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Dunstan Times, Issue 1236, 6 November 1885, Page 2

To those who have not had an opportunity of perusing the “ Hospital and Charitable Institutions Act," two questions will doubtless present themselves—

1. What is meant by a “Separate Institution 1”

2. What are the advantages to be gained by subscribing to such an Institution 1

Wo will confine our remarks more particularly to the Central Otago District, although of course they have a much wider application. _ The Act defines a Separate Institution to be one towards which not less 100 persona have subscribed in yearly sums of not less than ss, an amount of at least LIOO. This subscription list is a sine quanon of incorpora tion, and, subject to the Governor’s assent, eivea the contributors the right to elect Trustees from amongst their number to manage their Institution local y. One of the functions of the Board for I his District, which held its first meeting at Clyde yesterday, is to assume, if the necessity should arise, the active control of the Cromwell, Dunstan, and Naseby.- Hospitals Meantime, however, these Institutions remain under the charge of their respective locally-elected Committees until certain preliminary steps have been taken. The existing Committees have till the 15th November to intimate to the District Board their intention to apply to the Governor for the incorporation of their respective Hospitals as “ Separate Institutions ” should any of said Committees neglect or refuse to send in such notification, the Institution at present under their control will on the first day of De» cember, 1885, be vested absolutely in the District Board, if, however, as hope will be the case, this initial step is taken by each of the Committees, then each must proceed before the Ist of February, 1886, to petition the Governor to incorporate its Institution as a “Separate Institution,” and annex to said petition a verified list of the names of not less than 100 persona who shall have signified their intention to contribute in yearly sums of not less than 5s an amount of not less than LIOO to each Institution, and who shall have paid one year’s subscription in advance, or n donation in ono sum of not less than LlO.

Incorporation -will follow as a’ matter of course,' 1 aa the evident design.

of the Act is to encourage local management. If the petition and subscription list referred to is not presented to the Governor before the Ist of February, 1886, the Institution in question will on that date be vested in the District Board.

We now come to the question of the desirability, or rather advisability, of incorporation... It may be said, Why should we subscribe or take any further trouble in the matter! Let the Hospitals be vested in the District Board, and let them manage them. A little consideration, however, will con* vines those who reason in this manner that it is simply impossible for the Board, whose members reside at such great distance apart, to satisfactorily perform the duties undertaken in the past by the several local Committees. The probabilities are that the Hoard, in the event of such a contingency ' occurring, will say-“ Since the persons residing in the locality where this Hospital is situated, and for whose benefit it is maintained, take so little interest in it as to refuse to subscribe LI 00 towards it, we can only come to the conclusion that it is not required, and consequently it is not expedient to maintain it any longer " " Whereupon the Board, in virtue of the powers conferred on it by section 33 of the Act, would close the Institution. Hence the maintenance of an Institution is dependent on its incorporation. Our advice is—Su scribe freely and retain the control over and management of your respective Hospitals.