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Wellington Independent, Volume I, Issue 61, 29 April 1846, Page 3

We have great satisfaction in publi-hing the following letter from Dr. Fitzgerald, ocfasioned by a lett< r published in last week's Spectator. We have seen most flittering testimonials to the unremitted and valuable exertions of Dr. Fitzgerald in the execution ofthe duties of his office, bearing testimony also to their beneficial influence upon the native character. Sir, —Some remarks having appeared in the leading article of the '* Wellington Spectator " of Saturday last, as well as a letter in the same paper, relative to my duties ia a medical capacity, I beg yon will give insertion to the following facts ;—- In the first place, it ia not true tbi»J-I receife/ fifty pounds a quarter for attendance oh the natives, the sum 1 receive is tun pounds per month, and for which I perform the following duties, namely";— Ist. To attend tbe prisoners in gaol, and supply them with medicine. 2nd. To attend the lunatics confined in the Asylum, and supply them with medicine. There are always from three to four. 3rd. To attend and supply medicine to a native population of upwards of eight hundred, the great majority of which have recourse tome. 4th. To give advice aud medicine to any and every native coining from the interior, numbers of whom are to be seen daily at my house. sth. I have some time past attended and supplied medicine in cases of accidents occurring amongst the white population, amongst persons unable to pay for medical advice, and who make application to his Honor tha Superintendent. I have several such cases under my care at present. I also for the fiistsix months, while the militia were doing arrive service, attended and gave medicine to those who got sick on duty, without receiving any additional pay. I say here nothing of the private charity which I am called upon to afford in common with every medical man in the place. With respect more particularly to the natives, although for the first fourteen months after I obtained my appoinment, and though the care of the natives formed no part of my duties, I attended generally to the wants of the native population, and supplied medicine without receiving the slightest remuneration. I was not only the first, but have continued to be the

Only medical man who lias attended generally to the wants of the natives; and that I had, and have now, the confidence of the great mojority of the natives, is not only well known to all this community who are acquainted with them, but is proved by the following circumstances';— I was the first medical man in this part of the Island to whom a native submitted to have his arm taken off. This native lived at Petoni pah. It w.is in consequence of the confidence reposed in me by the natives that the wife of the chief of Wai Nui was induced to come down to the small woodeu building on Pipiten Plat, and place herself under my charge. This woman was carried down here to me a distance of nearly thirty mile. When she recovered, it was the same confidence which induced •« Te Hiko," a chief of the highest rank amongst the natives, to come down to Port Nicholson, and reside in the same wooden building under my care, and although I told him I could do him no good, as he -was far gooe in consumption, he persisted In remaining, and said he would die with the "Pakehai." Since then, "Te Rauparaha " has sent a letter to the Rev. Mr. Hadfield, thanking the " Pakehas," through me, for the kindness : evinced towards "Te Heko j" and the same chief has since seat me his child to have my opinion. These facts show that my labours have heen appreciated, and that, through nay .exertions, I have become one of the most popular Amongst the natives; that my house ia .beseiged by natives morning, noon, and night, ia ab?we{{ kaomii thatI am thoroughly iucapable of wilfully neglecting the natives is believed, lam sure, by a large portion of this community. That a few natives may, and do, apply to other medical men for salts,"Pero Pero," is very likely ; but that the visitiag, attending, and supplying medicine to the large bulk of the natives, devolves on me, is equally true. That I have often been till twelve o'clock at night attending the sick, and subject to the heat and smoke of their small houses in the Maori Pah's, is also true. That I have never refused to attend a Bick native for five years I can, I believe, solemnly dec'are. That I have never turned a sick native away from my house at any hour. That I could fill an hospital to-morrow with patients; that the .Lord Bishop of New Zealand has borne testimony to my z al and efficiency, aad to the esteem and respect with which the natives generally regard me ;—that the Rev. Mr. Hadfield has also borne his t stimony to the same etfect; and that I could appeal to every respectable man in this community to bear tbe same testimony, are facts not only true, but I believe also generally known. That as far as my knowledge of the language extends, I have used my influence on all occasions to engender a good feeling in the minds of the natives towards the settlers, and to make them obey and respect the Government, is equally true, as tt is aho th-it natives frequently come to me to ask me to use my influence for them. in short. Sir, although inadequately paid, I have d scharged my numerous duties to the utmost of my power, zealously and efficiently, and I may defy auy one to adege one single act of wilful neglect. Tha: from want of meanß and a good hospi'al I may have foiled to please some natives may perhaps be the case, but even those would come to me toiaorro* if 1 km-w who they were. In conclusion, I beg-to state, that thraefacts -wonld nofasve been put bef.re the public but for the remarks aliuded to ; and as I have never wilfully injured any man, I freeiy, and from the bottom of my heart, forgive them. I am, Sir, Your obedient servant, J. Fitzgerald, M,D. Mulgrave-ttreet, April 25. 1846.