WESTLAND AND ITS MEMBERS IN THE PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

West Coast Times, Issue 362, 20 November 1866, Page 2

WESTLAND AND ITS MEMBERS IN THE PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

(FBO3I OXTR OWlf BEPOBTEK.) Tuesday, November 13, 1866. Medical ordinance. Mr Barff moved for leave to introduce a bill to regulate the qualifications of practitioners in medicine and surgery. He wished to mention a few of the reasons which had induced him to ask leave to introduce a measure of the kind proposed. During a long residence in a distant part of this province he had from time to time observed with considerable apprehension and dissatisfaction, that a large proportion of persons styling themselves medical men, had not the slightest claim to any such title, inasmuch as they were not duly qualified medical practitioners. He wished hon. members distinctly to understand that the measure proposed was not so much for protecting the interest of medical men^ as for protecting the lives of the public against the ignorance and cupidity of quacks. (Hear, hear.) To show the entire ignorance of these gentry, in all that related to the profession of which they pretended to be members, he would mention a few instances where death had resulted from the improper treatment of unqualified men. One was a case of apoplexy where the patient had an emetic administered to him, the patient died ; in a case of hernia the treatment, he believed, had been gentle purgatives •, the result of this case was the same as the last. At the inquests following the deaths of these men the unqualified men who had treated the cases were unable to give any better reasons for having acted as they had done, than that it was their custom to give emetics and purgatives. In one of the cases, that of apoplexy, the so-called medical man, when asked by the coroner to describe the symptoms of the patient, could only state that he appeared to be very unwell. Flagrant cases of this description occurred frequently, and he thought called loudly tor legislative interference. He might mention that an Ordinance now in force for the Province of New Munster, provided for the registration of medical practitioners, and many had availed themselves of it. His proposed bill would render registration compulsor}', and would provide penalties to be inflicted on those who either practised without registration, or obtained registration by false pretences. Another part of the bill provided against interference with the lawful occupation of druggists, chemists, or dentists. He had originally intended that the proposed measure should be more local in its operation, but encouraged by a very general opinion of satisfaction expressed in this part of the province, he had in drafting the bill made a thoroughly provincial question of it. A similar Ordinance had been for some time in operation in the neighboring Province of Nelson, and had worked well. In Otago a like Ordinance was in operation. The motion was carried. The bill was was then read a first time, and ordered to be printed. HOKITIKA MUNICIPAL ORDINANCE. Mr Bright moved the second reading of the Hokitika Municipal Ordinance, 1866, the object of which he explained to be to declare valid the return as councillors of certain persons declared to have been duly elected as such. He reminded the House that he had already put it in possession of the material facts of the case. The doubt now to be disposed of, was the one arising out of the several declarations of the poll that had been made. According to the provisions of the Municipal Council Ordinance, the polling and the declaration of the poll were to be comprised within one day. The votes had to be recorded and the numbers to be forthwith proclaimed at the place of polling. So far, however, from these provisions having beeu complied with, there had been two separate polls taken — the latter being limited to two candidates only — and there had been no less than three declarations of the poll. Of course these incidents of the election were not covered by the provisions of the Ordinance, and it was necessary, therefore, to validate by a special enactment the powers of the Municipal Council, to levy rates and perform certain other acts. The motion for the second reading of the Bill was carried, and it was committed, and reported to the House. LUNATICS FROM WESTLAND. Mr Wylde moved for a return of the number of lunatics sent to Christchurch from the West Coast; the time during which each case was under treatment ; the cost of treatment and the names of the parties upon whose certificate the committals had taken place. He said he understood a great expense had been incurred by the transfer, for treatment on this side, of a large number of persons from the goldfields who were suffering from lunacy, induced merely by delirium tremens ; and after the lamentable account given that evening, by the hon. member Mr Barff, of the state of the medical profession in Westland, he could only corao to the conclusion that many persons had been sent over under certificates from unqualified practitioners. Mr Bright seconded the motion, although he thought the hypothesis on which it was based, of the certificates given for the removal of lunatics being those of unqualified practitioners, would not be substantiated by the returns called for. Whatever irregularities there might be in the practice of medicine on some of the goldfields, the certificates required by the committing Magistrate in lunacy cases were always signed by recognised members of the profession. He would be glad, however, to see the information asked for given, as it would be of use to the house on a later occasion ; and he was desirous that everything should be explained in connection with Westland matters and the relation of that district to this side of the province. He had lately refrained from callin<» for many returns which he should have been very glad to see laid on the table, in consequence of the pathetic appeals made to the House, by the Provincial Secretary, on behalf of the overworked clerks in the Government offices. But tne returns now asked for, whilst very useful, would not involve any large expenditure of either time, money, or trouble. He, therefore, seconded the motion. Motion put and passed. Wednesday, November 14. The Provincial Auditor, Mr Maude, moved — " 1. That it does not appear from the terms of the Provincial Audit Act, 1866, that the duties of the office will demand the whole time and services of the auditor. 2. That it is not inconsistent with the position of Provincial Auditor that the gentleman holding that office should be engaged in private business, provided that such business does not interfere with his public duties. 3. That under these circumstances a respectful ad? dress be presented to his Honor the Superintendent, praying that he will recom-

mend his Excellency the Governor, under the provisions of the Provincial Audit Act, 1866, to fix the annual salary payable to the Auditor of this province at any sum not exceeding L 350 per annum." The hon. member spoke at great length, and was replied to by the Provincial Solicitor. The hon. John Hall supported the resolutions, and was followed on the same eide by Mr J. S. Williams, Mr Thompson, Mr Beswick, and Mr Wynn Williams. Mr Bright said that as he intended to give a vote on this question, which would be at variance with what appeared to be the predominant opinion of the House, he thought it well in a few words to state his reasons for doing so. He did not regard the question of the amount of salary as the one that ought to have chief weight with the Council ; he considered that the sum of LSOO would not be more than an adequate remuneration for the discharge of the duties of the office if they were properly attended to. He had no personal acquaintance with the gentleman who had just been appointed auditor, and could not ( therefore, be suspected of any motives in saying this other than those of a public nature. He looked upon the question as one of policy. The Ll5O proposed to be saved by the reduction of the Auditor's salary, was surely a ridiculous bagatelle compared with the large saving that might be expected to result from the careful supervision by a competent officer of the public accounts. The revenue and expenditure of the province had now assumed great proportions, and it was most necessary that the audit officer should be entirely removed from all influences that might operate as a temptation to him, or expose him to public suspicion. (Hear, hear.) That, he thought, could only be done by forbidding him to have any private business or commercial relations. Mr Bright referred to the precautions taken in other colonies to secure the independence and impartiality of public auditors. Referring to what had been said as to the little time which the Auditor in this province would require to devote to his work, he contended that if the duties of the office were properly and faithfully discharged, they would give full employment to an efficient public servant. He questioned whether the provincial accounts ever had been properly audited hitherto. In one important district of the province at least, where there had been very large sums of money passing through the hands of public officers, he thought he was in a position to say, from representations made to him, that no adequate system of audit had existed. He was himseif, as a matter of course, seeing the very large demands that had been made on the public fuuds,'a strict advocate of retrenchment, wherever it could be practised, and would give his warmest support to any well devised scheme of economy that might be submitted to the Council ; but he thought the last direction in which a policy of retrenchment should be unduly pressed was in connection with the department specially charged with the examination atid audit of the public accounts. He had had no intention of taking any part in the discussion on this subject, but the arguments adduced by the mover of the resolutions in support of them, appeared to him so inadequate, and so entirely outside of the considerations that ought to have weight with the hsuse, that he not only thought it his duty to vote against the resolutions — but as he anticipated he would be in a minority — to state his reasons for doing so. (Cheers), Mr Wilsoii, Mr Buckley, and Mr "Wy lde followed in opposition to the resolutions, which were supported by Mr Knight ; and Mr Maude having replied, the House divided, with the following result: — Ayes, 18 ; noes, 21. Majority against the resolutions, 5. The whole of the Westland members voted with the noes, as did also Mr Duncan, who had formally seconded the resolutions. WESTLAJND EDUCATION BOARD. Mr Barff moved the second reading of the Westland Board of Education Ordinance, which was curried. The House then went into committee on the Bill, and the several clauses were debated at some length, Mr Barff, Mr Bright, Mr Duncan, the Speaker, and o her members taking part. Some slight amendments were made, and the Bill was reported* TRANSIT SHEDS AT GBEYMOUTH. Mr Whall moved the following resolution :—": — " That the Government be requested immediately to stop the erection of the transit sheds at Greyraouth, and to select a proper and more convenient site for the same, instead of adding a further wasteful and useless expenditure of public money upon the useless wharf which has been built in opposition to the wishes of the inhabitants." The hon. member for Greymouth stated that the wharf was utterly useless for all practical purposes, as the approach to it was high and dry, and not even a boat could get near it. The transit sheds would be of no service, and it was useless to waste the public money in going on with them, and so create another excuse for setting down a large debt as due by Westland. Mr Barff seconded the resolution, and stated the facts aa they had come under his own observation. The Hon. John Hall objected to the terms of the resolution as uncourteous to the Government, and as very unusual. He moved, " That all the words after the words ' the same ' be struck out before the motion was considered." (Hear, hear.) Mr Barff confe&sed that if he had been consulted in framing the resolution he should not have advised the use of the language employed ; but the matter was one on which there was a very strong feeling. Mr W. Wilson asked the House to remember that if strong language was used by the hon. member, there was very great provocation for its use. The speaker proceeded to denounce the wharf at Greymouth upon which the transit sheds were being built, as a most useless work, involving an unjustifiable expenditure of public money. I Mr Davis spoke to the same effect. Mr Whall said that it was true he had used strong language, but the circumstances justified istrong language, and he was coming to be of the opinion that much stronger language would yet have to be employed before any justice could be obtained for Westland. (Cries of pt No, no ! ") Mr Hall's amendment was then put and carried. The motion in its amended form being put, The Hon. John Hall, as Secretary for Public Works at the time the Wharf was ordered to be constructed, defended the course pursued by the viovernmeut. They had acted upon the advice of the Engineers of the Government. The present complaint againsi the Wharf was due to the fact that the river had altered its course. The work w<i-> a proper work to be constructed at the time when it was undertaken. The Proviini.il Secretary said that the expediency of proceeding with the transi|

sheds should be at once enquired into. The Provincial Engineer waa now in Westland, and should be instructed to report on the matter. He suggested that after this assurance the motion might be withdrawn. Mv Whall said it would be of no use to receive a report from the engineers after the work had been done. The money was now being spent. The hon. member spoke warmly of the useless expense involved in maintaining the present vengineering staff. It was high time he thought that the thing should be put a stop to. After some further discussion the Provincial Secretary gave his promise that the works should be suspended until the necessary information on the subject had been received, and Mr Whall withdrew the motion. WESTLAND EXPENDITURE. The Hon. Mr Hall said he had a notice of motion on the paper for " A return showing the receipts and expenditure of the Provincial Government on account of the Westland goldfields to the latest period for which the same can be furnished, in continuation of the returns laid upon the table during the last session ; also, an estimate of the balance due to the Provincial Treasury on account of expenditure on the Westland goldfields on the 31st October, 1866." The words ''in continuation of the returns laid upon the table during the last session," he asked leave to omit as he was told it would be more convenient, and for the words " balance due to the Provincial Treasury on account of expenditure on the Westland goldfields," he said it had been suggested to him that it would be less objectionable to the Westland members to substitute the following :—": — " Excess of expenditure over receipts on account of the said goldfields " Mr Bright seconded the motion. The returns would be useful to the House, and Is his suggestion had been adopted by the hon. mover, the resolution in its present form would not contain any affirmation or implication that would embarrass the House when it came to deal with the question of the debt of Westland. Motion put and passed. RESERVES COMMITTEE. Mr Bright moved that Mr Cassius be added to the select committee on the Hokidka Town Reserves. Carried. GOLD RETDRNB. Mr Hoos moved for returns " showing the quantity of gold received by the Banks; also the revenue derived from licenses, miners' rights, wardens' and magistrates' courts, from each district, separately, since the opening of the West Canterbury goldfields." Mr Wylde moved as an amendment that the words " since last returns" should be inserted after the word " Banks."' Mr Barff said the amendment would frustrate the object of the motion. The Provincial Secretary stated that the Government would lay the returns upon the table at the earliest opportunity. Motion passed. WESTLAXD HOSPITALS. Mr Hoos moved for and obtained leave to introduce a Bill intituled " the Westland Hospital Ordinance, 1866." He referred to the circumstances connected with the establishment of the hospital at Ross, and explained that the object of his measure was to supplement private subscriptions by a government grant of equal amount, and to provide for the management of hospitals by elected directors. The Bill was introduced, read a first time, and ordered to be printed. INCORPORATION OF HOKITIKA. Mr Bright gave notice that he would on next sitting day move for leave to introduce a Bill " to incorporate the inhabitants of Hokitika."