THE The Inangahua Times. PUBLISHED TRI-WEEKLY. MONDAY, APRIL 12, 1880.

Inangahua Times, Volume II, Issue II, 12 April 1880, Page 2

THE The Inangahua Times. PUBLISHED TRI-WEEKLY. MONDAY, APRIL 12, 1880.

To judge by tbe number of votes recorded, tbe recent Hospital Commifcte election would seem to have evoked an extraordinary amount of interest. The fact that a larger num- I ber of votes was polled at Black's Point than in Eeefton, is not the least surprising result of the contest, and would go to show that some very strong influence has been at work on behalf of many of the candidates. This ig in a great way explained by the fact that a report was industriously circulated to the effect that if tbe elections went in a certain direction, steps would be at once taken to oust tbe present wardsnian from his appointment, and supply Jhis place with a less competent person. The circulation of sucb a report, taken in conjunction with the complaints lately made against that officer, carried conviction to the minds of subscribers, and not unnaturally gave a point to the occasion which would have other* wise been wanting. That the report was put in circulation designedly and with but small regard for the truth, we cannot avoid believing, but our assurance may be taken when we say thai; there never was a shadow of foundation for such an utterly pre^ posterous yarn. Such an intention could never be entertained by any person who really had the interest of the institution at heart, and how such a silly report could have conjured up such a vast amount of Interest, we are really at a loss to understand. That the fact is as we represent may be gathered from the result of the polling, for while the utmost exertions vere made on behalf of many of th Q candidates, not the slightest effort was put forth in the interest of others, and people are now able to see they have been barking quite up the wrong tree. However, for ourselves, we see not the Slightest room to complain at the re« suit arrived at, saying that tbe real point involved in the election — as to whether the, action of the retiring Committee met with public approval — has been wholly sunk in the absurd cry of Preshaw or no Preshaw. There Ualso this to be said : it is hardly advisable on public grounds that the control of the institution should be year after year pitchforked into the bands of the same persons. Two or three years' service on the Committee of such an institution ought to be enough to satisfy the zeal for public service of any man, but yet we have seen for eight years past the same, or nearly the snme body of men, elected and re-elected, and yet on every annuil ocension we see the same anxi* ou3 candidates elbow-cg their way to the front with all the enthusiasm of burldiag aspirants. Why, some of the ! candidates are actually growing grey and bald in the service of the Com. mittee, and still they persevere with unabated ardor in their much beated path of public philanthropy- Of course it is very meritorious and very proper, but it ia petting about time some of them stood down. Either this, or g ; ve the present Committee a patent for life to the office, and so avoid the unnecessary occasion for stir-Ing up any latent bad blood in the Community. We care not one jot who the Com<« mitteemen are, so that they are changed, pay unce in ten years, or so. There is something melancholy in the spectacle of a body of men wearing out their lives with such devoterfaes* 'o tbe cau-<e of suffering humanity. In all seriousness, however, we cannot 1-elp thinking that after, all that had been said relative to the past action of tbe Comm'ttee, it would have been much better for the hospital as wel l ■ " i V ;,

as tb® eeniffltt&ity %k \m% had some substrnital etafigd itt tye ©awwUtee been awepted» ?tew *« «^ we RW sure the ili|ht«* fc«ire to we the present twwtaaan diwhafged. KU &t ness for W>© petition hw awe* been questioned, 89 far at »U tviats si we are awam, but thei^ ti a pretty «ene« ral feeling tbttt he ii allowed ioo wueh fling in the management of ib@ iattf ■ tution, and should be immediately relegated back to bi? prop r position, This is all tha| Pr Moocfcton Qonten*" ded for, and is ii too roach to ask for in the conduct of a public institution which swallows up annually something like £1700 of pnblic money ?. If the Committee are content to allow the wards man to rule them, there ia no reason why they should exact that he should also rule the medical officer. To this-DrMonckton at all events refused t0 submit, and, as we think, very properly, and this seems to have un» derlied the whole of the subsequent unpleasantness. Th : s then, coupled with the general complaint of extra-* vagance, were the principal charges brought against the Committee, and we shall watch with some degree of curiosity for their substantial rebu fcal Until such time as the institutiou is cleared of these imputations, the pub" lie will no boubt consider themselves absolved from the obligation to subscribe ; and as the c< late " Committee Would never have been able to drag through to the end of the year, but for unexpected assistance, the members will be able to realise that besides growing disagreeably old, they are also getting disgustingly poor.