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Not only, however , was the poor boy miserably fed, and
miserably clad, but even the few rags he had about him
were in such a state as to render the belief that he had
been an inmate of an Orphan Asylum almost incredible.
He had been sick and the doctor had ordered him to wear
flannel .... it was never changed from the time it was
put on, and was alive with vermin.
The MercU"ry was "shocked and horrified" , angry and indignant ; it appeared
that Michael 's case was not an exceptional one; hunger, cruelty and want
of cleanliness were the a aily lot of the Orphan children.
It is bad enough that such treatment should have been
tolerated so long. For the honour of our nature and
for the honour of the colony, we trust that it will not
be tolerated one moment longer.
Faced now with an outraged Pub lic, the Board of Enquiry
maintained a discreet silence .
On August 12, Hall requested Wedge to
move in Parliament for the production of all correspondence relating to
the enquiry and for its report . Wedge was told that, although no report
had yet been made, resolutions had been passed exonerating any person from
the charge of causing excessive mortality at the Schools . Bedford, who
was present in Parliament at the time, could contain himself no longer ;
in very strong language he accused Hall of libelling him, of pub lishing
untrue statements not only in Tasmania but in a neighbouring colony also,
and of forwarding damaging letters to the Government and to the Commission.
Moreover, he confessed himself deeply hurt by the accusations being
levelled against him in the press . However , his outburst received scant
sympathy as pub lic feeling had turned against him. Both in Parliament
and in the press , Hall was not only exonerated from any improper motives ,
but· credited with the most philanthropic intentions . The following day ,
the Governor, acting resolutely at last, issued peremptory orders that the
chi ldren 's food should be immediately increased : in future, all children
above eight years of age were to have their allowance of meat and vegetables
doubled> their allowance of milk quadrup led; children between six and
eight their vegetables doubled, their meat increased in quantity fifty
per cent , and their milk quadrupled; all children under six were to have
their allowance of milk quadrup led. Other important improvements were
to follow. An article, "The Queen 's Orphan Schoo l", pub lished in the
Mercury on August 16, and repeated in the October numb er of the Australian
Medical Journal for the medical fraternity throughout the world to see ,
declared that the Governor 's action was the most severe censure possible
that could ever have been passed on the previous management of the
institution. Bedford was openly condemned :