THE HOSPITAL.

Evening Star, Issue 3289, 4 September 1873, Page 3

THE HOSPITAL.

To the Editor. Sir, —No person, I presume, will bo surprised at the course adopted by the Daily Times in inserting the letter written by Mr Hume, and so properly refused publication by yourself. The language used, apart from the fact of its being written by a subordinate instead of the head of the establishment, would in my opinion amply justify the Editor of the Stab in refusing its publication. The public of Dunedin, however, must be sufficiently aware by this time that the editor and sub. of the DaHy Times do not consider anything too mean, scurrilous, or abusive to insert in that paper, providing always the object of it is a person against lyhom they have a personal animus. The leading articles written by these gentlemen (?) pro also too frequently gross specimens of the same style. Therefore I say no surprise need be felt that the letter in question should receive ready insertion in the columns of the Tijnes. Hut, sir, I apprehend that great surprise and also indignation will be felt that a public servant, and one occupying a subordinate position in a public institution, (should be guilty of writing such a letter, and I think the public will be still more surprised if the Provincial Government do not at once cause au invest! gation to take place in the matter, with a Thaw of either gravely censuring or dismissing the officer in question from the public service. If I »m correctly informed, this same gentleman wq.B lately under suspension for some offencp, aud would, I believe, have been dismissed but for the urgent appeal of a certain gentleman connected with the institution. I am, however, not at all sorry this matter has cropped op, because it will tend to awaken the people of Dunedin, and more particularly the members of the Provincial

Council, to the necessity of some alteration, in the constitution it may be, but at any rate in the supervision of the Hospital. Individually, 1 am convinced that this valuable institution will never be properly conducted until it is thrown on the hands of the Dunebin public, aud managed by a committee similarly to the Melbourne Hospital, and also thrown open like that institution, to a certain extent, to the whole of the medical profession, With regard to the statement of Dr Sorley alluding to the supposed dead man, I may say that I, and no doubt many others, have hear I this talked of long before Dr. Sorley’s letter appeared. I think, however, now the statement having been contradicted, Dr .Sorley is bound to prove the fact, and doubtless he will do so. Such a matter, having been made public, cannot be allowed to rest if the people are to continue to have confidence in the Dunedin Hospital, and the whole subject should be searchingly investigated.—l am, &c., Citizen. Dunedin, September 4.