ST. BATHANS.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume II, Issue 111, 21 April 1871, Page 3

ST. BATHANS.

April 16. The St. Bathans Hospital Committee held their first meeting on Tuesday night, the 4th instant. Mr. G-. Purton was appointed chairman and secretary, and Mr. Pyle treasurer of the Committee • Messrs. Bowe and Turner, collectors. On the motion of a member it was resolved that the other water companies be invited to follow the example initiated by the Scandinavian Company last year—viz., to pay a few pounds per annum towards the support of the Hospital. The St. Bathans Progress Committee met for the transaction of business, for the first time, on Wednesday night, the 12th inst. As one of the members was absent, office-bearers were not permanently appointed; but the Secretary (M>. Yorston) was instructed to communicate at once with the Secretary of Land and Works, impressing on him the great necessity of having fhe approaches to the village put in repair before the winter sets in. As this very neces-ary work has been so long and shamefully neglected, and as the time fo.r performing it before winter ia so very short, it is to be hoped that the application of the Committee will meet with a speedy response.

When the St. Bathans street was last repaired, some five years ago, it was done by resident subscribers, and resident subscribers are likely to repair it again. Mr Stratford has already constructed two substantial culverts across the road opposite the Camp, and I am informed that other gentlemen residing in that direction are about following his example ; all the drainage from the hill will be thus carried under instead of over the road as heretofore ; so that,, if the business people and other residents subscribe some money, and our local carters perform their part by giving each one or two days' labor, the road leading from here to the public channel might be rendered perfect, and pleasant to walk or ride on even in wet weather.

The commonage question is under consideration, and will in due course be dealt with, as far as lies in the power of the Committee to do so, if the St. Bathans public are truly desirous of having a commonage. It has pleised kind Providence that scarlet fever and fever of every sort has so far kept away from here, and, however unworthy we may be, I trust this great mercy may be continued towards us, for, should any such infectious disease make its appearance the people would be entirely at its mercy, seeing that there is no hospital rearer than Clyde and no medical aid nearer than ISTaseby. To people so circumstanced Dr. Halley's remarks on first symptoms of scarlatina as exhibited by children, and the use of carbolic acid in proportions, as given in the ' Tuapeka Times' on his authority, are of little moment. In the first place, if a mother thinks she has discovered first symptoms of scarlatina in her child, she is left in utter ignorance of what she should apply to check them, and in the next place she is left equally in ignorance as to the proportions of carbolic acid to be used in a solution to disinfect the house of the patient. If Dr. Halley, or some other philanthropic medical gentleman, will kiudiy throw a little more liojht on this subject he will have conferred a real benefit on residents here and many other places so situated. I have heard that the Government have sent a quantity of carbolic acid to the Camp afc Naseby, to be given or sold to them who wish to apply for it. If this be true, and I hope it is, there can be no reason why St. Bathans should not come in for a similar mark of attention.—A.B.C.