The Daily Telegraph. FRIDAY, AUGUST 3, 1883.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3760, 3 August 1883, Page 2

The Daily Telegraph. FRIDAY, AUGUST 3, 1883.

Mr F. Sotton supported his motion in reference to hospitals by an excellent speech. A reference to tho report of the Inspector of Hospitals, said the member for Hawke's Bay, would show that fherc had been great disparity in tho way in which hospitals had been managed throughout tho past year. He found the hospital at AVellington had cost £0,G20 13s 3d, and that nothing had been received on account of patients in that institution. Besides that, neither tho Corporation nor private benevolence in AVellington had contributed a w'n'dc penny towards tho maintenance of th<fhospital. He thought AVellington was the only place in tho colony that had not devoted seme money at all events towards the maintenance of the hospital. Christchurch did not appear to have contributed much, as there was only £-101 Gs Gd received from patients, the Government findin."- £1388 13s. To the Dunedin Hospital the Government contributed .-fiGl'ii, and there were no contributions from the outside public or the local bodies. That was a sort of thing which could not go on much longer. There must be some definite rule for the management of these institutions on something like a fair basis. In the district from which he came they had a hospital of which the people were proud, a building well adapted for the purpose, which was worked very satisfactorily. The residents of Napier and Hawke's Bay generally had contributed over £3000 toward* the enlargement and maintenance of that building. The report of the Inspector of Hospitals showed that £078 -is lid had been contributed by private individuals — £'278 by patients and £btio by local bodies. Out of a total of £3120 contributed for the maintenance of that hospital the Government contributed £102.'). He might say that tho hospital was a very popular institution, and if the Government would only bring in a Bill to legalise the management and control of it, and vest it in a local Board, he was sure the people of Napier would willingly accept the rcsponsibilty, and not only maintain the hospital, but enlarge it when necessity required. If the Government would bring in a Bill of that sort establishing a local trust, 'hedge-? round with very careful conditions, so that the funds should not bo misused, as he feared they had been in some cases, they would find that, in a few years, hospitals would to a large extent be self-supporting. Honorable members might bo surprised to hear •Uhat in Hawke's Bay they had had donatioas and bequests within the last two years to ifjjo extent of £8000, which were still available, but could not be accepted because there was no one authorised to receive them. One gentleman alone had promised £500 ; but it could not be expected that gentlemen who were ready to devote their money to this purpose would do it simply for the purpose of contributing towards the Government of tho country. There were no means at the present time of making these bequests available ; but if there was a trust in which the whole of the property Tvas vested, and which would manage tho hospital with the assistance of the local bodies and private benevolence, it would bo found in a very short time that tho whole system would be far more satisfactorily managed than it was in its present shape. Now, it might be asked why he had not brought in a Bill to deal with the Napier Hospital. His reply was that, so far as the Hawke's Bay people wore concerned, they were anxious to assume the responsibility of providing locally and privately for the management of their hospitals and charitable institutions; but they did not wish to assume this burden if large and wealthy districts like Wellington, Dunedin, and Christchurch, were allowed to sponge on the colony. Let the Government bring in a Bill dealing with this matter, and the Napier people would with pleasure accept their share of the responsibility. They had

at present an enlargement of the Napier Hospital going on at a cost of £1500, every penny of'which had been raised by, local and private subscriptions. TheyJiad also in the bank £100 or £500 more than was required for the building; and so popular was the institution that they had every reason fo believe that if they wanted another £-100 or £500, and said'it was for the hospital, they would easily get it. He hoped the Government would take the matter into consideration, and, before tho session closed bring in a Bill dealing with the whole question in a satisfactory manner.