HOSPITAL SURGEONS.

Dunstan Times, Issue 634, 12 June 1874, Page 2

HOSPITAL SURGEONS.

• (to THE EDITOROFTHECUXSTAN TIMES. | Sir, In the Daily Times of the 27th ult. there appears the following report of what took place in connexion with the election ; of Hospital Surgeon : “Mr Hazlett moveJ : ‘That the Hospital | Ordinance he amended so as to provide that I the Hospital Surgeons shall be elected by I subscribers who have paid their subscripi lions of not less than 20s. at least three j months before thedayof election ; and that the Central Hospital Committee of every district be empowered to appoint pollingplaces for such election in such centres of population as may to them seem desirable.’ In doing so, he said ho thought any honorable member who had experience of the election of Hospital Surgeons in the Province would sec the necessity for this I motion. I “Mr Hall -nstcin said that in these elections a great deal of feeling was always manifested, and generally the most popular man, irrespective of his professional quali- ■ fications, was elected. In fact, he regretted | to say that very often the best drinking man was the successful candidate, the publicans having a great deal of influence on the gold-lields. Ho would move as an amendment: ‘ That the Hospital Ordinance ho amended so as to provide that the Hospital Surgeons shall ho elected by the Hospital Committee.’ “Mr Hazlett said he would accept the amendment, weich was then agreed to by the Council.” Now I believe the motion of the member for the Dunstan District would have given general satisfaction if carried, and how that gentleman came to accept the amendment of the member for the Lakes is rather a puzzle to many others besides your humble servant. How very kind and thoughtful of the latter gentleman to deprive the subscribers of voice in our elections, because of (as he is reported to have said) “the publicans having a great influence on the gold-fields,” &c. Rather hard on the publicans certainly. His speech, as reported, is tantamount to styiug that, although we may still subscribe, for which we feel deeply thankful, we are so much in the hands of the publicans that they can make us vote just as they like, anil that we cannot he trusted to distinguish between an incompetent drunkard and a properly qualified and clever surgeon. Did it ever strike the honorable member that the same rule might be said to apply to other elections ? I trust that the members of the Clyde Committee will, for the sake of the Dunstan District Hospital, which has proved an incalculable blessing to people from all parts of the district during the most unhealthy season ever known in this part of Now Zealand, bestir themselves, and prove that they are only too glad to have the assistance of all the members in a work so important as the lection of Surgeon to that Institution. I am, &c., C. Juno 8, 187 L