LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 103, 25 January 1919, Page 7

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

RESIGNATION OF LIEUT.-COLONEL I HERBERT, 0.8. E. ;

- Sir, —A meeting of tho patients lit : the two hospitals at Rotorua .was re-j , cently addressed by a civilian'-patient) j at tlie Government Sanatorium on the i abovo subject. out . with j considerable force and "truth tbat Col- , onel Herbert's departure "from -Roto- ) rua would be nothing short of a culam- -.j ifcy for the people of New Zealand, be- « cause' his knowledge of the curative j powers of the -waters here is unique; j and also becauso nobody has been. ,j trained as tho colonel's successor. Ho < further "pointed out that unless Colonel : j Herbert could be" persuaded to recoil- ,j sider, or at least postpone, his resigna- j tion until someone has been trained to -: .take his place, his successor will be j placed at a considerable disadvantage, 3 because this particular branch of the ; medical treatment for certain afflictions j needs a specialised knowledge of tlio j waters here. _ . -J Tho audience heartily agreed with ; all that the speaker said; and it was, .; further pointed out that no matter' I' * how efficient a surgeon or physician j tho colonel's successor might be, he j must of necessity be somewjiat of an. i experimentalist, unless lie is trained | bv tlie one man in New Zealand who is ' .' generally recognised- to havo made tlm ! properties of 'these waters his own j . peculiar, study. ' j As a" result, of this meeting a com-, j ir.ittee was elected for the purpose of , trying to persuade Colonel Herpert to j reconsider his resignation. This com-- 7 mittee has decided that the best way ' to attain this end would bo to show | .Colonel' Herbert that his departure at J the"present time-would be regarded as- j something resembling a calamity by, I those who have had tlie good fortune > to receive treatment at his bands. Ib has -therefore been decided to draw up ' a petition to Colonel Herbert asking, j' him to withdraw his resignation at ] least temporarily, and to ask the many; , j people in various parts of the Domin- | ion who have ,liad experience of his' | efficient and courteous treatment to! j assist it in its effort: by signing that • j petition. . There must be thousands of people : I who have benefited personally by' the .. j treatment at Rotorua, and thousands '<! more who have seen tUteir relations and l j friends restored to health, by it, to j sny nothing of, the hundreds of re- i turned soldiers who havo regained the I use of injured limbs while undergoing '• treatment here. ' Wo feel certain that i when these people hear of Colonel j Herbert's .intended departure they will realise what a mistake it will be not \ to make an effort to try and persuade ' him to stay in the Dominion. _ | The committee has reason to believe j that if sufficient public opinion can bs j brought to bear, on him. Colonel Her- , bert will be prepared to. withdraw his ; | resignation. Copies of the petition ij are being forwarded to all parts of Dominion, but anybody who is intei'rT i ested in--thg-matter,- or-is-'willing to. | .be so good as to undertake, the colloc- ; -tion of signatures in his particular j district-, can obtain further infornia- j tion by communicating with either of us at the address given below. j . Thanking.you in anticipation for-the insertion of this letter in your roost \ valuable paper, —Wo are, etc., I • A. LINDSAY, GEORGE NEEDHAM, ; Joint Secretaries, j Soldiers' Institute,>■ Rotorua, January 21. |