The Akaroa Mail. FRIDAY, MARCH 4.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume V, Issue 484, 4 March 1881, Page 2

The Akaroa Mail. FRIDAY, MARCH 4.

A question hns been raised in the Borough Council by Or McGregor and the Mayor which we hope that body will not allow to drop until the matters to which it refers fire placed upon n more satisfactory basis than they occupy at present; or, if that be impossible, that at any rate the-rottenness of the present arrangements shall be demonstrated in the clearest manner to the public at large, so that rhev can in tike their voice heard on the matter. V/e allude to the administration of the Akarna Hospital and the distribution of chnritnblo aid within the county and boroiyh.

Takinsf the two subjects in the order named, lot us plance first at the hospital. As Cr MoGiegor very clcarl) , pointed out, this institution ia supported mainly by the ratepayers of the county and borough. But the repre entatives of those who support it have not one iota of control over its management. It is managed—nominally, by an irresponsible nominated board sitting at a distance— practically, by the resident salaried officers. Now, we have nothing to say against these latter, but human nature is only human nature, and official human nature is certainly no exception to the rule.

It certainly would be a new thing in private life for an employer to limit his functions to the payment of wages, and voluntarily to abdicate all control of his servants. Neither is there any reason to suppose that the practice is lik- ly to be a success in the management of public affairs.

If a patient, or would -be patient, feele aggrieved, thore is no doubt there ought to be some nearer authority to apply to than a Board in Christchurch, which, from the very nature of things, must bo entirely guided by the statements and opinions of its own officers. But, putting aside for the present the consideration of any individual grievances, real or imaginary, the public " would like to know, you know, ,, for what purpose the hospital exists. Of late the doctrine has been authoritatively promulgated that the Akaroa Hospital is solely an " accident ward " ; that no illness, however severe, will qualify for admission, without a broken neck, or some injury of a similar nature. The doctrine is quita new one both in theory and practice We remember perfectly well when Mr March came down to open the institution, and explained its regulations to the then Mayor and Chairman of the County Council. Not a word was then said of any such restriction. Since then, nearly, if not quite, as many medical cases have been treated in it as surgical ones. It is a singular coincidence that this new edict is promulgated at the same time that a change is made in the arrangements for victualling the inmates, the authorities now supplying tlwj rations direct instead of contracting with the caretaker.

Our whole contention, however, is that there should be real, effectual local lay managment of an institution supported by local funds and intended tor the benefit of local residents.

Now as to the cognate question of charitable aid. We are called upon to contribute our share to funds for this purpose, also to be administered by a body acting at n distance. Happily there is as yet no chronic pauperism and very little destitution within the County of Akaroa. We have to bear our siiare, hotvever, of the burden of the charitable institutions all over the Provincial District— to wit, the Lyttelton Orphan Asylum, Burnham Industrial School, and Ashburton Old Men's Home ; as well as assisting in the relief of the mass of pauperism to be found in and around Christchurch. Into the justice or otherwise of our having to contribute towards these objects we do not propose at present to enter. There is a good deal to be said on both sides of the question. What we wish to point out is that, spite of all these contributions, any cases of sudden destitution that may arise among us must be left to private benevolence.

The circumstance mentioned by His Worship on Wednesday evening is a case in point. A man with n wife and children finds himself, through no fault of his own, absolutely penniless, and there exists no means by which relief of even the most temporary nature can be provided for the unfortunate people. We hope the public on the Peninsula will take this question up in a determined manner. There is no doubt that legislation on the matter is urgently required, but this is only another reason for the formation of a strong public opinion on the questions involved. We shall return to the subject again, and in the meantime we hope the public will strengthen the hands of their representatives in the Councils in their endeavors to place nuittersT'bn a more satisfactory footing.