HOSPITALS.

Dunstan Times, Issue 828, 1 March 1878, Page 3

HOSPITALS.

—o — The Chairman of the Dunstan District Hospital Committee has received the following circular letter, which has bee n handed over to us for publication Colonial Secretary’s Office, Wellington, Feb. 14th, 187 S. The Chairman of the Dunstan District Hospital Committee, Clyde, County of Vincent. Sir, —The Government on taking office found that the Hospitals and’Charltable Institutions throughout the Colony were being managed upon no fixed principle or system, and that it was absolutely necessary to place them on a more satisfactory footing. Up to the end of December, and till the New Financial Arrangements Bill took effect, it was impossible to change the existing statejof things, but from that date the principle Government have endeavored to bring into operation is one tfhich is at once comprehensible, uniform, and practical. In the larger towns Government have hitherto maintained a’most unsatisfactory control, and paid the expenditure, recovering it, however, from the Borough subsidies. In the outlying localities and at Hokitika a grant-in-aid, differing in some instances. but common'y 20s for 20s of subscriptions has been given, the local body taking charge as a Hospital Committee. It is proposed for the futurq, wherever possible, to place the Hospitals of large Lowllii tinder tbe-cUvoet control and management of the Municipalities, audio subsidise them to the extc&tvf 20s for every 20s of subscriptions, and as the remaining cost would fall on Borough funds to make no d x'luctiona whatever from the subsidies. In the outlying Hospitals, although it is desirable that an elected body should have the control aud management of the Hospitds, still where a Commit*e; exists Goven . ment will continue the grant-m-aid equal to the Voluntary subscriptions and make no charge on the subsidies whatever. It will be necessary, of course to satisfy the Colonial Secretary, as hitherto, as to the amount of the voluntary subscriptions, but Government do not desire to interfere in any way with the local management of these Institutions. 1 have the honor to be, Sir, Yoar most obedient Servant, (For the Colonial Sec.) G. S. Cooper.