, 1882-05-24

the extraordinary fare is concerned, it was
impossible for the committee to give an
idea as to how that object is to be obtain
ed the Committee could only submit, and
has submitted a whole series of cypherS-
and Cyphers are very telling-tO Shew the
actual total outlay, and from that to urge a
reduction, especially under the present
depressed financial circumstances OF the
Island; and the Committee could then
only hope that at all events III future the
extraordinary expenses will not, as hlther-
to has been the case, be allowed to reach
up to half as much as the expense for the
ordinary maintenance. Concerning the
payment for ordinary maintenance at the
hospitals, the Speaker could not see other
wise than that the Committees arguments
hold good, that as the parties admitted in
the several hospitals for maintenance are
of a class who otherwise Taintain them
selves from very much smaller resources,
the maintenance in the hospitals need not
go beyond what such people are accustOm-
ed to, and at all events it should not cost
the Colonial Treasury so much more. The
Committee therefore also merely asks the
Authorities to do the needful also from
this point of view. Furthermore the Com
mittee recommends that the rate should be
the same at all three hospitals; of course,
the Committee does not mean that the
rates should be increased from the present
lowest rate up to the present highest rate,
but that the rate should be reduced to the
lowest, and thar if it should not be posi-
bic to obtain that b. a proposal to the
parties, then it should be tried if it could
be obtained by licitation. His W idea
is that the rate allowed for instance at
Richmond, must be a paying one, as
otherwise the party would not continue
the business; and the same rate might be
Just as remuncrative at any of the other
hospitals. Again, in FrederikSted there
is a private contract for the mail 2nance
of prisoners at the rate OF Is cts. pr. day;
this must also be remuneratiYe, otherwise
the business would scarcely be kept by tie
contractor land in this respect he would,
in opposition to what had been expressed
by His Honour, namely, that no analogy
could be drawn from the cost OF main
tanning n strong not sick man to the
cost OF ordinary maintenance for a
sick man,-beg to maintain that the
real mutrimentS for sustaining life are
the same for a man in health, as for
a sick man, the quantity and quality
m~ightdif1er, buUat all events the feeding of
a sick man should certainly not cost more;
II lilCIC DC any 0llIOl(uCN3 bIC NOSb ONtA
certainly be less for the latter, as he does
not require so much the money value of
q sick mans fare should certainly be less.
lie believed that this should so much
more be the case, as we all know that
many of those for whom-iet us take the
lowest fgure-15 cts. pr. day are paid by
the Public, have not when ont to work,
got as much to live of daily in their full
strength how would it be with such par
ties if they were to be sick in their own
homes, without even those 10 cts? Ger
tainly they would, even as they do, get
along for leSS.-With regard to the daily
pay at PeterSfarm and Frederiksted's
Hospital, he was fully aware that there
might possibly be some mistakes in the
calculations, but as there were several
parties engaged in making them and all
care was bestowed on the work, he did
not believe the mistakes could be many;
but as regards women and children being
included or not i'll the number given that
have been admitted and cared, the Com
mittee was quite sure that at least for
Frederiksted such women and children
were on the lists and are included, viz.
half days fare for every child and full for
every woman under the circumstances
mentioned he believed, and was almost
sure, that also for PeterSfarm the lists
include children when admitted in the
hospital with their mothers, or mothers
when admitted with their children. Per
hapS the rate of 294 cts. pr. pay at Peters
farm might be reduced somewhat by
increasing the number Of sick days; but
it would not cause much difference. LII
now clnSinU his remarks on thiS head he