Now that the flow of letters on the Hospital question has stopped, it may be worth while seeing what they have taught us regarding public feeling on the subject. "Veritas" raised the question, by declaring that "the feeling which had been worked up against the Trustees, and which had resulted in their abolition, was in reality vented against the Sisters of Charity"—was an outpouring, in fact, of Protestant bigotry, which disliked the presence of Roman Catholics at the Hospital. He was utterly wrong; and even if he seriously believed the statement, and were not trying rather to test its truth, the tone of the published letters must have convinced him of the fact. A religious question is always a firebrand and the tone of "Veritas" letter, followed as it was by those of the Chairman of the Trustees and Dean Butcher, was likely not only to fan into flame any smouldering feeling of the kind that might exist, but even to suggest and excite such a feeling ab engine, That it has failed utterly to do either, is m proof that the community were guided not at all by religious prejudice, but by a perfectly cool judgment, when they expressed a wish that the management of the Hospital should vest in fature in the hands of their own representatives. That the position of the Sisters did enter for something into the vote passed by the Ratepayers, is very likely. The jatter had had shown them agreement which gave the Sisters a power in the management of the Hospital that seemed inconsistent with good sense; and it was felt that this agreement was unlikely to be revised by the Trustees. This criticism however is as far as possible from being a religious one; and so far from wishing that the Sisters should be eliminated, to use " Veritas'" expression, from the Hospital, the community almost without exception would regard it as o matter for the gravest regret if their advisers should decline to sanction the necessary modifications. Bunt as no one with common sense can fail to admit that there are clauses in that agreement which reverse altogether the natural position of nurses in a hospital, we cannot think any serious difficulty will be found in effecting the revision.
We have written so much, because it is very desirable no false issue should be raised on this point; and that whatever desire may exist to have the management of the hospital placed on 2 more reasonable basis, should be attributed to the true, and not to non-existent, feeling. 'There was some danger that " Veritas' letter might raise' this false issue the tendency of his statements was rather like that of the old advocate's argument in the case of poor Peter Peebles versus Plainstanes—namely to obscure the real point, which had been made quite clear by previous speakers, The desire of the Ratepayers that an institution which has to be founded with Municipal money and supported largely by Municipal contributions, should remain under their own management, is suf ficiently natural, and needs no far. sought explanation, Apart from any question of past mis-management, the Trustees are perfectly irresponsible whereas the Ratepayers have the opportunity, every year, of electing Members of Council. "The idea suggest. ed at the late meeting, that the Trustees might form a Board of Visitors to the Hospital, seems eminently feasible. It is no doubt true that to throw upon the Council the whole management of a hospital, would be to task severely the good-will they bring to our service. But there is no reason why the working power whose probable loss Mr. Drammond deplored, should not be utilised under them. A Board of Visitors. might with great advantage be instituted to work under the Council's auspices, and relieve them of the detail work of management; it being understood that the ultimate right of decision vests in the Council, in case of any difference arising. Ib is always possible that differences may arise between those who hold the purse-strings, and those whose natural desire is to slacken them, Butit is reason. able that the control of those strings should remain in the hands of the owner of the money. You have im. plicit confidence in a friend who commends to you a project which you promise him funds to carry out; but you will probably not put your purse in his hands; you will rather hand to him money as he requires it, and so pro-serve the right of check to which, as the real founder and supporter, you are naturally entitled. We suspect for instance that, if the management of the Hospital had been in the hands of the Council, such a reform as that ad. vised by Drs. Coghill, Sibbald and
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.