THE DUNSTAN HOSPITAL.

Dunstan Times, Issue 431, 22 July 1870, Page 2

THE DUNSTAN HOSPITAL.

(COMIIUNICATaU ) Ne one could have read in the columns of the last issue of the Dunstan Times the report of the meeting of the Dunstan District Hospital Committee without feeling pained at the unsatisfactory state of its finances Such a state of affairs has not existed since 18fi4, when the institution was some 2,000 i. in debt. The Committee have been warned over and over again not to calculate upon receiving for any great length of time a subsidy of 3 1, to 1 1, subscriptions and donations. Such an amount as grant-in-aid was never before paid in any gold-pro-ducing country, and it only was paid here upon the repeated importunities of some over-zealous members of the Provincial Council representing goldfields interests, and who were bidding high for popularity. Whether this extra subsidy caused the Committee to conduct the Institution upon a scale of greater munificence than it was wise to do cannot well be determined. Still, something of the sort must have been the case, or the state of affairs would n it have been in their present unsatisfactory condition, When the affairs of the Hospital were at their w ■rst, in 1804, the grant from the Government of 1,0001. only cleared off half the liabilities ; the rest was made up by means of “ Auction Bazaars,” assisted by immense exertions on tire part of the then Collector and the Committee, and the Hospital, before the 31. to \l. subsidy ceased, had a considerable balance to its credit, either in cash at the bank or subsidy due upon subscriptions. The present Collector, Mr. Barlow, will doubtless use his best endeavors to extricate the Hospital from its present difficulties. The members of the Committee and the public must also put their shoulders to the wheel, and this, coupled with economy of management, should soon put things right again. The conduct of the Bank of New South Wales may, at first sight, appear reprehensible ; but it must be distinctly understood that the Bank only permitted an over-draught oi 5001. upon the strict understanding that there was always a corresponding amount due as subsidy from the Government. The Committee have, therefore, acted rashly, and, probably, from ignorance of the arrangement with the Bank. The Bank might not, perhaps, see its way clear to increase the overdraught at the present moment ; still, were the case fairly represented it is very probable that some temporary accommodation might have been obtained. As a point of honor-, the Committee are bound to pay subsidy due from the Government into the Bank of New South Wales until the account is in credit. If, through unforseeu

circumstances, the Hospital has got into difficulties, the Government must relieve it, and this might be done by a guarantee to the Bank or an advance of subsidy upon subscriptions to he collected. No bank in creation would lend a large sum upon security of a public hospital, as it could never be realised upon. It would require either the personal guarantee of the Committee or a guarantee’of repayment from the Government. Under these circumstances, the Bank of New South \V ales have only done what any other bank would do under precisely similar circumstances. The Treasurer to the Hospital is in duty bourn. to obey the wishes of the Committee ; but it certainly appears a breach of faith to pay ♦he subsidy into the Hank of New Zealand when it was fairly mortgaged to the Bank of New South Wales. It may be a misfortune to be in debt, but it is worse still to have one’s character for probity questioned. Let' the Hospital Committee look their difficulties fair in the face, and they will, without doubt, soon extricate the Institution from its present embarrassed position.