The Free Rural Population. 287 
and imposition. The first that it should meet the de- 
mand ; the second that it should not impose new and in 
such shape always hideous expense upon the taxpayer ; 
and the third that only the deserving should be brought 
within its limits. 
As regards the first question, that is, what is at present 
done for the free rural population as regards medical 
aid, I regret very much that such an important question 
should be capable of receiving an answer commensurately 
unsatisfactory to its importance ; and that is, practically 
speaking, that nothing at all is done for it. It is 
quite true that medical aid is brought into their very midst, 
practically speaking brought to their very doors ; but, 
to be candid, we deserve no thanks for this, because it is 
more or less a contingency that can't be avoided in the 
system of medical aid that is part and parcel of the 
Immigration system of the colony. This mixed blessing 
of such possible medical aid is guided by no system or 
organisation for the free rural people ; and my 
experience has led me to find out that, whatever 
legal obligations may be pigeon-holed or held in reserve, 
making it incumbent on responsible parties to procure 
such assistance for the sick, the fact is indisputable, 
that there are too many large meshes in the net of 
responsibility, as it is at present, through which such 
parties may derisively pass. 
Ignorance, improvidence and sickness, are three 
Gorgons standing in the way of the people doing 
anything for themselves or rather for those imme- 
diately about them, in times of need. On these people 
the occasional admonition of persons whom their 
suspicion leads them perhaps to suspect of self-interest, 
