THE "Wellington Independent." Wednesday, November 28, 1849.

Wellington Independent, Volume V, Issue 431, 28 November 1849, Page 2

THE "Wellington Independent." Wednesday, November 28, 1849.

There are two-ways in. which the public money may, lie misapplied. < ; First by thyowjngit.awfty-oii objects of no intrinsic utility, secondly by spending it cm objects which ore useful, bufmsiich a manner that

their usefulness is either destroyed or rendered less than it might be. In either case those who from their private pockets contribute the public money have a right to complain. In the first class we consider the maintenance of paid Resident Magistrates who we have already shewn might be abolished with advantage—and the Auditor and others of whom we shall show the same on a future occasion. In the second class we place the Colonial Surgeon aud Colonial Hospital—both legitimate objects of expenditure, but the former overpaid and the latter ill-admin-istered.

1. As regards over-payment. What reason is there why the Wellington Colonial Surgeon who has only a few hundred natives within his reach should receive £200 a year and £54 as forage for a horse, when the New Plymouth Surgeon who has within his scope from 10,000 to 20,000 natives, receives only £100 a year and no forage money ? We put out of s'ght altogether the European population, because in the first place the Government would not be justified in maintaining an hospital for that race where the class which resorts to an hospital is so well able to pay for medical attendance; and secondly because the Hospital was founded exclusively with a view to the Native race, and was originally called by Government itself" the Native Hospital." Why then should the Salary be double that of New Plymouth and forage besides ? This item of forage is not only in this instance but in all others, a mere increase of Salary under a false designation. Take for instance the Lieut. Governor who is allowed forage for two horses. What equestrian duties has he to perform ? If his salary* is insufficient to maintain his proper position, give him more ; but not under pretence of keeping him horses for public service. Again the resident Magistrate has forage for a horse. Why? that he may ride once a fortnight to the Petty Sessions at the Hutt Is there anybody else in Wellington who, if you gave him £300 a year for filling an easy berth in the Town" the other 13 days, would not undertake to visit the Hutt on the I4th at his own expense ? Then the Colonial Surgeon has his £54 a year. How much of it is ridden out in the public service, how much in visiting private patients? This forage is always a job— an official trick by which the public is thimble rigged out of a little more of its money. Sometimes it is granted to an official who with barefaced assurance keeps no horse at all— sometimes to one who keeps a horse but never mounts one—sometimes it goes towards the maintenance of a high> mettled rncer : —sometimes its imaginary recipient is a twelve hand pony who leads an easy life and gets fat on five worth of green meat, while the balance is clear profit to his owner. It is an item which ought never to appear in a public estimate : one by which the public obtains no advantage whatever unless perhaps in the case where it goes to maintain a racer which the public may have the satisfaction of seeing ran for their amusement and the profit of the horse's owner. 2. As regards defective administration.. The first defect is m the location of the Hospital. If it be desirable to establish native hospitals place them where natives abound as at Wanganui, Manawatu. Otaki, Taupo, or East Cape, not where they are scarce as here. This is Hobson's old mistake of placing the Seat of Government where there is nobody to be governed. But further the town is a bad place both as being less healthy when it may become populous, and because the /inmatesof the hospital may communicate infection to the towns-people. If you wished really to do. good by establishing a Native Hospital you should have more extensive views than merely to administer to the physical wants of the natives. The Colonial Surgeon should be a political Agent—and if he was a man of sufficient judgment and intelligence, located in a thickly peopled district, he might 1)3 of the greatest use both-by instructing the" native mind and keeping the Government informed of what was passing in it: Schools and even experimental farming might be combined. Here of cpur&e anything of the sort would be out of the question. . . ■~..'

But a bad position is not tbe worst fault of the administration of the Wellington Hospital. It is carried on upon a system on which unless in some equally ill-governed colony, we will venture to say no hospital was ever carried a hole and corner • system without any public control, equally unfair towards the public which, pay for/it and [towards the medical profession whose members with one exception are excluded from its management. To give our readers nn idea of the nature of the maladministration in this particular we will describe to them the manner in which any respqctable lustitution—any County or University Hospital —is conducted in England. - ■•■; The general superinjLejidanoe and control of the Institution is entrusted to a Fatron, President, Treasurer,>Seoretary,& Committee elected annually by,the subscribers or other.supporters. *Tb'.e> baly peimanen*. officer.is ,& house

surgeon, who resides on the premises. In a very large establishment with which we are acquainted this officer has a Salary of £100 a year and a few perquisites such as coals candles and attendance. The gentleman whom we remember filling the office was of middle age, first rate abilities aud the highest character. In addition to this permanent officer the subscribers to the Institution elect at stated periods from all qualified candidates who offer, four attending surgeons, who serve gratuitously and take the entire medical and surgical duties among them, each attending one week in rotation to receive patients, and the rest of the year each attending the cases received in his own weeks. The district in which the hospital above referred to was placed contained nearly 500,000 inhabitants. The appointments of attending surgeons are objects of great ambition, always filled by the most eminent members of the profession in the town near which the hospital is situated, who not unfrequently spend from £100 to £500 a piece in their canvass for votes,- so important do they consider the appointments. Now such a system is fair and aboveboard, providing the necessary control and inspection by the public without which all such institutions are sure to become nests in which any schemer may incubate and hatch his jobs. When there is control on one hand and responsibility on the other an institution may be expected to be properly managed; when there is neither control nor responsibility what can be looked for but negligence, mismanagement, or perhaps prostitution to private purposes of what was intended for the public good ?

Contrast with the system we have delineated that on which the Wellington hospital is conducted. The appointment of the Colonial Surgeon (who does not reside in the house) rests solely with the Governor. He is not obliged to require testimonials of the candidates having received a regular professional education. On his discretion or caprice alone it depends whether the Colonial Surgeon shall have studied under Lawrence, Christison, and Lisfranc, and walked the hospitals of London Edinburgh and Paris—or whether he shall have no better diploma than can without study be purchased for a few pounds at Glasgow or St. Andrews—whether in short he shall be a qualified medical man, or have had no other initiation into the profession then by carrying the physic basket of some village Galen or assisting some country bonesetter to administer- cathar tics, to the human and horse shoes to the'dumb creation. A little toadyism and earwigging may stand the candidate in better stead than the recommendations of Velpeau or Alison. Once "appointed he Las the sole control of the establishment and of the public funds applicable to its support. Not one of the other professional men in the Colouy are allowed to take charge of a single case, even if their own private patient be the invalid. This exclusion is a very serious evil to the profession particularly in a small community. The opportunity of performing operations and attending patients in an hospital is most highly valued by them as enabling them to exercise their hands in difficult cases, and keep up their professional knowledge. But not only are the profession excluded — the public is equally so from all control. Neither it nor the Government which pretends to represent it has the means of judging of the propriety of the management of the institution. The The Colonial Surgeon may make requisitions for hundreds of pounds worth of ratious—he may demand any quantity of what are called medical comcotnforts, that is porter, wine, sago, and so forth—he may require the services of as many matrons and nurses as he thinks proper — he may receive or reject patients at pleasure—he may shew favour to such as have employed him privately or been recommended by private patients—he may refuse it to the patients of rival medical men—and ther,e "is no otfe 'either to investigate, or judge of the propriety of his conduct. Can the Lieut-Governor or Colonial Secretary form an opinion whether his requisitions for drugs, rations, and medical comforts, are within the limits of moderation, or whether they are so excessive as to indicate that waste, profusion, and peculation, reign within his domain ? Can they judge whether- impartiality is exercised between his own patients and those of other medical men? "Can they decide whether his quarterly or, annual, reports are fair, honest, and professional statements, ar mere puffs intended to exalt his own character, with the public by persuading them that all .sorts of obstinate maladies which had baffled the profession out of doors, have yielded to his suporior skill and wonderful nostrums; within ? What a'systeini under which the greatest empiric that the' 'world over saw—a St. John,.a Morrison, a Daffy, or a [ ""gl.it.if ho coiild g<jt< .the ear of a single j official obtain the charge' of a public i hospital, and"having\once.,. secured it, j might administer his , panaccsus to his patients,- and' tie- hiedical'-comforts' to Himself , ,;-.without £he possibility of detecenjoy, tie oppor, tunity;of:rft*liihj[ a quarterly Report, op

his own merits in the:' Government Gα. zette. Surely such a system as this must be equally wrong in the eye of the legis. lator and of the medical officer selected under it, who we conceive must himself be most anxious to see one introduced less favourable to quackery, and more in accordance with the regular practice of the profession. We would ask any me. dical gentleman whether (unless in some other colony equally ill-governed), he has ever known a hospital, supported by public funds, conducted on such a plan ? We would ask whether he does not think; that the system is every way open to the objections we have raised,, and whether it ought not for the credit of the profession, no less than for the public good, to be at once altered ? Why should not the Wellington hospital be placed on..,the same footing as those in England, with this difference, that the number of Medical gentlemen in the settlement being small, there need be no election from them. Make the offer to all members of the profession who can produce proper testimonials, to take the hospital week and week about for the reception of patients, and to give an hour or two in the day at other times to attendance on cases as in England—let the Colonial Surgeon with a salary of £100 a year, and no forage, have charge of the establishment to the same extent as the house Surgeon in England-—and you will then have a system fairer both towards the public and the profession—one under which jobbery and the suspicion of it will be equally unlikely to arise. The con duct of the Hospital at present may be all that could be wished—we do not pretend to know or to express an opinion about it—we speak of the system; and that certainly is one which any Government should be ashamed of having established, and for the continuance of which not the slightest, excuse can be offered.

And how much does the public suppose that this hole and corner Institution costs it ? Very nearly £1,000 a year!! In the year 1847 it appears from the Government returns to have cost between £700 and £800. In 1848 rather over £1,000, and during the three expired quarters of the present year £684, which would givo £912 for the ye»r, although only £819 is placed on the estimates voted by the Nominees. All expended without the slightest control, check, inspection, or superintendence. Is there (unless as we said in some other colony equally ill-govern-ed) another instance of the sort. Reflect also that you will soon be saddled with the expense of another Hospital at Wanganui, of which however, judgingtby the analogy between the Wellington and New Plymouth ones, the cost will be considerably less than here, inasmuch as the Native population is considerably greater. Another circumstance in connection with the Wellington Hospital requires to be noticed—we refer to the practice of discharged patients inserting in the newspapers letters of thanks to the Colonial Surgeon for their cure. That such a practice would never be permitted in a Hospital under the general control of the profession, we believe we need scarcely inform our readers. If there is one thing more than another which members of the medical profession decline, it is«such teatimonals to their skill. It is true that in the Provincial newspapers, you may read letters addressed to Professor Holloway, Dr. Curtis, Mr. Eisenburg, containing expressions of intense gratitude." for a euro performed on a bad leg which had yielded to no kind of medical treatment, although every medical man of eminence in the country were consulted," or "for a wonderful recovery from a complication of diseases under which the patient had laboured for fi ve-and-twenty years," or" for the extraction from my left foot by a painless operation of two soft corns and a bunion,"—but these curious documents are private affairs exhibited only in the irregular walks of the profession, and we need not say are as sure a mark of quackery as blue and red bottles are of a druggists shop. ; To have similar letters addressed to him in the- public prints as has been repeatedly, done here, must, wo cannot doubt, be exceedingly offensive to the feelings of the Colonial Surgeon, and to parties at a distance who might imagine that they were inserted by his connivance, they must give anything but a favourable idea of the respectability of the Public Hospital. How the practice commenced we do not know. It would be very easy to let patients understand that it is highly irregular and improper in them to- do it, and if the Institution were open to any considerable number of the profession, wo do not doubt that it would be prevented.by.so,me moans or other.., . .',>,.. ' •. Nor can we refrain from alluding: to another occasion on which public control might have prevented a breach oOde'corum in -connexion with this Institution"; "we mean the-Banquet l as. it w culled to which toe Colonial Surgeon, inviwdahafr hardened old savage,-pre-eminent'for the .barbarities of a long life even &niong r st>;Y-' jttges, the murderer of our', most valued' fellow colonists, and whom not' long befoie Sir George Grey had-seized and sul}bected to,;, a ..protracted confinement of nearly two years on. board a man-of-war, jfor.treaeopabte practice* towards her'Mn-" jjesty's. Govornpiqnt.,,' To invjtfhioig.ihte

> tbetownat all was bad.enough-f-to-invitej • him to meet such an honourable inihded and faithful chief as Epuni, was worse— but to do him honour by introducing him to the Portrait of the Queen which Lord Grey had sent out for the Hospital, (the .nearest.approach which could be made to an introduction to the Queen herself,) : was in the worst possible taste. That it was felt to be so by the highest and most-i respectable of the officials was proved by their : declining (some expressly on this ground) to attend the demonstration which they considered an insult to their • fellow colonists. Now had the Hospital ■ been under popular control, would the , portrait of her Majesty presented to it by Lord Grey, have been permitted to be so prostituted? If Dr. Fitzgerald had known ■that he was officially amenable to a Representative Council of Settlers, would he have taken advantage of his official position to do honour to one every way deservedly obnoxious to them—one whose name is a byeword for treachery, cruelty, murder and cannibalism ? ~,-.. Is ;.it- creditable -fellow-colonists that ■your affairs should bo so conducted ? ;This-'Hospital affair may it is true, - not vevy deeply affect the prosperity •of the colony, but it is a sample of the way in which things are done ■■under a-despotic Government. You see ■- an Institution supported-by' the public • money, not oonducted on. auy'piah upon ; which such Institutions are conducted . elsewhere—but converted into a private monopoly, a sort of perquisite for One individual, entirely removed from the control of those whose hard earned ■pounds! ;: .go,to maintain it? Do you like this? ;Do you approve of it ? Would you wish to see it continue ? Are you surprised! 'that while the Government of the country j is administered on such a principle things ' should be "flat," and that you shouldi not know what to expect between false prosperity at one time aiid real depression at another, ? But how can you help.it ? There is a story of a certain Royal Duke who complained to his Equerry one hot day that the flies would go down his •throat. The Equerry respectfully suggested that his Royal Highness should , shut his mouth, which he did, and 'contrived ever after to keep out the flies. Now have you yeUo learn how to keep the fleis.from flying down your throats and creating intestinal troubles which neither Daffy's Elixir, Holloway's Pills, or. the Water Cure can relieve? We think you : don't require to be told how to do it. Reverse the Equerry's prescription to the Royal Duke. Open your Trioutbs^-letydur voices be heard—make' it known that your determination is that your money shall be expended neither in , maintaining Hospitals, Resident Magistrates, Flag-staffs, Auditors, or any other ■ engine of State, without your consent first had and obtained, andsee if before, many months are over you do not get the control of your own affairs and succeed in ■ excluding the flies for ever. Remember 'continually that it is your money which ,is being expended in this way—your good and hard earned pounds which have been voted away by Messrs. Moore, Ludlam, Hickson, and the rest of the Nominees, ;ahd which Dr. Fitzgerald and the other officials thus spend without any control ;pri your part. Would you allow your .'neighbours Moore, Ludlam, Hickson, or 'Fitzgerald, to put their hands in your till rand when you asked what they did it for, •would you be-satisfied with their answer, that it was no business of yours ? Yet this is exactly what we are satisfied with .80 long as we allow £16,000 to be handed over to Mr. T. Fitzgerald, or £1,000 a year to Mr.J.Fitzgerald,to be spentbythem .in their own .way without check of any •sort. It is yourmoney, whether given by the -British Parliament, or raised by local taxation, and Messrs. Fitzgerald, Moore, Ludlam, Hickson & Co have nbmore moral .or constitutional right to'apply it as they do, than they have to take "the rest of jolir"iMoney froni your private till. There ,18, Wi.. denying it—it is public spoliation PP. a ej- ; cpyer of flaw—you are jfirst robbed of your constitution and then of your cash chance of ? yb'tii*gettingback the control of the' latter, is by. securing the 'polssessionloF^lie^fpriner. 1 Till you Jiaye .Self-government, you-must be content to see such goings on—when you get .Self-government the'flies will ho longer go down your throats against your will. -•:■ Wo have again exceeded our limits, so must reprieve the Auditor. ' We promise him , "; a good deliverance "in our next.

Notwithstanding the limited accommodation in the Colonial Hospital, there 'have- been admitted into that 'Establishment, since the Ist January 1849, 149 Natives, all fresh patients, and 17 Euromoking'in all 164.' Many, of these were 'chronic cases, requiring a long time for-cure, -Out of this number there were only six deaths; four of these were natives in the last stages of consumption, and the other two were natiyes who died' from inflammation of the lungs ; one of them. was so far advanced in disease that he died within 24 hours after odin'fs- • lion, having beon brought some distance. ,The number of natives admitted-this'year into a small establishment like f the"" present, shews tho increasing influence of th'q" Establishment- "17 ; 2 F^tra-Patients v peiverl aluo medicaTaid^CVmwwjtwairu/.'

The Government t>r'ig Victoria, ' Capt Burgess,•arrived-in jfort on Monday last, from Auckland, having had an excellent passage of five days. Things- were beginning to look" brighter ..at the North, aha considerable activity is displayed in commercial affairs. Large exportations of timber, bricks, palings, and frames of houses were being made to California. The California mania had partially* if not completely subsided, as we observe the Munkin to have cleared out for the gold regions with her supercargo as the only passenger on board. The copper mines at the Great Barrier were giving employment to a afreat number of hands and a considerable quantity of shipping was engaged in the trade ' The' Govern-or-in-Chief, Lady Grey, and suite had paid a visit to the Bay of Islands, Wangaroa, Monganui, and Wangaruru, and returned to Auckland on the 23rd September. The Rev. Walter Lawry, proceeded to Sydney on the 10th November in the John Wesley. We refer our readers to another column for the Auckland extracts. «-• • -...:...

Cricket.—At a meeting of Cricket players assembled at Mr. Pimbfe's, Rooms, Ship Hotel, on Friday, evening, the 23rd inst, it was resolved that a Club be formed to be called-the "Wellington Cricket Club." The meeting was very numerously attended and the collections have been deposited in the Bank. We understand the Club are in possession of a complete set of bats, ball, &c, &c, and intend commencing in good earnest on Friday next, (St. Andrew's Day,) by playing a match amongst themselves on TeAro.

.The General Meeting of the members" of the Club will be held this evening, (Wednesday,) to receive the report-of the Committee aiid transact other business of the Club .

Any gentleman wishing to become a member of the Club is invited to attend. ' ' *, ' '

Birth.—On the 27th November, the wife of Mr. James Firth, Aurora Tavern, of a daughter. , • •

Died.—At Otaki, this, morning, Nov. 27, 1849, in his seventy-fifth year, Te RAtiPIiRAHA/chiefof the N'gatoWa Tribe.

Mr. M'Don'ald, our late esteemed Banker and fellow' colonist, "was. , received in Sydney by the Managers of. the Branch there with the and Mr. McDonald proceeds' to Adelaide to open aJ3ran,ch with the fullest "am! "most extensiW'poVers, •. • The complete manner -in which Mr. Fitzherbert fulfilled the task reposed in him by the subscribers towards the testimonial to Mr. M'Donald, deserve their thanks. The following letters on the subject will, we are satisfied, be read with interest:—

Hnrbury Terrace, Sydney, 33 Oct., 1849,

Mt Dear Sin.—[ have been .requested by the principal Merchant* mid-Settlers at Well.upton to present you with the accompanying set of silver salvers, bearing an inscription expressive of their sentiments towards You.

Next to the satisfaction I experience at your merit being appreciated by the Wellington people, is the personal gratification I feel at having been deputed to present yon with of their regard. I cannot omit this opportunity of expressing the sincere esteem 1 entertain-for you and the gratitude I feel for much genuine kindness exercised towards' me hv you. ' . '

With my best wishes for the prosperity of your self and family at Adelaide, I remain,

Yoiirs sincerely, M. FITZHEBBEJIT

To Alexander McDonald, late Manager of the Unitni Banh of Australia, at Wellington; New Zealand. " • . -■:',';' ■■'■ ■

Sydney, 26th Oct. | 1P49.

Mr Rear Sin.—l have to acknowledge'the receipt of your letter of yesterday's date accompany ing a Ret of Silver Salvers, the gift of.the principal Ivferuhants and Settlers at Wellington, New Zealand. •'■" •"'■::-

Siich a flattering testimonial, expressive of good willnnd kindly feeling towards me, lean fully appreciate, and it will form auother bo nil betweeirns, adding to the pleasuse I m ow feel, and look forward to join in-returning to the ranks of those in whom I have ever been deeply* interested. "

If the handsome, chaste,_ and really beniitiful Service of PlatP.now before me. could- add to the value orenhaiice the gift* of ray fellow settlers, I must say that you have been singularly fortunate in your choice) and 1 can only regret that;: they should not now have had the pleasure of collectively inspecting and presenting a Service so geuorolly ad mired. ■■■■-■

Believe me. Dear Sir,, - , - Your's faithfully, ...... : ..■..'-'.. -■■■:. -..- v .-.-A.'jMcDOVILD.

To William FitzKerbert,