The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR P.M. Resurrexi. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 1883.

Thames Star, Volume XIV, Issue 4585, 14 September 1883, Page 2

The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR P.M. Resurrexi. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 1883.

Not long since we called attention to the unsatisfactoriness of the present system of appointing officers to the local Hospital, pointing out the desirableness of some change taking place, and indicating in what direction an alteration should be made. A recent movement of the Committee has been made to make the offices of Surgeon, Dispenser, and Secretary permanent, and it appears that some division of opinion exists in the minds of the management on the subject. It was first proposed that the officers above mentioned, which were elected for this year only, should be the permanent officers t>f the

Institution, and a notice of motion, has been given that the officer* elected next year should be the permanent holders of the respective positions. It would appear to us that the latter proposal is certainly the fairer one for many reasons, a few of whichareas under. At last annual election, as our readers are aware, some agitation resulted from the actions of certain candidates for office, which were not in the highest degree of a pleasant nature; a portion of the committee appointed bythe subscribers were, it appeared, placed in their positions to secure the return of one or other of the candidates for an office in the gift of the committee, and the candidates had made exertions of a more or less successful character in returning members on that committee. The officers elected under the system then obtaining, were appointed for one year only, and their positions cannot reasonably be made permanent without calling for fresh applications for the jrespective offices. One reason for this is: if, instead of asking for applicants from those willing to undertake the duties required for twelve months, it were made known that the appointments would be standing, there is a probability that the permanency would attract a greater number of candidates, and" it would be unfair to those likely to compete, to debar them from so doing. Again, such an action as that first proposed, viz., |o make the present appointments stationary would be virtually, if not legally/exceeding the powers of the Committee without consulting the subscribers; they have been returned to make appointments for one year, and this they cannot, or should not go beyond; they attempt by so doing to make binding on future committees their action in this matter, and from a common sense and just point; of view, they have no more right to make offices filled for one year only, permanently held ; they might as well resolve that their own seats are fixed, and have no annual elections of committee men at all. The proposal appears to be an unfair one from every point of view, and cannot be presented in a favorable light to anyone, except perhaps the three officers named in it. We have no desire to even hint at the possibility of inconapetency or inefficiency existing is connection with the holders of the offices in question, but we unhesitatingly maintain that ah improper course would be pursued were a committee, elected to make certain terminal appointments, to make them permanent without consulting those who placed them in the positions they occupy. There is some reason in the other proposal we refer to viz., that. of making the officers appointed next year permanent ones, this will enable the subscribers to notxmly express au opinion on the subject and select ,'a committee whose duties are clearly defined, but probably enlarge the number of applicants for the various positions, and not cause any discontent or dissatisfaction at a committee carrying out innovations which it was never contemplated should be within the scope of their powers. We trust that no outside influence shall be brought to bear in this matter, as it has been in affairs connected with the Hospital previously/ and that the members will take some interest in, and a calm dispassionate view of the case and come to a sensible conclusion on it. We still adhere to a belief in the efficacy of our previous proposal to the effect that the appointment of a permanent resident surgeon with the emoluments attached to the Hospital surgeonship, that of the Fever Hospital, attendance on natives and the gaol combined, as remuneration, with perhaps £100 per annum added, and that he be allowed consultations, without private practice; as the most satisfactory solution of this question.