Galway In Days Gone By

1920

Compensation claims

The “Freeman” of Monday had a biting comment on the Act passed last year enabling the Government servants in Ireland who receive injuries in the carrying out of their duties, or the dependants of those who suffer death to acquire liberal compensation of the ratepayers.

It says: “On Friday last a police sergeant was awarded by the Recorder of Galway £1,200 compensation for the loss of an eye, the damage being incurred whilst endeavouring to arrest a lunatic who, says the terse report, ‘held the police at bay with a shotgun and ultimately perished in the flames of his own cottage.’

Presumably the sergeant was merely performing the duty for which he has been paid since he joined the Force of preserving the law, when he endeavoured to secure the safe custody of the unfortunate madman. It is fairly safe to assume that he knew since before he entered the Depot that such duty was expected of him in return for his stipend and that its efficient discharge involved the risk of injury.

Yet no sooner does the risk materialise than the same and unoffending ratepayers of a whole district are ordered to pay the damage wrought by a lunatic, as if his aberration of intellect and lapse from normal behaviour could be imputed to them as a crime! Could anything be more preposterous?

Why, the wretched man who perished in the flames of his burning cabin cannot be deemed a greater lunatic than the legislator or the administrator who would argue such a freak law is equitable.

Closure rumours

A persistent rumour gained circulation in Galway this week that the County Hospital will be closed. This, should it take place, would be due to the financial straits in which the Committee of Management find themselves. From inquiries made, no confirmation of the report can be obtained, but if money is not forthcoming there is no doubt that the institution cannot carry on.

A special meeting of the Committee will be held on Saturday, 14th inst., to consider the situation. A motion is on the agenda to request the Unions to pay the first half of the 1920 assessment immediately, and to ask the County Council to forward this amount to the Unions for payment.

There is a sum of £2,550 due to contractors, and the Bank, which has already given an overdraft of £1,000, will not advance any more money.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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