SOCIAL CONDITION OF PANAMA.

Southland Times, Issue 559, 12 September 1866, Page 2

SOCIAL CONDITION OF PANAMA.

It is a strange fact that Panama at this day, with a population supposed to be nearly ten thousand — for we have no census to judge by — possesses neither a public school nor a public hospital. Tears ago, when taxation was not one-third of what it is now, andwhen N everything but taxation was three times higher, Panama could boast both of schools and hospital ; but now, alas ! military fame has taken the place of learning and charity. The school is turned into . barracks, and the destitute sick are left to die of neglect and want. It is painful, too, to walk round the city and see what has become of all the property once owned by the Government. Extept the barracks, the gaol, the Government House (which we believe is heavily mortgaged), and the Town, Hall (which cannot be sold), we are tolerably safe in saying that Governmont has not reserved a solitary foot of ground, the whole having been disposeof of to support an army. Even the census on private property "had to be redeemed by a decree of Government, and immediately after the property was freed from this burthen the ordinary taxes thereon were tripled or quadrupled. And all. lor what?' To support an army. But, now that Panama has its army, wluu Iv.is i'c done for the country in return for f be oae hundred and twenty thousand dollars annually it costs the State to support it ? One of its first acts was 10 </et up a revolution and capsize the Q-ovfrunfic-ntit was sent to protect, and siocv that time a week rarely passe* thnt we have not the cry of fresh re vol uLi ■■m ; in fact, so common has this beeou;^, that few people retire at night except in the dread of having their slumbers disturbed by call to arms. Twenty-live policemen used to keep the city perfectly tranquil, but now-a-days two hundred and twenty-five soldiers appear insufiicient to quell the rightly alarm of the inhabitants. — Panama Star and Herald, 28th April.

wrote a letter to his Excellency, in which he describes the actual position of the colony at the time, and defines clearly ■whit course the Government proposed, explaining also that in his opinion neither the Constitution Act nor the Royal Instructions prevented his Fxcelleucy from giving his assent, and asking him to reconsider the master. The article from wMch we have extracted the above items contains an a'nount of correspondence between the Governor and his Executive far too ex tensive to be published. The Ministry strongly urged the issue of promissory notes, similar to the greenbacks thatwer.3 circulated in Southland under like circumstances. His Excellency positively refused to give his sanction, on Imperial grounds. The Ministry having remonstrated with his Excellency without turniug him from the course he had adopted, they resigned. Another Ministry has been formed, but it is questionable how lung it will stand, inasmuch as the position his Excellency has taken in opposing the scheme for a temporary issue of paper to ease the money market, has called forth a strong public feeling — riots h;ive arisen, threats of burning down the Government House have been faeely indulged in, and the military have been ordered from Australia and New Zealand, to Queensland. That colony is in a deplorable state, but there is a pros-ppi-t that by wise legislation, she may OY-Tcoine her difficulties.