COURT NEWS.

Her Majesty the Queen accompanied by His Excellency Mr. Carter the Minister of the Interior, Her Excellency Kekaulike Governess of Hawaii, Mrs. Poloku [Pooloku], and Hon. John M. Kapena visited the small-pox hospital, on Kahakaaulana reef, on Saturday the 26th ult.

Queen Kapiolani conversed with some of the unfortunate sufferers at the hospital; she presented some kind and gracious offerings of royal sympathy: some flowers and ferns, (palapalai), dear to the native tastes; and Her Majesty expressed her satisfaction on observing the bountiful supply of food, and other necessaries required by the patients at the hospital.

O this occasion a letter written by her Royal Highness, the Princess Regent in the Hawaiian language, and addressed to the patients, was read to them, a translation of which, as published in the Elele Poakolu, is subjoined.

“My Friends:—I send you the expression of my warm love and deep commiseration i your affliction; you who are sufferers from the epidemic which has of late caused, and still continues to cause so much anxiety in our community. I feel that this is a dreadful visitation upon us, and more especially is it saddening to myself in this the beginning of my imperfect endeavors to guide the affairs of our Government.

“From the moment since the disease made its first appearance amongst us, my thoughts have anxiously dwelt upon the question as to how far its ravages might extend; and the government has devoted to the fullest, its means and energies in the effort to mitigate the sufferings of the poor, and to so control the contagion, that it should not become widely spread amongst our people.

“My love and my deepest sympathies are with our race, and I earnestly hope soon to see you sufferers recovered and happily returned to your own families.

“I entrust you, meantime, to be orderly and obedient to the directions of those who are placed to watch over and care for you. May the merciful and loving God grant you comfort, relief and recovery from the disease which has so afflicted and anguished us all.

Liliuokalani P. R.

[Now this is how leaders should lead!]

(PCA, 4/2/1881, p. 2)

Pacific Commercial Advertiser, Volume XXV, Number 40, Page 2. April 2, 1881.