The Wairarapa Daily MONDAY, JUNE 22, 1891.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XII, Issue 3838, 22 June 1891, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily MONDAY, JUNE 22, 1891.

The Masterton Hospital Trustees, ia their report published in our last issue, say:—"It is evident that if the cost of maintenance is to increase, either the volume of voluntary contributions must continue to grow or the Trustees will be unable to maintain the institution on its present basis, and a special rate will eventually have to be levied." We are disposed to consider that even this qualified threat of a rate is uncalled for. Settleis generally contribute very liberally towards the hospital, the Government gives a very large subsidy, and if the bush settlers do not do as much as may be expected from them, does not the fault partly lie with the management ? The axewielder in the lonely bush camp is not so readily accessible as a shepherd on the Brancepeth station, but if approached in a right way he would, we feel sure, be equally willing to contribute. Were the Trustees to send the right kind of person through the bush camps to collect money, we venture to affirm that their messenger would return with a hatful. No men are more liberal, >n proportion to their means, than the dwellers in bush camps, and they only want to be taken the right way to do all that it is necessary for them to do. The Masterton hospital is, on the whole, a well managed institution, but perhaps its pet administrative weakness is to flout its friends a little. On the present occasion its bush clients get a well intended bnt somewhat undeserved snubbing.

The Opposition baa been all but silent during the past week, and the Government has been getting aloDg like a house on fire. Some people seem to think the session will be short and uneventful, and that Ministers will carry all before them. We do not, for there ought to be a rod in pickle for the Premier, though he dodged the proffered birch a few days ago, and there ought to be a big rod lying in brine and sulohur for tin Minister of Laitfs, and a Btronj> one

for Master Seddon, besides a wee one for the Postmaster-General, if a dummy application signed by his hand happens to be discovered among the archives of the Land office. We believe that these rods are in pickle, and that when the proper time arrives they will be applied with a fair amount of vigor and discrimination. In the House the preponderance of brain power is on the side oE the Opposition, 88 well as of couragu and discipline. It would be idle to suppose that thn Opposition, when it does attack the Government, will display J either weakness, ignorance or inesolution. A good deal of the brag with which Ministers have been inflating themselves will in due course be taken out of them, and certain of their chickens may be trusted to come home to roost before the session is over.

day evening.