The Westport Times AND CHARLESTON ARGUS. SATURDAY, JULY 25, 1868.
At the last hospital meeting a question was asked in reference to the present inmates and their means, when it transpired that one of those now being treated, was perfectly able, if not willing to pay for the benefits of the institution. We have not the least idea who the individual referred to is, or what is his ailment, and we merely instance the case with a view to attract attention to the necessity of framing some rule to meet such cases. It is preposterous to suppose that the public should subscribe a large sum of money, directly themselves, and indirectly through the Government, for the purpose of gratuitouslymaintaining and nursing men, who have ample means at command to pay for attendance when sick. If this is permitted, the funds so gathered will be perverted from the objects for which they were intended, and men well to do who are mean and unprincipled enough to take advantage, can palm themselves on a public charity, to the exclusion of poor fellows who have not a cent in the world. That there are such in the world is unfortunately too true, and instances are repeatedly occurring where men with hundreds in the bank have represented themselves as being in impoverished circumstances and have fraudulently obtained assistance that they were not entitled to. This is a very serious drain on charitable funds that should not he permitted, but the difficulty is how the Committee can discern the difference between the really necessitous and the opposite. That they should do so as far as possible, however, is clearly thenduty, and having discovered any patient of the kind they should at least make him pay as much as will compensate for the expense he causes to the institution. On the goldfields, though, and in the goldfield townships, there is a great want of proper accommodation for the sick, and where a hospital is commodious enough there can be no possible objection to the creation of a class of paying patients, composed of those who, whilst gladly availing themselves of the comforts and attention so afforded, are yet both able and willing to pay for them, In Victorian country hospitals it is permitted, the rate fixed at one hospital, in our knowledge, being 30s per week. This is considerably over the cost of maintenance there, where provisions and expenses are so much less than on the West Coast, and the same proportion would be gladly paid here. There are a large number of people who are unfit for admission in the ordinary way, but who have no means at their own houses of obtaining assistance and medical attention that is necessary, and would be only too grateful for the chance of being cared for in the Hospital. This is particularly the case on the diggings, and many who would not otherwise avail themselves of Hospital privileges would willingly do so if they could pay for them. The subject is one that is not at all necessary to dilate upon, for we are sure it will at once commend itself to the good sense of the Committee, and some regulations in reference to it will prevent the misappropriation of Hospital funds, and at the same time confer a great boon on many of the paying class referred to. We notice that our southern contemporary, the Hokitika Observer is about to publish a weekly edition of twentyfour pages, the first number to appear on the 30th inst. This will be a formidable rival to the Hokitika Leader, which has already and deservedly obtained a large circulation on the Coast. The damage arising from the last flood has not proved great, and the alarm occasioned has entirely subsided. The beach is strewn thickly with drift wood, and there is now every chance of
a good bank being Boon made which will prevent a recurrence of the late disaster. The wreck of the Ada is a prominent object, and as that can hardly come under the denomination of drift wood, we may look for its early removal. Complaints in reference to the Caledonian track are incessant, but we refrain at present from publishing them, though the names of many writers of first-class standing are appended to their communications. We understand that Mr Kynnersley went up the track on Thursday for the purpose of examining it, and till he takes some action we forbear from comment. That he will pass it there cannot, we should think, be the slightest probability, for if one half of what is broadly alleged is true in re ference to it, a "more perfectly useless work was never constructed, nor one in which the specification was so thoroughly departed from. The weather has broken somewhat, though at present there is no certainty of any fine weather. Yesterday a very heavy sea broke over the bar, but Capt. Carey resolved on showing the seagoing capabilities of the fine vessel under his command, and steamed out at about 2 o'clock. Every available pound of steam was put on, a dense cloud of smoke showed that the fires were briskly kept going, and the boat crossed without any great apparent difficulty. Several seas, however, came on board, and she rolled very heavily, the passengers prudently retreating below. She had a large complement of passengers, and will, we believe, proceed from Nelson to the Manakau. The Provincial G-overnment of Otago is prepared to enter into an arrangement whereby land to the value of £ISOO will be conveyed to any individual or eompany which shall during two years from the 9th inst., manufacture not less thau 250 tons of good marketable sugar from beet grown in the province. A supply of seed to produce the above quantity is now on its way out. We beg to draw the attention of the Catholics of Westport and Addison's Flat to an announcement in another column, in reference to services to be held by Father Walsh to-morrow. The reverend gentleman will officiate at Westport at nine o'clock in the morning, and at Addison's Flat at noon. We have received two letters from Brighton, one from Mr C. Brown in reference to his late arrest, and the raffle of the horse Planet, and the other from Mr .T. Bromley of the Ahura Hotel, detailing circumstances in reference to his being taken into custody. The former case we decline to have anything to say on, or to give insertion to any letters on the subject. With reference to the latter, if the facts therein stated are proved, we have no doubt the police referred to would be dismissed, but it is right to make a complaint to the Inspector rather than in the columns of a newspaper. We remind the public that Foley's Menagerie is open to-day, and can only reiterate our recommendation to all to visit it. Apropos of the extraordinary performances of Signor Fernandez, we may relate an incident that may prove a warning to the thoughtless. When in the North Island some three months ago, whilst performing with the lion, a foolish fellow threw a piece of orange peel at the lion, at the very time the animal had Fernandez' head in his mouth. The peel went right into the lion's jaws, and he naturally made an effort to close them; had he succeeded the Signor's head would have been cracked like a nut. Fortunately however his hands were so holding the jaws that they could not close, but they closed sufficiently to allow the teeth to enter the flesh, making a clear wound on either side of the head, and he carries the scars to the present time. Just by a miracle almost, he escaped instant death, and it is to be hoped that all visitors will remain perfectly still during this portion of his mest hazardous performance.
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Bibliographic details
Westport Times, Volume II, Issue 307, 25 July 1868, Page 4
Word Count
1,316The Westport Times AND CHARLESTON ARGUS. SATURDAY, JULY 25, 1868. Westport Times, Volume II, Issue 307, 25 July 1868, Page 4
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