The Evening Star. TUESDAY, MAY 21, 1872.

Evening Star, Issue 2887, 21 May 1872, Page 2

The Evening Star. TUESDAY, MAY 21, 1872.

Since we last referred to the Constitution and management of the Dunedin Hospital, we have discovered that the removal of the “ Incurables,” to which special attention was called, was also dealt with by the Commission to whose appointment reference was made. That Commission made nineteen recommendations, the sixth of which—a model of conciseness—was “ That incurable patients be removed to another institution.” The Votes and -Proceedings show that the Council, by a distinct resolution, expressed “ its high sense of the labors of the Commission, ’ and recommended that the suggestions it contained should be carried into effect —“ so far as may be deemed advisable,” and “so soon as the Government are in a position to do so.” The resolution was passed on the Gth of June, 1864 ; and, now that nearly eight years have elapsed, during which the recommendation has been wholly ignored, we are somewhat curious to learn whether this has been the result of the Government “ not having deemed it desirable” to act upon the resolution, or through their not having been “ in a position” to carry it into effect. The report of the Select Committee of 1870, consists of but three brief recommendations. Of these, the second is as follows:—“ That a separate ward, called ‘ the foul ward’ be provided.” The circumstances brought under notice of the Committee, and which led up to this special recommendation, are not —indeed rould hardly be expected to be—referred to, at least at any length. The report containing the recommendation, however, was, by a resolution of Council, on June 10, ordered to be “ referred to Government.” But from that day to this, so far as we have been able to learn, no action whatever has been taken to carry it into effect. And, moreover, from the evidence appended to the report, it may be seen that this particular recommendation emanated from the Provincial Surgeon himself. It is plain, therefore, that the responsibility of its not being attended to rests with the Government alone. Reluctant as we are further to refer to this particular matter, it is just one of those cases in which squeamishness is culpable j let those who are responsible for the truth take the blame. Let the fact be publicly known, then, that Dunedin, with all the advantages of her District Schools, High Schools, and University ; with her Benevolent Asylum, literary institutions, and her charitable and benevolent inhabitants, has a Hospital in which the virtuous woman—it may be highly educated, and of refined feelings—is placed side by side with the prostitute, perchance picked up in the public streets, and in the last stages of degradation and disease ; and that notwithstanding two years have elapsed since a distinct and effectual remedy was referred to the Government tor the purpose of being applied. The bare announcement of such a fact, with all it of necessity implies—the visits of associates, intercourse of patient with friends, &c.—is enough; all comment is superfluous : and if it does not induce some member of the Provincial Council to ask “ the reason why,” and the Government speedily to supply a remedy for so great an evil, it will be matter rather for sorrow than anger on the part of all concerned about the reputation of this valuable institution. Surely no man having sister, wife, or mother can con-. template the bare possibility of either of them being brought, by some reverse of fortune, into personal contact with such a state of things without a: shudder.

Having deal* with the two matters calling for special and immediate action, and in respect of which the Government have already ample power to act, we now proceed to offer a few remarks inspecting the general subject of the constitution and the management of the Hospital. Amongst the many urgent things that require to be done, we place in the first rank its withdrawal from its present state of abso-, lute and sole dependence on an annual vote out of the proverbially precarious' revenue at the disposal of the Previn-; cial Council. This should be done by 1 the immediate setting apart of such a reserve out of the Waste Lands of the Crown as will bring in, say at least two-thirds or three-fourths .of the annual cost of management, or about £3,000 or £3,500. The inhabitants of the city and suburbs might then fairly be asked to contribute the balance either by voluntary subscriptions or a special rate. Till some such plan is adopted we shall have no guarantee for a permanent annual income ; nor will the representatives of up-country districts, whose constituents are called upon to pay in part for their own local institutions, be satisfied. We were told the other day by the Provincial Treasurer, that land to the extent of half a million of acres had already been

set apart for the support of Provincial Hospitals in general, though the Crown grants had not been received. Aixl if our memory does not betray us, seme at least of the up-country institutions, have special endowments already secured for their own particular benefit; so that we conceive there could be no difficulty in accomplishing the desired end, either out of a general fund to be paid to all pro rata according to the number of patients, or by means of a special and independent endowment for Dunedin alone. We shall revert to this subject.

To Correspondents. —We have to apologise to ‘ ‘ Spry” for not being able to give him the information asked, relative to the reason why a mail was not despatched by the Omeo on the 18th April with letters for England via Suez. By the printed official dates furnished to the Chief Postmaster at Dunedin, which have bean shown to us, it appears the Suez mail was appointed to leave Melbourne on the 21st A pril; so that had that date been adhered to, it would have been useless to forward mail-bags by a vessel leaving Dunedin on the 18th As the Omeo met the mail steamer at Queensc’iff on the .23rd, it appears an alteration had been made in the arrangements, notice of which has since beck communicated to the Post Office authorities here.

Racing.—We are informed on reliable authority that a flat race of one mile for L2O a side between; Pilgrim and Tomboy, both well known horses, will take place cto the training course at the Forbury Park tomorrow morning, at seven o'clock. Education. —A resolution was this afternoon affirmed by the Provincial Council, on a division of eighteen against eleven, in effect protesting against the General Assembly interfering with the educational institutions of this Province.

Spiritualists.—At a meeting of non-spiritualists last night, it was resolved to invite the Rev. Dr. Copland to visit Melbourne, for the purpose of witnessing the spiritual teaching of the children of Mr James Smith and other manifestations, and reporting the result. Scandinavians. Apropos of the Scandinavian immigration question we may quote a passage from a paragraph in a Californian paper relative to the departure of a gentleman who for some time acted as Danish Consul at Chici in the Sacramento Valley “ It is to Mr Taape we are indebted for the large accession to our population of Scandinavians who are the most steady and industrious of all European immigrants.” There are 17,000 Scandinavians in California. Immigration. —lt is notified in the New Zealand Gazette of May 10, under the hand of the Hon. Resident Minister, that the following have been appointed Immigration Officers—Mr J. Edwin March to be Chief Immigration Officer for the Middle island, and his appointment to date from Jan, 1, 1872; Nelson, Mr Alfred Greenfield ; Blenheim, Mr John Barleyman ; Greymouth, Mr James Wylde; Hokitika, Mr J. S. Browning; Christchurch, Mr J. Edwin March ; Timaru, Mr F. LeCren ; Oamaru, Mr John Locke ; Dunedin, Mr Colin Allan; Invercargill, Mr Walter H. Pearson.

Taranaki. —The Provincial Government of Taranaki is a very unpretending institution. From the estimate of revenue and expenditure laid before the Council for the half-year ending December, it appears that the available revenue for the year from all sources, including the fifteen shilling capitation grant, but exeluding grants for public works, as being of an exceptional character, only amounts to the sum of L 4450 ; while the expenditure is estimated at L 5984. No wonder that tjio Herald considers the present cumbrous system of Government absurd, and advocates a municipal system. Farm Railways. —The (Queenslander says:—“lt would almost seem as though the French could outdo us in the construction of light railways for agricultural purposes. There is now upon our table a diagram taken from a French journal illustrating a light railway used upon beetroot plantations. It shews a train of small trucks, each with its baskets of roots, and one man is pushing eight of the trucks before him into the boiling house. By hooking the back part of each truck to the front of the one coming immediately behind, two wheels are made to answer for each, the last truck only having four wheels, The contrivance is very neat, compact, and looks serviceable. The railway is moveable and complete, and .costs less than two shillings per yard. Portrait of the late Captain Cargill.— This excellent picture, presented to the Provincial Council by the subscribers, is of more than ordinary merit. It represents the first Superintendent, .one of the founders of Otago, apparently fn deep thought, in a perfectly natural attitude ; his right arm resting on his writing table, and his left hanging over the arm of the easy chair in which he is seated. Never having seen Captain Cargill, we can only judge of the likeness by its being life like and homogeneous. We should say, as a rule, where these attributes are perceptible, there must be truth. The lights, which are somewhat difficult through peculiarity of dress, are well managed, and the foreshortening of the lower parts of the figure is admirably executed. The portrait is painted by Mr Irviue, of Dunedin, to whose artistic skill it does very great credit. It is seldom that in portrait-painting so good a picture is produced. The picture has been placed side by side with that of the Rev. Dr Burns, at the northern end of the Provincial Council Hall.

Money Votes. Yesterday after noon, the Speaker of the Provincial Council made a singlar statement with regard to motions for addressing the Superintendent to put amounts upon the estimates. Mr Mollisou having spoken to one of this character, the Speaker informed the House that, owing to the motion having been moved in the House instead of in Committee of Supply, “ the matter would not be disposed of by passing the resolution, hut would have to come up again in Committee of Supply. But had the motion been brought on in Committee of Supply, intbe first instance, it would then have been disposed of at once.” Surely Mr Gillies did not mean to lay it down as a rule that by the Committee of Supply agreeing to request the Superintendent to put a certainsumon the “Estimates,’’ that that sum

was therby “disposed of at once ” by being placed among the several amounts actually voted, as appropriations? Yet his words admit of no other meaning, though every one having the slightest acquaintance with the practice of legislative bodies in regard to money votes must know that such could not be the case. It is clear also, from the terms of the motion, that they cannot “b i disposed of at once,” for whether passed in Committee of Supply or in the House, there are two processes to be gone through. First, the House has to consent to the request for the amount to appear on the Estimates at all; and, next, the Committee of Supply has by its vote to pass the amount; so that it must, of necessity, “come up again” in either case. We suspect the Speaker’s judgment must have become confused by the flood of notices of motion and questions that was given, and the tendering for first reading an informal Bill on the * ‘ education question,” or he never could have intended to convey the meaning his words expressed. Princess Theatre. Last evening “Randall’s Thumb” was played at the Princess Theatre, which, in spite of its whimsical title, is one of the best of modern plays. It is full of incident, full of eharac ter, and fully appreciable by every one in the present clay. We have no hesitation in pronouncing it one of the most enjoyable that has been put on the stage for many years, The story is simple enough, and unfortunately probable enough too. In fact, after the Tichbome case and other modem dramas in real life, nothing ought to startle us in these days. But “ Randall's Thumb ” is a clever illustration of how, through mistake, a man of probity, who has not the courage to face consequences, may be placed under the dominion of a villain. Randall is a man who lives by his wits—a swindler, a forger. He has somehow got hold of the details of an adventure in which one man is supposed to have been killed by another in self defence : the encounter having been brought about by each believing the other to be a robber. Being by this knowledge brought under Randall's thumb, the scoundrel uses it to extort money from the innocent homicide, until the plundered victim, by a love affair, is brought into actual contract with the man supposed to have been killed, by whose aid he is freed from the pressure of Randall’s thumb, and is restored to peace cf mind, fortune, and happiness. The main story is diversified by the whimsicalities of three couples in the bye-play, whose characters are exceedingly well drawn and amusing. We scarcely know where to praise most. Every one seems so completely at home, and the phases of life so very natural that the audience felt almost like actors in the drama. Miss Anstead, as Edith Teraplt, Miss Raymond as Mrs Flamboys, Miss Willis as Miss Spin, and Mrs Charles O’Brien as Mrs Scantlebury, were perfectly at home, and each acted her part really well. Messrs Hesford. O’Brien, Booth, Musgrave, Thorpe, and Hydes, as Dr Trotway, Randall, Buckthorpe, Scantlebury, Flamboys, and Joe Bangles, were each equally happy in their illustrations of character. Of course the first efforts in new new plays always want a little rubbing to wear easily, but we nener saw fewer hitches, and have no doubt tonight that every one will feel exactly the niche in which he has to move The scenery was last night most beautiful. The pic-uic scene in the cave, with the ocean, and ships passing in the distance, were more than a panorama, for the figures in the foreground were real. It is seldom that so pleasant a courtship takes place on a sea-surrounded rock, but it is easily imaginable that no spot could be selected so well adapted for soft sayings intended only for two to hear. We regret the efforts by the company are not responded to as they deserve. We believe it is purely because their merit is not known. But there is a fashion in these things ; and we shall be glad to find the unhealthy excitement of last week toned down and made somewhat less dangerous through indulgence in amusement so rational, pleasurable, and instructive as witnessing the drama of “Randall’s Thumb.”

The annual general meeting of the Royal Horticultural Society will be held in the lower room of the Athenaeum, to-morrow (Wednesday) evening, at 8 o’clock.

A special meeting of the members of the Saturday Half-Holiday Association will be held in the Lower Hall of the Atbeuieum this evening at 7.3(1.

The fortnightly meeting of the Dunedin Mutual Improvement Society is announced for this evening at 8 o’clock. Mr John Barr is to deliver an address on “Trees and their influence on climates”; and, in terms of the advertisement, the public are invited.

An amateur dramatic performance to defray the Rowing Club their expenses incurred in connection with the Inter-Prov ncial Rowing Match will take place in the Masonic Hall, to-morrow (Wednesday) evening. The drama of “ Still Waters Run Deep” is to be presented ; and besides the assistance of Mr Morton Tavares, Miss Surtees, and Miss Dolly Green w Inch has been secured, the entertainment is under the patronage of His Honor the Superinteneent, His Worship the Mayor, aim the officers and members of the various volunteer companies. There is sure to be a full and fashionable attendance.