, 1891-07-29

reasons why Uu6 NON01L4LIChI dSho IuG OOu1~
ell to consent to the renewal of the contracts
for / years; and he would beg to recommend
the proposal to the Council.
Bird Member for Frederiksted's Country
District (HeWjtH said he had not noticed in
the terms the stipulation concerning 6 months
notice from either side for the contract
to cease.
The acting Ticegorernor would in reference
to the last remark say, that from the com
mencement of the employment of public
physicians, namely in 1866, the contracts were
simply for 4 years, but in 1875, or 16 years
ago, the Colonial Council in a meeting where
the question of the renewal of the contracts
came on, requested that besides having the
contracts for t years there should also be a
clause about 6 months notice for the contact
to cease; the physicians have since that time
been appointed for a term of 4 years but with
the clause that on either side, that of the
Government or the physician, the contracts
could be terminated on 6 months notice to
that effect being given.
3rd Member for Frederiksted's Country
District (HeUitD would beg to make another
remark and to ask for some explanation,
From 1875 it was adopted by the Council that
the amounts for the physicians be placed on
the annual Money Bills; when and as long as
JDdU Is 50, ILen IuG amount InuSU DC SuUJcCO
every year to the Councils vote; but then why
are we asked to make contracts for 4 yearly
terms On the Money Bill for the last year
the amounts are again posted, and he would ask
why can the agreements not be for a year at
a time?
The acting Ticegoteynor said that it may
appear as an anomaly, that when the Council
has given its consent to the contracts for
term Of + years, that the salaries of the Com
mun4l doctors Notwithstanding during these
4 years are entered on the Money Bills of the
Budget; that had however been customary,
and it must be considered as amatter of course,
that tho Council, when it once had consented
to a contract with the doctors, could not by its
vote on the Bud get refuse the salaries for
the period, for which tAe consent had been
given.
3rd Member for Frcd.riksted's Country Dis,
trict tHeuitN said he could SO far understand
His EXeellency we'll; but now comes this point
that when the Ordinance on public physicians
was first passed in 1866. it was considered that
q salary Of 500 would be sufficient, besides
500 or 200 Rid. as first help for the voyage,
to get a medical man to come out; in 1869
Government proposed $500 additional pay to
the physician, and in 1875 it was adopted to
place the amount ON the Money Bills. Now,
II IL were 50, IndJ Ju6 council CONlt not rCIjlS6
the amounts, because they were warranted by
Ordinances and by contracts based on them. it
was needless to have the amounts on the
Money Bills; when, now, they are there, it
seems to argue that the other view cmnot
strictly ortully be maintained. The contracts
could then Just as well also be for a year at a
time. He for his part did not intend. nor did
he believe there WAS any desire prevailing. to
propose to the Council t. refuse The money.
or not to renew with the physicians here;
but there is one thing which is uppermost
in the minds of almost all, u matter on
which almost everybody agrees, that the
Island is badly in want Of more physicians;
the present number is quite insufficient, even
to the daily requirements, and it would be a
sad state of things in the event of an epidemic
occurring. We want more medical men in the
island, and something must be done to satisfy
that want what we are to do is a matter for
the Government and the Council to consider.
In Westend there are in reality butt physicians;
the Bird is a very aged man and of course he
can do but little now one of the two physi-
clans gets all the money voted from the public
funds, and his hands are as full as they can be;
he cannot overcome the work at times. If
now from some cause or another the one physi-
clan who has no salary from the public were
to retire, leave the island, what i~nducement
could we offer to get another man for
the work? This is a very serious matter