COLONEL HAULTATN AND THE CHARITABLE AID BOARD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9150, 4 September 1888, Page 6

COLONEL HAULTATN AND THE CHARITABLE AID BOARD.

TO THE EDITOR.

Sir, —Evidently the Colonel, not being satisfied with his correspondence with the above Board, has made up his mind to fight Mrs. Clifton's case through the Press. Such being the case, it is only fair that both sides of the story should be put before the public, especially as the Board are accused of being heartless, unkind, and selfish, besides being further charged with misappropriating the funds of the Coetley bequest. The Colonel in his letter published on Saturday morning, says that Mrs. Clifton when sent to the Asylum, was suffering through a " mild craze," although what is meant by a " mild craze," he says nothing at all about. Perhaps he will tell us on another occasion. Doubtless the doctors know, or they would not have sent her to such a recently-made-hideous place as the Colonel describes the Asylum to be. I presume, Mr. Editor, she was sent there for treatment which she could not get elsewhere, the Asylum doctor being an expert in this particular line of business. lam not now dealing with the matter of the old lady's expenses, although the Colonel seems to be rather inclined to shunt this on to the Costley bequest also. If the Colonel is dissatisfied with the kind of patients sent to the Asylum by the doctors and Resident Magistrate, why not tell them they don't know their business in a direct manner ? It is absolutely unfair to make the Board a buffer in this expert business. On the other hand, if it is essential the Colonel should show the General Government how zealously as a Civil servant he is guarding their interests, then we also, with equal zeal, must guard the interests of our loca taxpayers by not allowing what is clearly General Government work to be shunted on to them, however desirous the Colonel may be to parade his zeal in this matter. I think the time has now fully arrived when we can no longer afford to be misled by those who are always willing to further tax our every effort, in order that comfortable situations may be provided for a select few. Comfortable situations, pensions, gratuities, etc., are the main cause of our heavy indebtedness to-day. There can be no doubt Costley's money is the disturbing element in tho Colonel's mind, yet there is only this difference between us : While some would spend the whole amount in one year, I think, with several others, the longer we can make it, last the better it will be for all concerned; in fact, we believe that wo are doing exactly what the old man would do himself were he alive to administer his own estate. Clearly the money was never meant to help the General Government of New Zealand, either through Colonel Haultain or anyone else. Having nothing whatever to do either with money matters or management of the Asylum, we are content to let the Colonel alone. For the Colonel's information, I may say we are going to build as soon as we can, in accordance with law, and other preliminaries that are not yet settled. If we are not quite so fast in this matter as some other trustees have been, I hope better results will follow when we do build. The finger of scorn and derision has been so often pointed at the building on Surrey Hills, that we have no desire to imitate their example.—l am, <fcc., September 1, 1888. W. Crowther.