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Baths and bathos excited the flow of oratory
at the meeting in question, as to which we must
refer our readers to the report given in another
column. On the question of baths there is
much division of opinion, and though we have
often protested against uncalled for expenditure,
from our point of view, and insisted on
greater economy, we go with the promoters of
permanent baths, believing them to be a public
benefit, if not real necessity. For five or six
years the project has been kept simmering in
the corporation kitchen, and to try and upset
the "pot" when the process of evolution of
he "dish" is just upon finished, is both absurd
and unwise. The only objection we have to
the scheme propounded by Aid. Coppinger, as
chairman of the committee, is the making of
provision for converting the large swimming
bath into a public hall for entertainments.
That we submit is totally uncalled for, seeing
what public halls the town is already provided
with. It is the chief blot of the proposal,
and observing that the majority of the Town
Council are of the same way of thinking, we
urge the committee to drop that part of the
plan.
* * *
From baths to bathos was not a far cry, and
after the recommendation of a special committee
upon assessments of property in the
town had been adopted, consideration was given
to the recently issued annual report from Dr.
Beale Collins, medical officer to the Corporation.
We briefly referred to this last week, arising
out of a complaint from Councillor Davison
that the medical officer was entirely wrong in
what he said about the roads. The question
now came up on a motion by Councillor
Lambert, to provide for the reports of the
medical officer being submitted to each committee
concerned therein before being presented
to the council. Councillor Davison took up the
cudgels in defence of the roads, and Ald. Allard
let off quite a broadside discharge at Dr.
Collins' report, which he likened to a page in
the "Leisure Hour," or "gossiping Loudon
letter of a provincial newspaper." Councillor
Glover alone stood up for the medical officer,
declaring his report about dirty roads to be
true ; and being a cyclist he is well qualified to
judge as to that.
* * *
Dr. Collins can no doubt reply with effect
to his critics, if he is so inclined ; but he is entitled
to sympathy. If he has gone outside his
province in this last report, it is not his first act
of straying, as reference to former printed documents
will show. Hitherto he has been on the
safe side ; but now he seems to have erred,
though why such severe criticism should have
been dealt out to him, it is not easy to say.
Possibly there is more in this little episode than
meets the eye, and time must be given for its
revelation. This one thing is certain : Dr.
Beale Collins has striven hard to faithfully discharge
the duties of his office, and done much
good work, if it is not very conspicuous. An
obsequious, timid man is of no use in any public
post, and to attempt to fetter or restrict the
medical officer of any place when honestly striving
to bring about improvements, is neither
expedient or wise.
* * *
Last week in notes upon the meeting of the
Town Council, the credit was given to Councillor
Lambert of asking for information about
the posts in Can bury-passage. It was Councillor
Glover who asked the question, following up
his letter to the committee thereon ; and the
error arose through the substitution of Councillor
Lambert's name for his in the report of the
proceedings at the council.
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