The Southland Times. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1866.
A pkomiitent feature in the history of England is its charities and its care for the sick and infirm. No stronger instance is shown of the true greatness of a country than its benevolent and unselfish desire to provide suitable institutions for the relief of its aged and decrepit, who are helpless to provide for themselves, and whose hard condition the hand of disease further aggravates. For the comfort and attention of this class, has the efforts of the philanthropist been directed. Innumerable instances are on record of charitable houses, endowed by the superfluous wealth of the rich, being founded, and how much good has been accomplished by these asylums for the unfortunate, where the physician's attendance and medicine are gratuitously given, can be gleaned from the annual reports submitted to public inspection. The same feeling of benevolence, the same regard and veneration, inherent to all the inhabitants of the mother country for these institutions, are reflected in the colonies. We find that in New South Wales, this sentiment is cherished. Charitable hospitals abound, and every facility exists for the comfort of the sickly. In South Australia and Queensland a spirit of admirable rivalry ia evinced on all matters appertaining to the infirm, and Victoria presents the spectacle of possessing to a ! greater degree those charitable asylums which reflect so much credit, on our race. We purpose to show how these institutions have so largely thriven in adjacent colonies —how they have be- , come so popular —why the public have taken such an active interest in their formation and maintenance, and how it is that a feeling of apathy and indifference characterises the popular mind in Southland with regard to the chief place of refuge of this class that it possesses. It is in the first place apparent that a feeling of want of confidence exists as to the management of the Hospital which is highly detrimental to its successful working, tt is because innumerable instances can be shown where attention or regard for the inmates has most certainly not been the guiding feature that has characterised the conduct of affairs, and it is a general feeling that the Government should relinquish control of this establishment, and transfer it to the public. To adduce precedents for advocating why such a course should be adopted, we may state! that in nearly every colony in Australia, possessing a thousandfold the re-1 sources that we have, scarcely an instance is known where there is an exclusive Government hospital. Everywhere it ia in the hands of the people, who appoint a Board of Management—a body that takes cognizance of all matteri connected with its affairs, and to whom the Resident Surgeon regularly reports on the condition of the inmates. In order also to guard against any ill-treat-ment or dereliction of duty, the strictest rule* are laid down for the guidance of
all officials belonging to the Hospital* and to aid the Resident Surgeon in hii duties, honorary visiting physicians have free access at all hours, who at regular intervals confirm or otherwise, according to its accuracy, the report of the Resident Surgeon. The Government only appear as contributors, an annual sum being placed on the estimates, and the consequence is a high degree of efficiency that effects an incalculable amount of good. We must not be understood as censuring the Government for what hitherto it could not well avoid — viz., keeping the control in its own hands, for we are aware that the depressed condition of the Province precluded any other course, but we do say that the time has arrived when a thorough investigation should be made into the affairs of the Hospital, and some measure adopted which will tend to make this most necessary institution both popular and the medium of effecting great good, instead of as at present a source of continual complaint, such as to deter all benevolent disposed persons from in any way aiding it.
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Southland Times, Issue 601, 7 December 1866, Page 2
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663The Southland Times. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1866. Southland Times, Issue 601, 7 December 1866, Page 2
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