, 1884-03-26

10y 49, ANCN NlNA @C hNF NAV
an cured, and the grant is justified on the
ground that "the high death rate among the
infant children of the hb0uring pOpula-
ton OF 81. CrOix is the essential Cause of
the decrease OF the population, and is
apparently exclusively due to the indif.
ference which is shown by Parents for
their children, ana the low point at which
the care of children on the whole stands
among the lahourers." In Mondays dis
cuSsion La1cyer Lemming remarked that
the same object could be attained at the
hospitals already in existence, and hence
he G rnld not see the necessity Of the grant.
Or. KGtmeT argued for he grant as follows:
The treatment of sick children in a sepa-
rate hospital had many advantages over
their treatment in the general hospital.
Ii was consequently the plan followed in
most large cities. But he would ask if
there was not in our case a special reason
for he establishment of SuCll an institution.
IL WAS notorious that the infant mortality
III the island was such aS to be a blot and
a stain on tIe community. Moreover it is
this which brings about the deficiency Of
labOur of which all employers complain.
His Excetlency had referred to the connec.
ton between increased production and an
increased revenues; but it was evident
that no increase of revenue could take
place while the labOur force of the island
remained as low as it is now. Il was plain
thai if any improvement in this respect
was to be made the population must be-
increased either by immigration or by a
natural growth. If We did not fulfil our
duty in guarding and fostering our llb0nr-
ing population it would die out. This was
no threat, but n simple statement founded
on figures and perfectly evident.
Nav wb II U.ApA fh,a tn,,.nc oF ~, 49,,
sent fearful mOrtaiity7 One fundamental
reason Was the way i'll which little children
are nouH>hed. Ii is not the prevalence Of
chiidren's diseases, it Is not the climate, it
is not in Sho t any Of those factors which
carry off children i'll less favOured cOun.
tries. In this country all the natural condi-
tiOnS are in favour OF The children, but we
do not take care of them. From improper
nutriSllment they get diseases Of nutri.
ton, and they die in shoals. He would
therefore say that those parties who had
taken he matter in hand were deserving
OF all praise and all encouragement. From
the figures given it was plain that the re.
suits 50 far had been good, and if the in.
StItutlOn were now to be given up 1t would
be Il loss to the island. He had been ask.
el, will those children saved by the hO>pi-
tai ever come TO take part in the cultiva-
non Ol TIE SOIL Z III answering JtllS u0
would leave the humane side of the ques.
ton and regard the matter only in a irac.
tical light. Let it be granted that all the
children cured up till now were town chill.
dren, and he would assume that. If these
children grew up 10 manhood it might be
that net one would become a cultivatCr of
the fields; hut We must remember that in
such case hey w,u:d occupy the room OF
others, would fill 0taer situations whereby
they would deOar people from leaving field
culture to take up those places. 1t was II
frequent and true complaint that peo-
p G left field labOur to seek other employ.
ment but nobody could deny that it the
number OF people of the working class
generally were, sly, doubled in the Island,
they would be Obliged 10 work in quite ID
diff 'rrnt manner from what they do now.
In this poin; of view the Chlldren's HOspl'
tai would therefore benefit the country
indirectly if not directly, and it should
therefore hlvr all the support which the
plan ing body can give it.
tt W ~ stated in the remarks that the
proposed grant anl private aid together
would keep mp 10 to II beds, not q large
MI ! her truly, but everything must have 10
beginning. lie felt sure that If the plant
lug body would give the matter their con-
SideratiOn there would be no difficulty in
passing this grant. Hitherto, as was well
known, the Institution had been supported
by pri, ate subscriptions, fairs, theatrical
representations and the like. Such me-
tlIodS were often rtSOrted to in other places,
and so fLri it was all right. He would now
ever remark that when such things are