OUR SIDNEY LETTER.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 286, 13 April 1889, Page 3

OUR SIDNEY LETTER.

(from oub ow correspondent.) Stdket, April 3. The Montagues and Capulets are at it again. Parliament met yesterday and signalised its reassembling by a battle-royal in which the principles of Free Trade and Protection were involved. In order to force the hand of the Government. Mr J. P. Abbott, a leading man among the Protectionists, moved for the abolition of the protectionist duties on batter and other dairy produce. It is difficult to see how he justified his tactics or how he could expect any good result from a course of action so transparently hollow and insincere. But when a Government holds office by such a Blender majority, all sorts of schemes are hatched for the purpose of detaching the two or three members on whose allegiance such momentous issues depend. Curiously enough the south coast district of Illawarra, which benefits most by these duties, returned two Free Trade members at the last general election, and Mr Abbott’s motion may be regarded as an attempt to demonstrate the inconsistency of their action. If the members in question voted for the motion, they would enrage their constituents. If they voted in its favor, they would desert the Free Trade-party. Very creditably to themselves, they voted for the motion, which was carried by 51 votes to 45. The Government now stands pledged to bring in a Bill to remove the duties on bacon, butter, cheese, and kerosene, without delay. There can be no doubt that these duties have materially assisted the industries which are affected by them. They have encouraged the employment of labor and capital and the de.velopment of the resources of the colony. It is evident that Mr Abbott does not believe it would be wise to repeal them. His idea was rather to create a “ raw to keep the questioAnf Free Trade or Protection very much But in the present position of parties rtb<(Bcussion of the fiscal question is both irritating—futile because neither Bide is strong enough to carry its own principles into effect—irritating because the majority of the combatants on both sides have failed to learn the primary and all important lesson of respect for opponents. To-night the Premier is to make a statement respecting the policy of his Government, This is rather a superfluous proceeding, as nothing can possibly be done without the con- . currence of the Opposition. It would be more to the purpose to ascertain what those gentlemen will graciously be pleased to permit, for it is this on which the course of the Government mainly depends. Another point worthy of mention is the election of Mr Ninian Melville to the important position of Chairman of Committees. JSinian was the Opposition candidate, and it shows a conciliatory disposition on the part of the Government that they should have acquiesced in his election, more especially as his very active opposition bad been given to them in all parts of the country. Mr Melville is an undertaker by trade, but his restless, unquiet spirit and almost unlimited command of the colloquial vernacular, mark him out for a leading man in any talking shop to which he can gain admission. One of the most irresponsible of free lances, he has perhaps given more offence than any man in the House by his bitter attacks on all and sundry who have provoked his displeasure. The sobering effects of high position and a good salary may, however, be confidently expected to assert themselves, and if so, the Government will find that they have shown sound policy in making this “ golden bridge ” for one of their bitterest enemies to pass over. Mr Melville has temporarily filled the position before, and proved himself quite as strong and masterful in maintaining order as he had hitherto been in guerilla political warfare. Borne of his old associates were almost dumb-foundered when they found themselves Sternly repressed by their old companion, and the wisdom of “ setting a thief to catch a thief ’’ —no reflection here on Mr Melville’s honesty is intended—was amply vindicated. -A--In this manner commences a session of Parliament, which on account of the remarkable nature of the conditions under which it exists will be viewed with great interest throughout Australia. Recurring to the question of vaccination, which is likely before long to become a burning one in all communities in which the r liberty of the subject is invaded, I am accused of evading Dr Thane’s statistics, which, he says, go to show that spreading disease (cowpox, syphilis, erysipelas, pysemia, &c.) by vaccination produces health. I don’t evade statistics of this kind. I simply deny them as an attempt by ingenious jugglery to throw dust in the eyes of commonsense people. And I maintain that statistics honestly collected (say, for instance, those adduced in the article on Vaccination in the new edition of the Encyclopaedia Brittanica) show conclusively that vaccination is a dangerous practice, and that it does not protect from small-pox. Writing on this subject some time ago Mr H. Strickland Constable arrived at some very curious results by simply comparing the statements of avowed advocates of the practice. What he learnt was among other things as follows: —(1.) That vaccination has diminished smallpox enormously. (2,) That vaccination has never been well enough performed to cause any diminution of smallpox. (3.) That re-vaccination every 20 years ought to be compulsory. (4.) Ditto 10 years. (5.) Ditto 7 years. (6.) Ditto 5 years (7.) Dittolyear. (8.) That vaccination ought never to be resorted to because it is apt to produce gouty inflammations, erysipelas, angioleucitis and phlegmanous tumefactions. (9.) That the more punctures the greater the protection. (10.) That one puncture is as good 's a hundred. (11.) That the medical a pocket three millions a year as on fees. (12.) That this is overstated* (13.) That this is understated. (14.) A good many months ago, when Ireland was free from small-pox, that it was due to Ireland being effectually vaccinated. (15.) Afterwards, when small-pox raged in Ireland that the fact was due to Ireland being ineffectually vaccinated. (16.) That when Dr. A kills a child, it is (says Dr. B) because he does not know how to vaccinate. (17.) That when B kills a child, it is (says Dr A) because he does not know how to vaccinate. A volume could be filled with similar contradictions. Only on one thing are the advocates of the practice agreed :—namely, that every person should be compelled to submit to the rite, that the doctors should be paid for performing it, and that they should be held

harmless as to results. In justice to the rest of my readers I must now leave this subject and shall not recur to it, unless some fresh development should render it advisable. Meanwhile, in justice to Dr Thane, I must thank him for the courteous manner in which he has conducted his side of the correspondence. My own object has simply been to put the facts of the case before fathers and mothers so that they may spare their children from great dangers. Closely skin to vaccination is the kindred question of inoculation, which is now brought prominently before the publio of Sydney by the visit of M. Pasteur’s representatives. They came to us with two magical kinds of dis-ease-one was to kill all our rabbits, the other was to save all our flocks and herds from anthrax. In one or two generations more the folly of people who make such claims, and the credulity of those who entertain them, will be regarded very much in the same light as were the beliefs of our progenitors with regard to witches. But at present they have a strong charm for all those who believe that they can evade the inexorable operation of sanitary Jaws by a scratch of a lancet armed with some magical kind of filth—views of cowpox, anthrax, “ head of newt, or eye of toad ” or what not. History repeats itself, for the only difference between the one superstition and the other is that the modern one is accompanied by a jargon of " cultivations,’’ “ bacille,” “ microbes,” “ attenuations," and the like, which tickles the popular ear to-day just as the magical formula of warlocks and witches fascinated our forefathers. Bo it has come to paes that many of our graziers have come to believe in M. Pasteur’s nostrum against anthrax, and they are very anxious to obtain all the benefits derivable bom the magic scratch. But M. Pasteur’s delegates are after £25,000 which was offered by Mr Abigail as a prize forexterminating the -4 rabbit pest. They don’t think that they have been given a 11 fair show ’’ for the big money and so they refuse to infect our flooki and herds on any pretence with anthrax. People who are capable of forming any ides M to th* probable and possible effects ol spreading a Virulent disease among the fioaki and herds aforesaid, look upon this as purelj I providential deliveranle. it would pap tin

Colony better to give M. Pasteur’s representatives the £25,000, on condition that they should report without opening their Pandora’s box. But under present circumstances it seems probable that we shall save our £25,000, and the dissemination of disease as well.

The Samoan disaster has stirred the springs of our sympathies, as well as those of patriotism. The papers contain many letters on the subject. Some advocate a publio testimonial to the Samaons who worked so gallantly to rescue their shipwrecked enemies. Some are all on fire with the idea of suitably honoring the courage and seamanship of Captain Kane, of H.M.S. Calliope, the only ship which escaped from the ill-fated harbor. Harbor it can hardly be called. It is simply an open roadstead, and with the wind in a certain quarter gives little or no shelter. Captain Kane got away by leaving the treacherous spot, steaming out bravely in the teeth of the terrible hurricane. It is hard to see why some of the other vessels could not have done the like. Without going out of our way to blame the dead, it is advisable in the interests of the living that their mistake should be pointed out in order that it may be guarded against in future. The States and Germany are each sending out three more war ships and they will need the benefit of all the instruction that experience can give.