate the sufferings of, fullow-beings slowly rotting away through the sins of their forefathers. .But, there is enough humanity amongst us and a sense of obligation due to the people we have supplanted on their own soil, to awaken a desire to protect them, and us, from so insidious a scourge. We are glad the Piako County Council has moved in the matter, and trust that all other local bodies contiguous to n.'ilive i.lislrieh will unit'' willi that body in making rr-|>iv.s.'illations (o the Government, in order to take measures to establish a lazarette whither all proved eases of leprosy amongst the, natives can bo removed, isolated, and cared for.