The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. MONDAY, DECEMBER 1, 1884.

Kumara Times, Issue 2571, 1 December 1884, Page 2

The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. MONDAY, DECEMBER 1, 1884.

Whilst ad milting and conceding, as wo always do, the right to correspou-

dents to criticise in our columns the acts of public men and public bodies, so long as their communications are not absolutely of a personal or libellous nature, we regret that on many occasions correspondents will link into their communications, in their eagerness to convince or attempt to convince others to the same tvay of thinking as -themslves, ranch abuse of men and sections of the community, which has little or nothing to do with the question or questions at issue. And we regret that there is and has been too much of this permeating the letters we have received on the subject of the action of the Hospital Committee, or a majority of said Committee, at their late meeting to hear and consider the complaint lodged by a ticket-holder against the Surgeon-Superintendent. At that meeting it was resolved, by a majority of 2 (7 to 5), all members but one being present, “ That Dr. Monckton receive three months’ notice of dismissal.” Since the meeting took place and indeed before the proceedings were published a discovery w r as made that the meeting, specifically called for the consideration of the complaint, was illegal, due notice not having been given to all members of the Committee of the resolution to be brought forward. Although not embodied in the printed Rules of the institution, as it should be, the regulation—which we think is a very judicious and necessary one—was adopted by the Committee some mouths ago, and is recorded in the minutes of their proceedings. On this gronnd, the Secretary has been instructed, with the approval we suppose of a majority of the Committee, from from giving effect to the decision of the meeting, and no notice, therefore, has been given to the doctor.

Putting aside all sympathy with or prejudice against either the complainant or the principal officer of oar local institution, it must be admitted that the charge laid in writing before the Committee is not of so grave a nature as to warrant the Committee taking the extreme action that was taken or was proposed to be taken. If there were other grounds of complaint against Dr. Monckton which helped a majority of the Committee to come to the conclusion they did, they were not submitted in black and white, sufficient as a whole to justify the carrying out of such a resolution. Duly qualified and certificated medical men are not to be had at a moment’s notice, especially for the (it is said) worst-paid institution of its kind on the Coast. After the resolution was carried, the Committee were reminded that in their efforts on the last occasion to secure the services of a qualified surgeon they had to advertise a second time before getting a satisfactory offer. The in-door patients, past and present, report they are satisfied with the treatment they have received. The most talented of men have their peculiar whims at times and eccentricities of character, and it is a question whether we should not yield to those a little for the general good of the institution, rather than dismiss a thoroughly competent, skilful, and attentive surgeon-superintendent on so tiivial a charge.