DOCTOR MOURILYAN.

West Coast Times, Issue 635, 7 October 1867, Page 3

DOCTOR MOURILYAN.

TO THE EDITOIt OP THE WEST COAST THIEs Sue— ln perusing the case of " Dcrmolt v. Griffiths," I was not a little surprised and mortified to find that my reputation as a medical man had been assailed in such a spiteful and malicious manner by a brother practitioner. The passage to which I allude is "Dr Dermott refused to consult me because I was not a qualified practitioner." By referring to jour advertising columns of this day, (Saturday), my certificate as a legally quaUJtecf medical 2^(t('titio?wr will be observed. Such an expression is liable to bias the minds of my patients, also the inhabitants of Hokitika and surrounding districts, and [ therefore take the first opportunity of fully denying the gross assertion made by Dr Dermott. I am, &c, Thomas C. Moukilyan, M.E.C.S.L. & L.A.C. Hokitika, October 4, 1867.

THE MUIS T ICirAL ELECTION. TO TIIE EDITOR O^P Till! WOT COAST TIMrS. Sir — I tliiiik the public cannoi fa>\ to have noticed that you have always scrupulously abstained from discussing the merits of public men on person?] grounds. In doing so you have carried, perhaps, to a somewhat extreme length.a principle laid down by till men connected with ilie public pres*, who keep in constant remembrance the grave responsibilities resting upon those who have the opportunity of using or of prostituting the power of anonymous writing. Except in the hands of men on whom the sense of this responsibility weigh.*, one of the greatest political forces that has ever been called into existence by the spirit of liberty, would be converted into an instrument of terrible oppression, and become a social curse, rather than a political institution of great public value. But Sir, I do not see how, under the circumstances ot the present Municipal election, you can justly discharge the responsibility that devolves on you, if in this instance you carry out your ordinary principle' of abstinence from all personal comparison and criticism. The citizens are ealle'l upon to elect nine councillors to manage the town aflairs during the next year. And to fill the nine vacant offices in the Town Council, there are eighteen applicants. Ihavc road their addresses. J have listened to their speeches. I find that on public grounds thci'e is, for the most part, an agreement of profession amongst them. They are all /or econony and retrenchment ; all for getting the largest amount of work done for the smallest amount of money ; all for'easiug the burdens of the ratepayers ; and all for doing the most to please everybody. It is quite edifying to find the remarkable unanimity that prevails on these points. There is one remarkable difference, however, to note. The men. who go out have to justify an expenditure, which the new men who are anxious to get in, endeavor to persuade the ratepayers has been extravagant and unnecessary. It must be patent to every man of common sense, that no task in the world is easier than to pick holes in ,1 past administration of affairs. It is a political maxim of old standing that the outs have always a full-weighted battery of attack against the his. But the laws of administration vindicate themselves. "When the most denunciatory leaders of opposition have the chance afforded them of holding the reins of power for a season, they soon learn that government is a practical art ; thatplausibletheories have to be subjected to a crucial test ; and that hypothesis and practice arc not convertible terms. The most advanced radicals and theorists have i had to become the most veritable conservatives when they have had the actual responsibilities of office thrown upon them. JN T o doubt the rates have fallen heavily upon the householders. But does it follow that the new men who now complain about these rates, would have been able to get the same amount of town work performed without raising the same amount of taxes ? No doubt the men who have had to levy taxes for any public purposes whatever, can very easity have any amount of odium east upon them by those who take their stand upon the claptrap promise not to levy any more taxes — now that the work for which taxes were chiefly required has been done ! If there is any political honesty at all amongst these new Candidates for civic honors, I hope, sir, they will recognise the fact, that the first Municipal Council of Hokitika found on their entrance upon office, a state of things that can never exist again — ihoy found a town to be made. Their successors will find a town made to their hands ! They will have to keep it in repair, and gradually to extend its improvements. But a great deal of preparatory work has been done for them. Let them have the honesty to admit that fact when they court the electors "by the promise" not to be extravagant, as the men they seek to displace have been[! 1 notice that one of the retiring councillors has trimmed his sails to this popular cry of economy, by protesting that all the objectionable expenditure in connection with the appointment of extravagantly salaried officials, had been j incurred whilst he was away from the Council, or was not a member of it. I think, sir, that one of the high-salaried appointments to which most objection has been raised, was that of Mr Frew, the present Town Surveyor. When the appointment took place, if I remember rightly, Councillor Prosscr. as was often the case at that time, was absent from his duties; and the votes on the appointment being equal. His Worship the Mayor gave his casting vote in Mr Frew's favor on the ground that ho had been made acquainted with Mr Prosser's wish that that gentleman should be chosen. I hold Mr Prosscr, therefore, to be responsible for this appointment—the only one in my judgment open to objection. To the Town Clerk's office there ought surely to be an adequate salary attached. Ho is virtually the Treasurer as well os the Clerk of the Corporation. I would ask Mr Prosscr to state distinctly — and as Mr Cassius once put it to him on his honor as an Englishman — whether he would have voted for a lower salary for the Town Clerk if he had been a member of the Council at the time. Taking his part in the election of the Town Surveyor, together with his answer to that question, 1 would like an explanation of the. meaning of that part of his speech to-day in vhieh he tried to shelter himself from responsibility by pleading that the then salaries were voted at a time when he was not a member of the Council. [ :-hall refer, with your permission, to the personal claims of some of the candidates, appealing to you as a matter of public duty not altogether to ignore this part of the question in a coiuest where all parties seem for the most part to have the t-ame creed. Mr James Eussell Anderson is a gentleman very extensively esteemed both by himself and his fellow townsmen. He is of prepossessing if not commanding presence. Jle has established a style of eloquence destined to enjoy a permanent, reputation under the designation of Andcrsonian. J£o sings a Gaelic song with admirable uhcnnhm, rendering the vernacular of his native hills and heath with indescribable incomprehensibility — and he dances a Highland reel with the inimitable grace of a heavy weight. Ho is a man oi' infinite humor nnd versatile parls.and of no smnll business

shrewdness. We should miss him at the Council Board. A deliberate autopsy of James E. Anderson would be out of place in my present coramuni cation which is intended to be a serious one. By all means let him have a seat at the Board. Mr C. E. Button is a clever young lawyer, but Hs candidature for a scat in a Municipal Council is one of the strangest of phenomena. He is one of the fjosfc hands I know at getting a prisoner off! Always make a good case, even when lie does not succeed in obtaining n verdict. He has been more than once complimented by the judge, and occasionally cheered by an admiring crowd for his forensic abilities displayed on behalf of some unfortunate He is great at lecture:*, nnd produces astounding effects with his galvanic batteries— when his instruments are in order, and the condition^ of the atmosphere are favorable, He i<; an organiser of Clitireli choirs and a noted leader in psalmody of the more fervent style. He is very enthusiastic for a time in every causehc takes in hand; but his enthusiasm soon wanes. A man of great versatility of talent ; of Fmch superficial extent; with little protbundity of knowledge; ot quickness of impulse without sustained perseverance ; he is not destined, if I am a judge of character, to make a career unless it chances (o be his good fate to be subjected to the healthy and strengthening discipline of « not too easy fortune. 1 know of no one to whom, as a professional man, the havl discipline of the schools would have been more invaluable, or to whose iVture a too facile and mi fought for success j'.aybe more disastrous. I should not say this, howCver, of Mr Button if he did not endeavor to assume a role which 1 cannot but think altogether misuilcd to his profession, and altogether alien to his interest*. The prize.-; of a political career are open to the legitimate ambition of a youn-T successful and popular lawyer^ Bnt it is a neV thing to see gentlemen oi this class aiming at municipal office, which is generally i J eeogniscd as belonging _ of right to men of the mercantile and trading classes. This is a pcrist, however, on which the ratepayers will have the opporunity of pronouncing an opinion, lhey are. the proper judges I only refer to the well established and recognised precedent m all commercial communities. Mr Ca«sius has announced hiniscli at the last moment as a candidate. He would no doubt be a careful conservator of the public revenue. As heavy rates would touch him in a sensitive part, he would exhibit the one civic virtue of keeping the expenditure within the narrowest possible bounds. Indeed I believe Mr Cassius's principles, if carried to their legitimate extent would have the effect of annihilating all rates whatever, and letting the holders of town property go scot-free, leaving tow n improvements to take care of themselves. Now. sir. it must be patent to any thoughtful mind, that town works judiciously carried out are for the benefit of all parties— just as a proper system ot town government is for the convenience and comfort as well as safety of all. Eates must be considered in the simple li^ht of contributions to these objects. If we have to enjoy a certain amount of good we have to pay a certain amoiuit of money for it. 1 see no reason to doubt that accepting these premises, all the candidates for the office of Councillor will be equally intent on economising the public funds and curtailing the public expenditure as much as possible. In that respect Mr Cassius does not stand distinguished from any others. But there is one respect in which I think helloes stand distinguished — and very unenviably so. Mr Cassius has not stood bythepeople asheonghttohave done. It was long ago a matter of remark that as a member of the Provincial Council he took little part in those political struggles out of which the present emancipation of the district of Westland has grown ; and I speak as a citizen and ratepayer when I say that I was greatly disappointed, and deeply mortified at observing his absence at the Prince of Wales Opera House on the occasion of the great meeting on Thursday last. Was it his place on FAich an occasion to absent himself? Whatever political view he took, he ought lo have remembered that he was the representative of Hokitika — the only representative with the exception of the Secretary for the Goldfields, whom official etiquette of course prevented from being present. I believe, from all I have heard, th'it the 33i1l brought into the General Assembly meets his concurrence, and if so, I fool all the more deeply that Mr Cassius deserted the cause of the people by failing to lend his support to a demonstration so necessary to strengthen the hands of the General Government., and to neutralise the opposition of Mr Moorhouse to the Westland Bill. I do not tliink a political default of this kind ought to be overlooked when a gentleman [ representing the town comes forward and asks us to confer municipal honors upon him. Sir, I will.with your permission, follow up those notes in another letter. I trust you ■« ill accord to me the credit of having discussed the personal merits of such candidates as I have, referred to, on public grounds only. I am, Sir, &c, Cms.