“PAUPER,” OR NOT PAUPER.

Kumara Times, Issue 2578, 9 December 1884, Page 2

“PAUPER,” OR NOT PAUPER.

[to the editor.]

Sir —lnjustice to myself after what has appeared in the Kumara Times on the above subject, it is but just to myself to give the real facts of the case, and let the public decide who is the pauper. Sir, on receiving the injury that required medical aid I went to Dr. Monckton’s surgery, not as a pauper, but as an Oddfellow ; as such I pay him 7s 6cl per quarter. I rung the bell, and after waiting some time and getting no answer, I turned away, but found it was about the time the doctor attended the hospital; so I went down there, little thinking I was going to be held to the public gaze as a recipient of cheap doctoring. I suppose Dr. Monckton would have liked me to have paid him his usual fee of one or two guineas in addition, ticket-holder though I am? But I can understand his motive in thus bringing me publicly to book for receiving cheap doctoring, as he terms it. It is simply for the active part I took in seeing justice done to a ticket-holder and striving (in committee) to show that he had overstepped the limits of his power as hospital surgeon when he forced the house committee to find bonds for the maintenance of the late George Stewart before he would sign the admission ticket. In the case of one, the busbanc? was not in a position to pay a constant attendant, as required by her;

for the same reason lie could not afford to stay at home, and fill that office himself. The other, if possible was, a still more urgent case, for he was alone, but I think I have said sufficient on this subject to place me in a right light with the public when I tell them that death ended the sufferings of both the poor creatures.

The Rev. Mr Hay has been labouring very hard to show that right is wrong, at my expense, including one or two others; and he appears to be utterly regardless of the truth, otherwise he would not have made the sweeping assertions he has done. In Ins scriptural quotations he forgot one, viz, “Judge not, that ye be not judged again.” I would advise him to take this to heart, and remember it in the future. Another piece of advice I would give him is to study the rules of the Kumara Hospital before again discussing them, particularly rule 3,—1 remain, yours, J. S. Nicholas. Laraikius, December 8, 1884.