THE NEWFOUNDLANDER
St. John's, Thursday, February 9, 1865
1
HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY
Monday, Jan. 30.
The House met at three o'clock.
Mr. WYATT, from the select Committee to prepare
an address in reply to his Excelleney's speech, resented
the draft of an address, which was read a first time.
Second reading to-morrow.
Mr. WYATT gave notice that, on to-morrow, he would
move the suspension of the Rules of the House with reference to that address.
The hon. RECEIVER GENERAL gave notice that, on
tomorrow, he would move the appointment of a select
committee on the Contingencies of the House.
Mr. RENOUF pursuant to notice, asked the Acting
Colonial Secretary tÂş lay on the table copies of correspondence with the Government
of Canada, and other
documents relative to the Federal Union of the Provinces.
Hon. ATTORNEY GENERAL-The documents were in
the course of being printed, and would be laid on the
table as soon as they could be got ready.
Mr. RENOUF, pursuant to notice, asked the hon.
Acting Colonial Secretary to lay on the table of the
House a copy of the letter of Dr. Stabb, Superintendent of the Lunatic Asylum, complaining
of the visit of
inspection by the members for the division of St. John's
West to that Institution.
The Hon. ATTORNEY GENERAL was sorry that the
government could not comply with the request of the
hon. member, for a copy of the le ter referred to in his
notice, in which he assumed that some reference was
made to himself and the other members for St. John's
West. It must be obvious that if the confidential communications of the officers of
the Government were to be
made public, much detriment to the public service would
be the inevitable result.
Hon. ATTORNEY GENERAL-It was a , matter of no
importance whether it was marked confidential or not.
It was from an officer of the government.
Mr. RENOUF.-That officer, it appeared, could do as
he pleased. He had the sole control of an institution,
four miles from the town, in which there were over 100
pauper inmates, and which cost the colony ÂŁ4,000 a year;
and when the members for the Western Ĺżivision of St.
John's, in the discharge of their duty to their constituents, made a visit of inspection
to that institution, it
appeared that this official complained to the Executive
of their having done so, and now when they applied for
a copy of his letter, they were refused. The reason was
obvious. Dr. Stabb had a brother in the Executive
Council, who supported him in all his proceedings.
The hon. ATTORNEY GENERAL was very sorry to see a
feeling manifested towards, a gentleman who was not
present in that House to defend himself. If the hon
member were amenable to the government, and if any
charges were made against him by the Physician of the
Lunatic Asylum, it would be the duty of the government
to communicate a copy of such charges to him, to give
him an opportunity of meeting them. But it was obviously improper to furnish a gentleman
entirely unconnected with the government with a confidential communication from an
officer of that government, even if he
was mentioned in it. He (hon. A. Gen.) did not say
whether such was the case in this instance or not. He
might inform the hon, member, that it was no part of his
public duty as member for St. John's West, to visit the
Lunatic Asylum. If he went there, it was in private
capacity, as any other citizen might go. He (hon. A.
Gen.) did not say that it was not proper for him to do
so, and to inform himself respecting the management of
that institution and every other public institution in the
colony; and if he, or any other member had any
charges to make respecting the management of this
Asylum, or any other institution under the control of
the government, they would be prepared at once to
institute an inquiry.
Mr. RENOUF-Was certainly surprised that any document should be thus refused to be laid before
this
House. He would ask the hon. Attorney General
whether that document had been marked confidential or
not He (Mr. R) considered that he had a perfect
right to ask for that document in his official capacity as a
member of this House. He (Mr. R.) would briefly
explain the circumstances of this case. He understood,
with his hon colleague Mr. Talbot, that a letter had been
written to the Executive by the Superintendent of, the
Lunatic Asylum, complaining of the conduct of three
hon members of that house, who, in discharge of their
duty as custodians of the public, had visited that institution twelve months previously.
On that occassion they
had met the Superintendant who complained of illness,
and was unable to accompany them through the building.
—He (Mr. Renouf) must say that as far as the eye could
discover, every thing was in the most perfect orderÂ
they had been well satisfied with the result of their visit,
and regarded the state of the institution as a credit to the
Superintendent. What then was this letter written for,
and especially twelve months after this visit was made?
Had we no right to go there? That letter reflected on
his (Mr. Renouf's) character, and, he had a right to get
it. He had applied to the hon Colonial Secretary, to
ascertain whether it was really in existence or not. That
gentleman did not deny it, and said that the hon. Attorney General would give him
(Mr. Renouf) a copy of the letter.—Did not hon. gentlemen
remember that some
years back grave complaints had been made against Dr.
Stabb, and that the Governor had said that if he were
guity of the charges alleged against him, he was not fit
to be any longer the Superintendent of that institution?
The result was that Dctors Carson and Rochford were
appointed to supervise the working of that institution.
And now, because the West End members, took a deep
interest in the unfortunate inmates of the Asylum, were
they to be made the subject of complaint to the government, and his twelve months
after their visit? And
when he, no doubt, was anticipating anothor visit, he
applies to the government for liberty to exclude members
from visiting the Asylum. What was the cause of this?
—Was there any great party going on there at that
time? Any extensive decorations to be put up?–Last
session great fault was found with the extravagance of
that insitution. But Doctor Stabb had a brother in the
Executive, and they were mesmerised by his influence.
That letter did not deter the members for St. Jonn's
West from making their visit, when they were received
by Dr. Stabb in a most cringing manner. He took
them through the whole building, and actually asked
them into his private apartments. There was no institution that required more supervision
than that one.-
And had the representatives of the people, who voted
the supplies for its support, no right to visit it ?
After some further discussion, in which Mr. Renouf,
the hons. Attorney and Receiver General, and Mr.
Talbot took part, the matter was dropped.
The house then adjourned until Tuesday at three
o'clock.
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