CROMWELL GOSSIP.

Dunstan Times, Issue 672, 5 March 1875, Page 3

CROMWELL GOSSIP.

(FROM OUR OWICcORRESPONDENT.) I hear, upon good authority, that one of onr wise men, who usually attaches Cr. to his name, has disposed of his personal effects, and contemplates a departure, and I therefore presume that some oth»r star will seek to fill the coveted post. The franchise is a privilege peculiar to all, and in the coming election it behoves the good men and true of Cromwell to vote for the candidate who is possessed of energy, and who will fearlessly carry out the ex pressed intention of the inhabitants. In the selection, or rather election, of a candidate the point may arise as to whether he is to ho a mere nominee representative, or a man capable of thinking and acting for himself and voting independently. Many parties may admire our Mayor, hut 1 certainly fail to recognise his brilliant talents, or his political ability. You will, f trust, concede that there is a very material distinction between idle boasting and "actual absolute work. Our mayor promised to do a great deal, and he has virtually performed nothing. At a meeting held last week, it became a question of considerable moment as to whether our local magistrate should fill the chair or not. I refer to the meeting of the subscribers of tho Cromwell Hospital, and I am bold enough to declare that the head of the Cromwell Corporation does not possess the confidence of the ratepayers. Personally the gentleman referred to deserves respect, and doubtless commands the same, but when weighed in the political scale, his most ardent admirers must admit that ho is occasionally “ found wanting.” As the father of the water works scheme he must be complimented for the exhibition of singular pussillaniraity, and while his gigantic ideas dazzled and amazed the illiterate, they caused others to be wary and watchful. In our little Peddlington I am not surprised to find parties refusing to pay rates, and while public affairs are carried on in the manner and style which have of late prevailed, our town is not likely to advance, nor are the interests of the general public thereby conserved. The coupons remain as they were—the debentures find no applicants—and the dignified post of mayor is about a “ begging.” We then need the assistance of our neighbours, and in the selection of another local governor the rule may be more thoroughly established. The time has passed when mayors and heads of municipal affairs can only see through a horoscope, whose lenses are somewhat dimmed and want brightening. I can only use the words of tho distinguished William Cobbe;t, namely, the time has arrived for the “ cleansing of the castes.”

I observe in the Guardian and Bruce Herald of the 23rd inst. that an ostensible report of the proceedings at Mr MoKellar’s meeting at Bannockburn appears in each paper as “from their own correspondent,” the one report being a fac simile of the other and in precisely the same words, clearly indicating that they were written either by one and the same party, or that a flagrant piracy has been adopted without acknowledgment. In the first place there were but two reporters present, the Cromwell Argus, and the Dunstan Times, and though the Garrick correspondent under the flattering title of “our own” gulls the literary Head of the Guardian, I must confess that I am surprised to find your respected contemporary, the Bruce Herald, so easily led, but it may he, and most likely is, that the “ Dunedin Echoes from a Tub” is the guilty party. It is singular that In the columns of the Guardian and Bruce Herald a similar coincidence transpired in the report of tho christening of the Young Australian, both of which purported to he from “ our own,” while each report was hut a repetition of the other, and in which, as in tne one at present under notice, the largest amount of space is devoted to a Mr Buchan, of Carricktown. I have therefore a shrewd guess as to “ our own,” or 1 will be more charitable, and presume that Mr B. has got to the soft side of “his own.” The report of Mr McKellar’s meeting, as published in the Guardian, is grossly unfair and incorrect, and in so far I am justified in stating this that I can name some of the most influential iu the Mining Association, as well as many others who were present at the meeting, who arc willing to testify as to the correctness of the report in your journal, while the unknown “our own” has selected snatches from reports of the Argus and Dunstan Times, and by pirating upon the efforts of others has sought to dish up their matter ornamented to suit the vanity of a would-hc-thought public benefactor.

Now that the Ciomwell Hospital may safely he pronounced an accomplished fact, a few remarks respecting its future prospects of succces may not be amiss, and may prove of benefit to many of the subscribers whose avocation deters them from personally attending the meetings of the Committee, and who are necessarily forced to trust to the newspaper reports for their information. It cannot be denied that in many instanocs these reports are not lo be relied upon too much, as it is a difficulty to ascertain whore the reporter of a certain newspaper gleans his information, as on many occasions no representative of the press deigns to put in an appearance, and the account so frequently served up to the public is nothing moro nor less than a copy

of tho Secretary's’minuto book, no regard being paid to" tho remarks of tho proposer and seconder of tho various resolutions and tho other members of the Committee. This may bo well enough in its way, but is scarcely in accordance with tho accepted custom of reporting. It is proposed to advertise for a surgeon at an annual salary of L 250 per annum with tho right to private practice within a radius of fifty miles, also a wardsman and matron at LOO, and secretary at LSO with travelling expenses, say another Lls. Thus we have a total of L 403 to meet annually for salaries. The amount received and due to tho Committee is LII7O, out of which L 155 has been contribuced by the Government. Those figures are for the most part substantially correct, but may bear of slight alteration, although it matters little for my purpose. From the source of indoor patients little can be reckoned upon, ns in tho majority of instances the "sufferer, if possessed of the moans, prefer being attended at their own dwellings. Tho surgeon, whoever he may be, it will bo remembered, is entitled to private practice within a radius of fifty miles, and it is not very likely that another medical gentleman will-take up his abode in Cromwell. Suppose that an accident of a very serious nature occurs requiring prompt attention, and the surgeon is about ■W miles from homo attending a private patient, and another has in his absence been admitted to the hospital, what is to bo done with the unfortunate who may have received a severe wound by which some artery has been severed ? Is he to bleed to death ? It may happen that some such case may arise, and assuming that such did, either at Bendigo or Carricktown. The sufferer would in all probability bo brought into tho hospital, and after the acceleration of the injury, entailed by his being so conveyed, no skilled .person was at the hospital, what is tho reasonable inference? That when the doctor comes he arrives too late, and in place of finding a living subject, bo sees one destitute of life. Again, it may bo that an inmate of the inst tutinn may be suffering intensely, and the most unfavorable symptoms may have arson demanding prompt action, but this forsooth cannot bo had, as the doctor is absent some thirty miles, and has a patient whom he cannot leave as a serious change for the worse has set in and life is uncertain. What in such a dilemma is to he done? If he deserts the private patient under such circumstances to attend the inmate of the hospital, ho might be charged with unskilful treatment; and if ho does not attend at once at the hospital, there' are many persons in this world who would not only call him unskilful, but would even go so far as to lay the man’s death at his door. No doubt many will affirm that these are extreme cases. I deny the imputation, and as boldly affirm that in a mining community too many serious accidents occur—accidents of such a nature that tho prompt attendance of a surgeon is necessary. The Dunstan Hospital is well furnished and replete with every convenience, and-the surgeon is always at command. It is centrally situated, and there is a very good road from Cromwell to Clyde. By tho last published report the greatest number of patients admitted were from Cromwell, and although many of tho cases were serious only one proved fatal, and that was shortly after admission. If Cromwell possessed no hospital, doubtless some surgeon would be induced to settle and remain ; but I doubt whether any medical gentleman would do so, and oppose in private practice the doctor of the hospital, supported as the latter, it is only fair to assume, would assuredly be by many of the subscribers, who in case of sickness in their family would most likely be induced to avail themselves of his services in "reference to any other. That great credit is due to those citizens who worked so hard for the Cromwell Institution I am ready to cheerfully concede, and nothing is more foreign from the purpose than that an opinion should exist or get abroad to injure or retard the good work initiated, but holding that the erection of such a building was totally unnecessary and inexpedient, I should fail in my duty if I did not express my convictions. A more glorious work than the alleviation of the sufferings of the afflicted never called mankind together, and though this zeal has, it is sumitted, been misdirected, tho thanks of tho community are due to those persons who at considerable inconvenience and loss have devoted so much of their time and labour thereto.