THE New Zealand Times (PUBLISHED DAILY.) SATURDAY, MAY I5, 1897. THE HOME FOR AGED NEEDY.

New Zealand Times, Volume LVX, Issue 3129, 15 May 1897, Page 2

THE New Zealand Times (PUBLISHED DAILY.)

SATURDAY, MAY 15, 1897. THE HOME FOR AGED NEEDY.

: With which are incorporate Wellington Indapend'i\\l i established 1815 > and the New Zealander ,

The report forwarded by Mr H. Eyre Kenny* S.M», who presided over the enquiry held into certain charges formulated by the Rev H. Van Staveren against the management of the Home for Aged Needy, ia published in full in another column. On perusal of the report it will be seen that the whdle Question is left in an entirely unsatisfactory condition. Some of the charged are said to have been substantiated-, while others are reported upon as having been partially proved Or successfully rebutted-. It hiusfc be acknowledged tfent Soule of the charges were of a trivial nature, bdt if it be admitted that the finding of the ComrAissiOiiei 4 on some of the is sound, it is peculiar, to say the least,, that no advice has been tendered '■to His Excellency the Administrator of the as to the steps to prevent a recurrence of the unpleasantness which it is •admitted has already occurred. In one breath, as it were, the Commissioner first condemns the conduct of both Mr t and Mrs Shdrfc 1 , as master and matron’, dud then lauds them for their acts, what, for example, could be stronger in tone than the report on Charge 2, the assaulting of Mrs Ford ? Mr Kenny does not agree with the Trustees that this was a trivial matter. Ho declares that a no aniOiidt ,of provocation could JdsfctfJ or excuse Mrs Short, in her position as matron of the establishment, for assaulting one of the inmates, and, in this instance, the condition of health of-Mrs Ford was such—she had heart disease and was paralysed on one side—that Mrs Short’s conduct might have occasioned a serious illness, or even have cost the inmate her life." And then the Commissioner comes to the conclusion that the

only tiling called tor in sucli a case wa: that the Trustees should have " repri manded Mrs Short far more severely thar they did !” Whether the public judgment will lead them to applaud such a decision wo, of course, cannot say, and apparently the whole matter is to be left to the public or at least that portion who are subscribers, to deal with. The Commissioner is of opinior that there was a certain amount of harshness and want of sympathy in Mr and Mrs Short’s manner to both Mr and Mrs Balohiu —" and manner,” he adds, “in such a case goes for a great deal. But I must acquit Mr and Mrs Short of any conscious cruelty to those persons.” This part of the report should, we thiuk, be read with that in which Mr Kenny sums up his opinion of the master and matron as to their attitude towards the inmates. He says;—“ I am decidedly of opinion that it has been proved that there was and is a general

want of sympathy and tact in the demeanour of Mr and Mrs Short towards the inmates," and a good deal more to the same effect. But let ns mark what follows hot afoot upon the humane view of the condition of the inmates of the Horn®, “ many of whom are in a state of senile decay . . . . in their second childhood.” Mr Kenny says—and we trust our readers will mark the'words —" You cannot get everything. If, you get a master and a matron who are methodical, economical, vigilant and good vtaintainera of discipline (the italics are ours) you can hardly expect to find them overflowing with the milk of • human kindness as well.” No words of ours are necessary to convey to the minds of the public the true significance of such a sentence, and we say this quite apart from any connection that Mr and Mrs Short may have with the matter. We give it, indeed, as an indication of the mental attitude of even judicial personages towards the aged poor and needy. As if what he had written on the subject were not sufficiently plain, Mr Kenny adds fqrthef on ; " Upon the whole, I am

afraid that we must look first for qualities of what I may call a business sort (again the italics are ours) in the superintendent and matron.” We cannot help contrasting this with the Commissioner’s pronounced, even vehement, denunciation of Mr Short for his conduct towards Mrs Richardson, a lady visitor. Let us add it as our opinion that the public for the moat part will agree with Mr Kenny in his denunciation ; but they may be excused for asking why there should be this distinction drawn between one who holds a high position in society, who is well able to protect herself against rudeness, and tho helpless old people in the Home? Surely, if there is any necessity to take Mr Short so severely to task for his conduct towards Mrs Richardson, there is an additional reason for attaching blame to him foe his “ general ,want of sympathy and tact” in his demeanour towards the inmates. Possibly we shall be met, on behalf of Mr Kenny, with th© reniark that “ Mrs Richardson is a lady, but the others are biit paupers.” Yes; it may be that there should be that distinction drawn. Yet they are all God’s creatures, and may, at one period cf their lives, have known and felt what the word “ love ” meant. But to return. In the course of his remarks concerning Mr Short’s conduct towards Mrs Richardson, the Commissioner says s —“ It is proved that Mr Short was guilty, on the occasion in question, of gross rudeness to this lady, who was, moreover, at the* time, one of the subscribers to the institution. For Mr Short’s conduct, I regret to say, I find no excuse or palliation. His behaviour to Mrs Richardson confirms the impression I had received from the other evidence as to his overbearing demeanour, at times, towards the inmates; 1 was moreover Very dissatified with the manner in Svhioh Hr Short gave his evidence in answer to this charge. He did hot seem at all to realise the impropriety of his conduct It is monstrous

that a subscribe*, and especially a lady subscriber, should be treated in the way Mrs„ Richardson was by the superintendent of the institution which she is helping to maintain. If Mrs Richardson was doing anything that was against the rules it should have been pointed out to her firmly, but quietly and courteously, and, if necessary, the matter could have been reported to the Trustees. I regret that I am obliged to speak so strongly, but Mr Shore’s defiant demeanour in the witnessbox leaves me no resource. It is to be hoped that Mr Short will take warning by what has happened, and that visitors to this excellent institution who nb\y inadvertently transgress one of the rules may not 1)q subjected to scoldings like that administered to Mrs Richardson.” Then the Commissioner winds up by saying that; “As Mr Van Staveren has proved some of his charges wholly, and some partially, and as the enquiry will tend to satisfy the minds of the subscribers, and of the public generally, which has been, undoubtedly disturbed and excited by exaggerated rumours and reports as to recent occurrences at the institution, I do not fell to make an order for costs.’’

Yet, stay. "Vi © do the Commissioner an injustice. He does report that the pigs and poultry, the vegetable garden, the building itself and the grounds generally are well looked after. No improvement is necessary. But what of the inmates ? He makes no recommendation. Are they paupers; “ whom nobody owns

Tits NEtt Plymouth harbour BOARD AND THE GOVERNMENT.

Not content wlt& the enormous concessions already granted it by various Governments, the New Plymouth Harbour Board is still emulating Oliver Twist and asking for “ Mbi'e.” Eirst of all, it secured a subsidy of about .£7OOO a year from the Crown lands of the colony towards payment of interest on the cost of constructing its breakwater and wharf; then it got a grant of £SOOO for dredging ; and, finding this sum insufficient secured tho aid ot the Government in passing an Act authol-isiiig it to forestall its. revenue. Shortly . afterwards it prevailed upon tho Railway Commissioners to reduce tlioir charges for receiving goods on the .wharf and delivering them into NCw Plymouth from 4s 6d #1 tojs 6dj and fo;, some able .time ifc } iaa been agitating, agitating for a further reduction to 3s, As this charge is intended to cover the Cost of receiving the goods froth the Ship’s side into railway trucks, sorting them and giving delivery at the railway sheds at New Plymouth, three miles distant, it will be recognised that tho New PlymoUthites have become hardened I by their long course of mendicancy. The department very properly refused to budge any further in tho way of Concessions, but in September last the Minister of Bail\Va.Vg» wheh interviewed agreed Id allocate 6d per ton of the charge

for carriage-, if the Board devoted the stirplus so bbtairied to repairing the whart which requires re-decking in many places. Tile Harbour Board indignarttly refused this offer; and; dropping itb tphe of “gratitUdC foB favours to come,” commenced to threaten aiid bully the department. It insisted that the railway people should make Iblie concession aud keep this decking of the wharf in repair or it would tear, up tlie rails and start a vehicle service in opposition to the railway frorii. the wharf to Nqw Rlymoiibh, IngleMiod and places south of that place. The chairman of the Harbour Board, writing to the papers, even wont so far as to extol the bullock dray and the horse and cart as mediums ot conveyance, and > _ihlo rhapsodies such as tins :—“ It would mean that the town would bo busier than it has ever been. Every cab would bo fully employed, and work for many more. Blacksmiths, wheel-

wrights, grain merohaatajand maUy others would hate v a large increase in business/* find so on. Which being interpreted means that the railway to New Plymouth was a huge blunder in the first instance, and that the sooner tho people tear up the rails and go back to tho days of the packhorse the better. The interested parties have kept New Plymouth in a ferment for some time, bub the Railway Department has preserved a diplomatic silence, knowing full well that

the Harbour Board would sooner or later c«me to its senses; and further, that to grant the concession asked for would be to draw upon it and with good reason—claims for the miiatemnce of

their wharves from every Harbour Board in the colony. There is reason to believe that the New Plymouth Harbour Board will, after all, become amenable to reason, for the simple reason that, in reply to its application for tenders for cartage, some astounding estimates from practical men were placed before it, and it was at once admitted that the idea of competing in this direction with the railway was “no go.” The funny part of it is that the Board is not supported in its action by the people of New Plymouth—there are fire members against the Kail way Department, and four in its favour because the townsmen recognise that cartage means the cutting up of the roads and the diverting of tho passenger traffic to Waitara. It is to be hoped, for the sake of all parties, that a reasonable settlement will soon be arrived at, but it will be conceded by all unbiassed persons that proposals for reconciliation must come from New Ply. mouth, and that the Kailway Department —having in mind its duty to tho whole colony has already made concessions enough.

AUSTRALIAN MUTUAL PROVIDENT

SOCIETY. The forty-eighth annual report of this Society is before us. It contains a complete and eminently satisfactory exposition of the affairs of this institution up to the 31st December, 1896, the end of the financial year. The hold on the public which this Society has is evidenced by the fact that during the year 15,169 proposals were received for assurances amounting to .£4,175,937 and 11,625 policies were issued for assurances amounting to £3,085,388 and yielding a new premium income of £145,278 I7s sd. The total business in force is represented by 123,996 policies, insuring £40,731,231, and yielding an annual premium income of £1,332,714 15s. Tho accumulated funds are shown as amount- I

mg to £13,728,539 11s Id (an increase during the year of £565,926 16s 7d) while tho annual income amounts to £2,060,916 Is 9d, out of which £728,201 6s 9 i is derived from interest. Death claims paid during the year totalled £565,567 -is 9d, inclusive of bonus additions, which is £162,634 2s less than the receipts from interest alone—a highly satisfactory result. The special reserves foe. depreciation of securities has been increased to £469,708, or an increase since last year of £16,249, while the value of office premises occupied by the Society has also been written down by £4980. Tho basis of the valuation of the policy liabilities adopted during the year has been 3| percent, on old policies and 3i per cent, on policies effected since January Ist, 1894, aud it is intended to adopt a uniform 3j per cent, rate at the end of the current year, which will*then be a lower rate than that adopted by any of tho other offices doing business in these colonies. It is matter for congratulation aud mast be pleasing to members that in these days of low interest their bonuses will still be about as large as those allotted last year. The total sum available for distribution in cash as bonuses for one year to members is £428,796 14s, which will yield reversionary bonuses amounting to £830,000. The actual cash distributed is equal to 33*7 per cent, on the premiums paid for participating assurances during the year. The result of the year’s operations cannot be regarded as other than extremely favourable, and as a sign of the prosperity of the Australasian colonies it should bo men’ tioned that the business transacted is larger than that of any year since 1892. We take this opportunity of heartily congratulating Mr Teece, the General Manager aud Actuary, ofc his full and explicit report of tho year’s transactions.

LADY DOCTORS. A tear ago, two out of the sis me'dic&l students iVhd occupied the highest position on the honours list at the final examination of the Melbourne University were ladies. It is the custom to appoint the six students who occupy such position as resident medical officers of the Melbourne Hospital for the ensuing 13 months, and the two ladies mentioned. Miss Alfreda Hilda Gamble and Miss Janet Greig, applied for tho positions. There was a good deal of opposition shown, but the appointments were duly made. The experiment has turned out satisfactorily, and tho lady doctors have been complimented and congratulated at a meeting of the committee of management by the chairman, Mr Godfrey. /Dr Bird had previously stated before the Medical Association that the appointment had been amply justified, and in saying so he is said to have spoken the sentiments of the medical profession* It is to the lasting discredit of the male medical doctors appointed at tho same time as the two ladies that they behaved in such manner towards Misses Gamble and Greig as to call forth from Mr Godfrey the stiongest condemnation. He (tho chairman) admitted that when the appointments were made he had expressed some doubts as to what tho result would be, but all doubt had been dissipated by the conduct of tho ladies, which had been most exemplary throughout, even under tho most trying circumstances, Mr Godfrey, in addressing the ladies at tho committee meeting; said ho know theirs had been no bed of roses. Miss Greig had, in particular, had a difficult position assigned to her, and a little time after the election he (the chairman) expressed to the medical gentlemen the hope that the age of chivalry was not quite past, and that they would seS their way to take from Mis? Greig the treatment of the “ drunks” and “D.T.’s” “I found, however,” said Mr Godfrey, “ that so far aa the young male doctors were concerned the age of chivalry was past,” the reply he received from them being that “ as the ladies had come in of their own motion they must bo prepared to take the rough with the smooth.” It appears that although these young women were subjected, during the first few months of their sojourn in the Hospital, t '6 Unfair, ungentiemarily and almost brutal conduct on.the part of those with whom they liad been associated; that- i made no complaint; brifc worked away unostentatiously,.determined to live dow~ the opposition. ;’ ney sucoeeded> secretary (Mr Williams), who had been opposed to the introduction of lady doctors, bore testimony to that success. He assured the chairman that if ever there Was a difficult or urgent case, he could always rely on the prompt attention of the lady doctors, a thing he could not always do with the gentlemen. Had we not read these facts in the columns of the Argus we should have been inclined to doubt that there existed, even in Melbourne, it set of men so lost to every sense of what is manly and just that they Could cruelly persecute two women who had elected to devote their lives to the practice of, perhaps, the highest and noblest of the learned professions. That the two ladies tose Above the meanness of their opponents and calmly and steadfastly pursued their course in fae-e of uugentlemauly conduct is sufficient proof of their fitness for the profession which they have adopted. There are many so-called “ lords of creation ’’ who frolild have run at once to the committee and poured out their tale of woe. These gentle ladies were inade of better material Strong in the sense of them riglit, brave and true; they have surely won for themselves the admiration and respect of the people of the country which has the honour to own them as its daughters.