OPEN COLUMN.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume I, Issue 52, 30 December 1867, Page 3

OPEN COLUMN.

(To the Editor of the Wairarapa Mercury.) Sib:—l saw a letter in your paper of last Saturdays letter by Mr Leydon in which he says towards the eonclusion “ I never remember in in all my travels to have found the office of Coroner to be filled by a Doctor.” Now Mr Editor I wish to correct him there, with regard to life pills and salts and senna, hoping ha may never require a doze of the same. At home and abroad and even in this colony you will find the office of Coroner nearly always filled by a Medical Man and the proceedings of* an inquest, demonstrate in a striking manner, the necessity of appointng a qualified Medical Man to fill the office of Coroner. In almost every case which comes before the Coroner, the inquiry involves a Medical not often a legal question and none but Medical men can duly estimate the value of the testimony by which the verdict should he govern ed. A Coroners inquest is generally a most important Medical inquiry. and one which cannot be presided over, by any other than a person or good Medical knowledge. Hoping you will find space Mr Editor for the above few remarks. I remain &c., JOHN SMITH Surgeon. (To the Editor of the Mercury.) Sib, —As I see in your valuable paper that yofi-are bringing forward the wants and requirements of the valley, I beg to bring under your notice one special want, namely, an Hospital in the Wairarapa. Situated as we are far from the great centre of population and all remedial appliances, I think if such an institution, even on a small scale, were established it would be one of the greatest boons for the benefit of the community in this large and rapidly increasing district. This district has a radius of forty or fifty miles towards the East Coast, over which is a large and scattered population, although on the whole, a remaakably healthy community. Still, there are amongst us many painful diseases and accidents which often require prompt and skilful treatment and the native or aboriginal population constantly have some source of disease. Now sir, it is a great mistake that such an institution, for thejalleviation of human suffering and t! e cure of disease, should be limited to large and

populous towns. Are our lives, in the Wairarapa, not quite as valuable as those in Wellington? Wanganui has an Hospital, why should not the Wairarapa ? If you carefully compare both Wanganui and the Wairarapa you will find that the transit of the patient is much easier from the former than the latter. From Wanganui the patient can be sent on board steamer, and have every comfort and attention until he reaches Wellington, whereas, from the Wairarapa, the unfortunate patient is well nigh shaken to death with pain and suffering. There are medical men in the Wairarapa, but their time is well occupied, and they cannot give their attention such as would be given in an Hospital as the district is wide and scattered—also, they have not all the medical appliances at their command such as is found in an Hospital. I conclude the above remarks with the earnest hope that an Hospital will be established at no distant period in the most central part of the Valley, so that all diseases and accidents may be promptly treated to which the human frame is liable to.

I remain sir, Ht/MANITY

(To the Editor of the Wairarapa Mercury.) Sir, —Being a comparative stranger in this locality I address you with some diffidence; but wherever I go I take great interest in the game of cricket, and availed myself of the opportunity of seeing the late match played between the Greytown and Featherston clubs. Since that date two anonymous advertisements have appeared in the “ Mercury,” which must be translated ’ere the public can understand what is intended to be expressed, The former, alluding to “ two duck-eggs," might be “regarded as a 11 bon mot,” but the latter seemed to convey an insult; if that be the case, I strongly recommend the Greytown club to treat it with the silent contempt it deserves.

I will not trespass further on your except to remark that the cause which the writer of these advertisements has taken, is calculated to prevent any future matches from being played between the above clubs. I am, &c., Alpha. Wairarapa, Dec. 23, 1867,