ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 72, 7 February 1862, Page 2

ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

THE CASE OF MR. M'CULLOCH. To the Editor of the Otago Daily Times.

Sin, — Probably lire Coroner may have some show of reason, in the*face of the medical certificate furnished him, in not holding an inquest on the body of thp unfortunate man M'Culloch ; but I do trust that a rigid enquiry will be instituted by the Government into the circumstances attending- the refusal to admit the sufferer into the Hospital. What are the facts? A fellow-creatui c suffering the most acute pain, after an agonising journey from Gabriel's Gully, is curried about, on his arrival in town, from inn to inn, without gaining admission into any hotel orlodginghouse. At last the Hospital is thought of; he is taken there almost in rxtrcnus, and refused admission-ir-with some remarks added, as I understand, but, as I have had no proof of them, I will not at present make further allusion to that part of the subject. _ I tremble to think it possible that a repetition of such inhumanity should take place. Ido not even know the name of the medical officer who refused the poor man admission, so, at all events, I cannot be accused of any personal fcelinsr in the matter; but it has occurred to me what would, under similar circumstances, have happened to my poor fdimd Mr. Cairns, after the brutal assault upon him at Tuapeka, unless his friends had received him and prepared everything for him previously. He most assuredly would have been sacrificed, "or, at all events, his death would, as this poor man's assuredly was, have been accelerated by such inhuman treatment. The sufferer's dying groans as I was passing through the Provincial Yard are still ringing in my cars; and I repeat that a rigid examination into all the facts of this ease should at once be instituted, and if 1 know anything of our worthy Superintendent, I truly believe that his Honor will readily order the enquiry to be made, ':■. I am, &c, VINDKX.

Dunedin, February 5, 1862.

To the Editor of the Daily Times,

I. Dear Sir, —Permit me to draw your attention to the necessity of an accurate and particularly immediate report, of all vessels arriving in this port, in. the columns of your paper. It must be evident to yourself that the reports of ships and lists of their caigoes as they are given in your paper at present are rendered more or less valueless on account of being published usually several days after the arrival of the same, nnd when everybody interested in the matter is acquainted with it already, cither hy the receipt of his letters or by perusing the manifests at the Custom House. The readers of your journal may justly expect to be made acquainted with the very latest shippin"- news on taking up the " Daily Times" at breakfast time; I know, at least, that such is the general feeling- here amongst commercial men, whom, without saving too much, you may look upon ns the natural supporters of your paper. Costly as, without doubt, the carrying out of my suggestion would be to the proprietors of the "Times," the benefit they,would derive by it in consequence would amply repay tho expenses. A shipping reporter, stationed at Port Chalmers, would have to board every vessel on its arrival, and to send up all the news, including, the sliips' manifests, at a late hour of the day, so that they might be published in next morninff'» wive.

I trust you will partlon me f;>r Rttcmptinpr to " tcaeli you" how to suck i-jrjrs," but assuring you that I do so with the very best of intentions, I havu ihe honour to be, dear Sir, Yours respectfully, A JMIiItCIIANT. [We are about to make arrangements that will enable us to procure later shipping- intclligfinco. Captains tire reluctant to furnish copios of manifests at the port, ns they Tonerally come up to town with them u'restly. ' ':'he iV.i'lt of tin; delay usually rest* wilh t.:ic"i!g-enis. It they would let us know, we would always immediately send and take copies of the manifests.—EJ. I). T.~\

THE POST-OFFICK. To the. Editor of the Daily Times

Sir, —Notwithstanding the numerous complaints that have been made from time to time throusli your columns, of the irregularities existing in the l'ostoffice dopartinont. there appear* to be no amendment, —in proof of which I would instance the lolloping case of my own :— Expecting; important letters from Melbourne, I enquired at the Post-office, after the mail by the " City of Hobart" had been sorted, on Saturday last, and to my surprise was told there were none for me. On Tuesday (the " Aldmga having I arrived) I again took my place in line, and after waiting a full hour, received the same answer— '• Nothing for you." On Wednesday, I wrote to my friends by the"" Aldinga," expressing, of course, surprise at not receiving any communication from them, and the inconvenience I was put to thereby. To my great astonishment and vexation, this morning (Thursday), in answer to my enquiries, I was handed two letters, bearing the Dunedin post-mark of February 1, and which must have come by the " City of Hobart. These letters were handed to me by the same "smart official" who had answered my previous enquiries. I may mention, also, as there is now a professed town delivery, that one of these letters was addressed to the house I reside at—" Fern Cottage, View Hill." Now, Sir, I would ask, how much longer are these irregularities to continue ? Does the Chief Postmaster of Otago imagine that the public will be trifled with in this way week after weak, and month after month I Knowing, as he does, the thorough incompetency of his clerks, why does h-j not secure an entire new staff! There are a number of respectable young men in the Province, well-fitted by education, manners, and sharpness to fill the places of those who have proved themselves so utterly incapable of the trust, were the situations offered to them at a remunerative salary. I trust, Sir," you will, by your able pen, endeavour to bring about a reform in this department; for, most certainly, the irregularities and incivility met with here by the public," by whom these officials are paid, have existed tar too long. If the Postmaster of Otago will not remedy the piesent state of things, X would suggest that the Postmastar-General of New Zealand be^ appealed to ; or, perhaps Mr. Header Wood, the Colonial Treasurer, if still in the Province, might do something to place this department on an efficient footing. Trusting you will give this a place in your columns, I am, Sir, yours, &c, "(teorge K. West

Fern Cottage, View Hill, Dunedin, Feb. 6th, ISG2.