To The Editor Of The Statesman

SIR, -The need of well trained Indian nurses, especially in the large cities in India, is so thoroughly recognised that we need not take up space in your valuable paper to enlarge upon it. It has been amply proved that a provision of trained Indian nurses must be of great and lasting benefit and result in the saving of many valuable lives. With a view to encouraging the movement and giving it a start, a small committee was formed in London, with Lord Sinha as President, and at a meeting held at Lady Minto’s on 22nd ultimo it was announced that a sum of over pound 2,500 had been collected. There is some Rs 18,000 at credit of the fund here and further subscriptions are promised, which will probably ring the total up to Rs 50,000. This is quite a satisfactory commencement. To enable the committee to do this, it will be desirable to purchase their own Hostel and equip it in an efficient way.

U.E, ROGERS

Calcutta.

THE VICTORIA MEMORIAL

To The Editor Of The Statesman

SIR, – I have read with great pleasure your admirable article of this morning on the Victoria Memorial Building and its suitable use. When the Bengal Government in the past year appointed a committee to select a site for the construction of a building to house the new Legislative Council I got leave to put some questions to the Government in the present Council suggesting the suitability of the Victoria Memorial for this purpose, and asking the Government to refer to the newly appointed committee the question of possibility of utilising this memorial as the Bengal Parliament House and saving the cost of a new structure. The Government could not be drawn out and it declined to give a lead to the committee. The committee’s report is not yet before the public, but it has evidently given the go-by to my suggestion. I was not aware of the deficit of the sum of rupees twelve lakhs in the Memorial Fund.

DEBENDRA CHUNDER GHOSE.

Bhowanipore.

INDIAN HOSPITAL PATIENTS

To The Editor Of The Statesman

SIR, – There are five large hospitals in Calcutta for the treatment of Indian patients from the whole Province. It is impossible for Government and the managing committees to provide “medical comforts” for them and for these they must necessarily depend on the charitable public. It is well known that the European and Anglo-Indian patients get a good deal of help from the European and AngloIndian communities while under treatment in public hospitals. Could nothing be done for the poor Indian patients? An anna here and a rupee there will make a big sum. A committee of ladies and gentlemen, with Sir R.N. Mookerjee as president, has been formed to make collections from the public. We need at least thirty thousand rupees every year.

N.P. SINHA.

Major, I.M.S.

Hungerford Street, Calcutta.