, 1884-04-02
P R @ E E D N Z 5
OF THE
GO9@g04
FOR ST. CROIX.
Continuation Of Meeting Of oath March
1S84.)
1st Discussion on Draft of Budget 18S4-5.

though he was well aware that it might
not he considered quite correct to go into
details at this discussion OIL the Draft OF
Budget now before the Council, still, as
other Members have already done So, he
hoped that the honorable Chairman would
show him the same leniency and allow him
to speak Oh d few items, which he found
himself so much more called on to do, rs
the Sanitary Department, one on which
some comments have to-day been made, is
a Department with which he is most con-
versant, and he considered it, moreover,
right to make these his remarks nOW,
before the matter goes into Commit ee,
leaving it to the Committee to take notice
thereof, or not, as 1t might choose; and as
he did not expect to be a Member OF that
Committee, his term in the Council being
about to eXpire.-Sub item ID IL. the
Sanitary Department an amount of $500
is proposed to be granted as a contribution
in aid of a private children'S hospital.
His EXcellenCy had not commented special
ly Oh this item whatever he (Kalmer) had
to say on this matter would be said on his
own grounds, and on his own authority.
1t is quite correct when the honorable
Member for ChriStianstcd (Lrmming) said
that there ale Hospitals here, also III Ere
derikSted, where children are admitted,
and it is also certain that children are never
refused abundance there. At the same
time there cannot be the least doubt but
that a hospital erected especially for child.
rem is far more beneficial for the purpose
intended, namely the proper care and
attention to children, than can be the case
with q common hospital. In the first place
a common hospital can not receive the
same number of children, and even if it
could DO so, the care and attention
bestowed on each child in a special hoSpi-
tai is tar greater than it can he at a com
mon hospital. We see too almost every
where and not only in large cities, that
alongside OF the common hospitals, there
are special hospitals provided for the
treatment of children. The point which in
his mind will be the decisive one in this
matter is, whether there is any reason here
to have a special Hospital for children.
The general question with regard to a
common hospital, he would leave out of
consideration, since there can be no doubt
whatever that it is better to have a special
hospital. But as regards the real point at
ISSUE, he would here say, that it is well
known that the mortality among children
here is fearful, he would 90 so far, as to
say, that it is a blot and a stain on the
Community. 1t is that fact that brings
about the other fact that there is not here
sufficient labour force to cultivate a Sutti.
clent area Of the Island. His Excellency
had to-day mentioned that it is not likely
that the revenues Of the Island will in
crease except by increase of cultiVa ion,
but this cannot take place, except the
labOur force be increased. This latter
increase could be made in two ways: ei, her
by immigration or by increase of population.
tie would not digrrSS ON this tirSt-nHmrd
method, but as regards the second method
1t IS absolutely incumbent on us to do all
III our power to maintain and preserve the
Ia00urlng population, as otherwise it Will
surely and certainly die out. This is Il
result not based on mere conjecture, but
on facts and figures, and az noticed for II
long time. The causes of the mortality
here are several; some of them are stat
Ell III the remarks to the Money Bill for
this item; but there is one fundamental
canSe, one underlying the whole. it is the
way in which little children drr reared in
this Island. Why this is as bad as it is,
there was no OCCASION to enter fully into;
he would stick TO the first principal causes.
1neSe Causes are not to he found in dis
eases prevalent elsewhere among children,
nor III the climate, nor in any other Of those
factors which elsewhere carry off so many
children. In these respects we are exceed
ingly favourably situated here: We have
an excellent climate and everything favour
able for children; but they are not taken
care of; the consequence is that they get
diseases of nutrition; their constitution
and nutrition at last become faulty and
they die early. When, therefore, the
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