DUNEDIN.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XII, Issue 4, 4 January 1877, Page 2

DUNEDIN.

[FBOM OUR OWN CORRESPONDBNr.] December 24th. Christmas Eve ! and remarkably like som.e Christmas eves at Home. Wet and miserable and cold— such is the kind of weather we have had lor the greater part of the last fortnight. In Dunedin a wise man always takes his waterproof with him whenever he goes out. and a chilly subject or one susceptible to colds and rheumatism can never be far wrong if he takes a warm overcoat. However, it is useless to grumble at the weather, we must make the best of it. Perhaps as the hills around Dunedin are cleared and cultivated the climate may be favorably modified; at present I confess you Nelsonians have the advantage of it. It is one of the mysterious dispensations of Providence, which will, we may hope, be compensated for in another state of existence, that we, the industrious, energetic, hard-working, enterprising Southeners, should have such an abominable climate, while you lazy lotus-eaters are blessed with sunshine and zephyrs! Perhaps we are so industrious, etc., and possess so many excellent qualities because our climate is so bad, and perhaps you are so lazy because yours is so soft and warm. Quien sabe? as the Spaniards say. The event of the day in Dunedin is the resignation by Mr Coughtrey of his Professorship of Anatomy in the University of Otago. The quarrel between the late Professor and the University Council is realty a very pretty quarrel as it stands. But to make it intelligible I must give you a little of the history of the school of medicine attached to the Otago University. Some two years ago the late Superintendent took it into his head that he should have a school of medicine in Dunedin. Most people thought the idea was premature, indeed it was difficult to find anyone who approved of it, and certainly those best able to judge who had no personal interest in the matter were unanimous in their condemnation of the scheme, and in their prophecies that it would not succeed. However, it was determined that the attempt to establish a medical school should be made, and as a commencement a Professor of Anatomy was advertised for at a salary of £600 a year, with the intimation that "no private practice" should be allowed. Now it happened curiously enough that about this time Mr Millen Coughtrey, M.8., who had held some teaching appoint ment in connection with the Liverpool school of medicine came to Dunedin, and as one of the men connected with the University said, " it was curious that just as they wanted a Professor of Anatomy one should make his appearance." But the field was open to the whole world except, as if; seemed by the English advertisement, to men resident in the colony. Strange to say, and very much to his own surprise, Mr Coughtrey was selected. About his competency there could be no question, about his fluency and ability as a lecturer there can be no doubt in the mind of | any one who has heard him, and probably no i better appointment could have been made as far as testimonials went. But one Professor does not make a. school, and to found a medipal school a hospital is requisite containing a certain number of beda. Now, the Dunedin Hospital is perhaps the least creditable of our public establishments. It is, or was, for I have not seen it under the new regime, dirty, untidy, and reeking with bad tobacco smoke; altogether it is a most unsavoury place. A large proportion of the cases were chronic, and such as in England would have been in a workhouse infirmary. So it was determined to reform the place: three more medical officers were appointed at a salary of £100 a year eaoh, and they were made clinical lecturers in connection with the medical school. The school was opened with an introductory lecture by Professor Coughtrey, who gave them a sample of his style, in which he hit everybody all round. It was pretty evident that there would be some very breejjy weather in that part of the wopld where the new Professor might take up his abode. The school could hardly be considered a success. In its second session the number of students is one i / The young gentleman who purposes to adorn the medical profession at some future time is therefore rather a costly article, and it would be cheaper to pay his passage to England and all his expenses there until he passes his examination than to keep up a professor and a dissecting room for his particular edification. There were rumors of dissensions between Professor Coughtrey and the Council of the University, and rumors also that all was not quite butter and honey between the Professor and the hospital doct u r3# T. There was als ° something sajd about the Professor practising, which it was known he did, and some of the medical men of the town urged that it was unfair to them aud contrary to the stipulation made when the Professor was appointed. About these things we outsiders knew but little, and nothing certainly, until a few days ago, when Professor Coughtrey, in concluding a course of extra academicallectures which he had been delivering, made a statement to the effect that unless he received better treatment from the University Council than he had been in the habit of receiving, his connection with them would be severed ere longi This declaration, which appeared next niQrninff in both ouf papers, ex6i^d'some surprise in 'the minds of those who had uot been behind the scenes. And so matters went on until Mr Co3gnj;-ey sent in his resignation, which was accepted, his offer to continue his service*

until another Professor could be elected being declined by the Council with thanks. A3 hinted by one of the medical members, the vacation had' commenced, there was nothing for a Professor to do, aud they might as well save the £300 for half a year's' salary. This was the urikindest cut of all. Whether Mr Coughtrey thought that the Council would cave in, and take him on his own terms, there is no knowiug, but it is extremely probable that he was disappointed by his resignation being so accepted immediately. He followed up the account of the proceedings in the University Council, which were published in all the papers, by *a letter in exceedingly bad taste, in which he made a personal attack on a highly respected clerical member of the Council. He has again violated good taste by a letter to the Otago Guardian, in which he fastens the personal responsibility for a leader in the Daily Times on another clerical member of the Council. Altogether he does not come out with flying colors. On the other hand it. is generally considered that the Medical Association had no business to meddle in the matter, and that their action was obviously prompted by a sort of jealousy which one would not have expected from a body presumed to be composed of educated men and gentlemen. Of course our two morning papers take opposite sides, the Guard an supports Mr Coughtrey, and the Times blames him. He will probably blame himself before long. Six hundred a year with the position he occupied, and nothing to do for it but deliver five lectures a week during six months m the year is by no means to be despised or thrown up in a hurry.