The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1878-08-03
Card from DR.. Rodgers.

On the 18th Of July. Hon. w. O. Smith, rising In
the Legislature to a " question Of privilege pro.
ceeded TO make certain personal statements and
explanations concerning IA former debate on the
subject Of the Queens Hospital. and at the close
Of his remarks, as reported In the Gazette Of July
3lst, spoke as follows:
IL will add that the communication of Dr..
Rodgers published In the COMMERCIAL ADVERTISER
OF July goth, did great injustice 10 the Hon. Mr..
Bishop. In referring TO the statement which I
made Of this case, the action Of Mr.. Bishop il very
much misrepresented. The communication re-.
presents that be opposed an Investigation fof the q
statement which 1 made. The direct contrary ~
the fact. He expressed very cnphatfcally his de-
sire that a thorough investigation should be made.
What be opposed vas. the reference 10 n COM
mittee. OF the Appropriation Bill Of aid for the
Queens Hospital. with the amendment which I
had proposed. that the appropriation should DO
made provided the medical supervision Of the hos
piial be placed under the charge Of a board Of not
less than three physicians"
have certainly no desire to misrepresent Mr..
Bishop or do him any i~njustice in any way, and
fail to see wherein / have done 20. The fact OF
the case as | understand them were substantially
as follows
First-The question Of the appropriation for Tho
support Of the Queens Hospital being before the
Assembly, Hon. W.. o. Smith moved as a condition
Of said appropriation that the medical supervision
Of the Hospital be put in charge Of n Board Of
Physicians.
second-In the course Of The debate which fol-.
lowed, Mr.. Smith, 10 support Of bis motion. made
a specific charge Of inhumaniiy and neglect Of
duty against tho present Hospital Physician.
Third-Hon. w. r. Castle moved 10 refer Mr..
Smiths motion to a Committed 10 investigate aud
report, and
Fonrth-Hon. c. X. Bishop opposed this motion
and voted against il.
Now 50 far as Mr.. Bishops course Is concerned.
it makes very little difference whether AR. smiths
charges were made before or after Mr.. Castie made
his motion 10 refer. They were made at some time
during tue debate and before the vote was taken.
aud ! believe IL Is not disputed that Mr.. BisbOR
voted against the motion. Had Mr.. Castles motion
for reference 10 a Committee been carried. az ID
probably would have BEEN had Mr.. Bishop sup
ported II. the practical effect az ! supposed and
still suppose, would have been TO send the whole
matter, including Mr. Smiths motion and the
charges by which be sought to sustain H. 20 aboay
competent and willing to give the subject a thor
Ough and impartial Oyerbanling.
Il Is scarcely credible that a Committee u the
Legislature charged with The duty Of investigating
the subject II q change Ia the administration OF tho
Hospital, could have ignored specific and definite
charges Of this kind. particularly when they pro
cseded from the very same gentleman whose pro-
position they were appointed 10 consider and who
would himself moreover haye been u member Of
the Committee.
I presume II IL true ,hat Mr.. Bishop declared
himself In favor 81 an investiRatiOn-be could
scarcely under tss circumstances have done other
wise. Bot At Is also true that in voting against
Mr.. Castles motion to refer, be voted against the
very measure by which such an investigation
would have been secured. Furthermore, had bis
object in so voting been simply 10 prevent Mr..
Smiths original motion for "A Board Of Physicians
from going 10 a Committee, be could easily have
had tho charges against DIR. McKibbin referred for
investigation by themselves. Such a motion coming
from Mr.. Bishop would have met with general ac-
ceptance. aud there can be no reasonable doubt
that IL would have been carried.
/ believe the above 10 be the simple facts OF the
case. plainly and briefly presented. Each person
can draw his or her own inferences. To my own
mind il Is sufficiently evident that Mr.. Bishop
il not willing to have DR.. McKibbin's admins
tratlon investigated by a Committee of the Legis.s
lature.
CHARLES r. RoDGERs, NJ. %,
Honolulu, Aug. End, 1878. sAy Nr@