HORSE RACING.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2004, 13 February 1907, Page 2

HORSE RACING.

The Poverty Bay Turf Club’s annual summer meting commences to- • morrow at the Mararaka racecourse, i There are large fields for the various : events, and everything promises well for a most successful gathering. The general arrangements are excellent, the train services have been made to j suit the meeting, and are given this morning in our advertising columns.

HOSPITAL TRUSTEES. Tlio moiiTbly meeting of the Trustees was hold last night at the office of the Secretary (Mr. T. A. Coleman), there being present: The Hon. Captain Tucker (chairman), and Messrs. Howard TCoinvny, A. F. Matthews, F. J. Lysnar, and W. D. S. Macdonald. Messrs. J. A. Harding and J. W. Blight (who had been at the Borough Council meeting) attended after 9 o’clock. The matron’s monthly report showed : Patients remaining from last month, 30; admitted during month, 11; discharged, 19; remaining at date, 22. 11l the correspondence there was a lotter from tho Government asking if return sent in for hospital social and sports was not. and a reply had been sent in in tho affirmative. W. Watson and Son, Melbourne, wrote re Rontgen rays apparatus, hoping that tho now medical officer would bo favourable thereto, and that an order would ho received by tho firm. Tho Secretary ’ said the matter had been left until the appointment of officers. In reply to Mr. Lysnar, the Secretary said reports had been prepared of fees duo by patients. Mr. Lysnar said no had known of some able to pay who had cleared without X’ayingTho Secretary : How are you to recover itp Mr. Lysnar: Summons thorn. Mr. Kenway said they should make an effort to secure payment by all able to pay. Mr. Lysnar said it was most unfair that some who could pay did not do so. The best tiling would bi* to liavo a list before them at each meeting. _ . Tho Secretary said, in altering the by-laws, they might have a Fees Committee. Ho pointed that most men when they left the. Hospital were quite unable to pay in full, and did so a few months afterwards. In earlier days the Trustees would not think of suing in such a case. Mr. Lysnar illustrated a case of a man who was able to pay who had not done so, and had laughed at him when asked for a subscription. Members now being from all parts of tho district they might know the position of many, as to whether they were able to pay or not. Various suggestions were made to meet tho ease. The Secretary said that if anyone ■ knowing of an cxpationt who could and would not pay supplied him with the information ho would take stops to recover the amount. Eventually it was left to Mr. Lysnar to make some proposal at a future meeting. The Treasurer’s report showed : Receipts: District Board requisition, £350; patients’ foes, £39 7s; expenditure, £389 7s, and bank overdraft, 18th January, £617 10s 2d, leaving the bank overdraft at date £364 2s lOd, and cheques not presented £75 8s 2d. Government subsidy accrued, £359 3s; District Board requisition due 31st January, £l5O. Accounts presented herewith £155, less £55 Is 4d paid (including £52 4s salaries).

HONORARY STAFF. Tho Chairman, in introducing specifications, said lie had spoken to Dr. Colo re the meaning of Ins letter regarding an honorary staff, and tiie explanation threw light on a subject which was then obscure, and even with tho qualified consents it did not seem impossible to arrange for an honorary staff. Such staffs, he learned, were working well in large places with a surgeon in attendance. Dr. Colo’s letter had left him in doubt. Mr. Lvsnar: Ho said he would act as consulting physician. The Chairman: They won’t undertake to perform operations. Mr. Macdonald: They will. The Chairman: Well, I am told that a consulting physicion will look at a case and say whether ho tlimks for instance a leg must, be cut off. Mr. Lysnar: They will do it. The Chairman: No, they tell me. Mr. Lysnar said what ho had been informed was that they would .not visit the Hospital to attend to minorcases; such as cuts, wounds and burns, but for more important operations they would be only too pleased to attend and operate. The Chairman:. Well, that needs further explanation. A consulting surgeon, I am told, simply consults, and does not operate. A good deal of discussion ensued as to tho meaning of tho letters, and like points, Mr. Kenwav asking to have tho grounds made clear before they went into the' specifications. He' pointed out that there was a great difference between medical superintendent and house surgeon, and ho did not think they would get the man they required to take over the whole work at anything like the amount offered. The difficulties under the specifications seemed to mm insuperable. He asked if they were absolutely bound to the proposal was it bevond revision? . The Chairman : Nothing is beyond revision. • Mr. Lysnar: You would have to give notice of motion to alter it. The Chairman said they were now simply endeavoring to carry out the resolution passed. -*As they, went on they would find that certain clauses presented difficulties. The specifications had not yet been submitted to tho Trustees. *■ ' . After further remarks ns to wliat had been in "the mind of members when the resolution was proposed, and the expression of views as to the meaning of the replies of the doctors, the Trustees went into committee on the subject, Mr. Matthews first stating that they should not raise difficulties themselves in the matter, to which Mr. Kemvay replied that all he wanted was to have the ground made clear before they went into tho specifications. In the course of the discussion before going into committee, Mr. Macdonald said that in the case of major operations the consulting surgeon would operate if necessary. . , , All'. Matthews said ho undei stood from Dr Scott he would simply say if an operation were. necessary The Chafffiiaii sa,cl they, had to net with meat deliberation, and these specifications should be very carefully considered. Mr. Macdonald said that Di . Col lins had offered to act. He was a most valuable man to have. The Chairman: You have in Di. Collins a very able and capable surgeon indeed, whose services, even if you could not get linn to act as a member of the honorary staff, }on could obtain in the ordinary nay It is a great thing to have such a stuueon in your midst. . b Air. Kemvay said if they found thev could not get an honorary staff under their proposal, they would bo just where they wore before. . The Chairman: I don t think vc could say that, because wo already have several letters, some of them unqualified and some of them qualified, giving valuable assistance. Mr. Kenway, referring to Di. AVilliams’ leter, said tlmt Di. Vvi.liams replied that lie .non Id act on “the terms contained in the becrotarv’s letter.” Those terms, were not that the Trustees were going to appoint a medical superintendent. A house surgeon was an entirely clittoient thing. ..... ~. i, Mr. Matthews said it vas ntll known they were going to ask for an honorary staff and certain gentlemen had consented. Ho. did not tlunk the point should ho raised, and difficulties created. , . , Mr. Lysnar said they had argued tho whole subject out. before. The Chairman : It is a mailer tnat needs very great deliberation. AVo are not at all certain. I have obtained certain light since last meeting. At that time I thought it almost hopeless. I have altered _mj mind since. It seems to mo not impossible ; on the contrary, we cornu probably even now, perhaps excepting some gentlemen, form a veil good honorary staff indeed. . Air. Kenwav said that the appointment of an honorary staff depended as to whether they appointed a house surgeon or medical superintendent. Ho was in favor of appointing a house surgeon, and giving nun an honorary staff, wit-li the duties thev usually held. It seemed to him the honorary staff was only possible with a house surgeon, nn>* Jl ° n . GK f that an honorary staff and medical superintendent would not wor.c. Air. Alatthews : The intention y. ajs and still is to have an honoraiy staff. ■ ~ , Air. Kenway: You won t get it with this proposal. Air. Alatthews: How do we know that? I know one of the doctors will act. Ho told me so. The Chairman said if they did not get the whole six doctors, they would at least get a workable number to act. If they had an honorary stall they would rely on them for tieatment, not on tlio house surgeon at all. Mr. Kenway said if they were going to get a man for the position tliev wool drequiro a better man than would be available under the specifications. ~ . , The Board then went into committee as indicated above. The specifications wero gone through seriatim. On resuming in Board meeting, the Chairman said the report of tlio committee .was innu the specificatio-s as read should bo approved of. He would put that to the meeting for confirmation. Mr. Alatthews dissented. The Chairman: Why do you disapprove of itp.

Mr. Matthews: Because I disapprove of tlio whole procedure. Tho Chairman: l)o you approve of tho specifications? Air. Alatthews: No. Tho Chairman: AVhy? Air; Alatthows: Because tlio whole sting is taken out of them. Tho Chairman: In wliat way? Air Alatthews: That wo do not advertise to give effect to the resolution. AVitli all deference to tho other members be declared that it was absolutely childish for them to talk meeting after meeting, and after getting all information, to rescind the tiling they bad all agreed to. Air. Lysnar: AVo have not rescinded it. Air. Alatthews: But you are going to rescind it. Mr. Matthews repented that it would be childish. Tho Chairman : I thought you approved of wliat was done. Alt'. Alatthews: Surely I have a right to address the meeting. The Chairman ruled that AD'. Alntthews had no right to address the meeting at that stage. In reply to the Chairman, Mr. Harding said he would vote for the motion.

The Chairman: Of course you do—a very sensible man. Air.' Harding: I am surprised at the position some members have taken. Continuing, Air. Harding moved that a committee ho set up to go into the matter, consisting of the Chairman, and Alessrs. Kenway and Lysnar. Those gentlemen could fix tlio whole tiling up. By doing that they would get to some finality. They would have just the same trouble on coining back to another meeting, but if those gentlemen toolc the matter in hand they might get some finality; at least they would get a start, and the institution would bo benefited or otherwise. What they were doing was a waste of time. He had wasted a, good deal and did not intend to waste much in the future. " Air. Bright left the room, remarking that it was only wasting time for him to remain after the decision that had been come to. Mr. Kemvay asked Mr. Harding not to press the motion. Ho for one would not care to act, excepting as a member of the whole Board. As Mr. Macdonald had said, unless they intended to proceed it would only be stultifying themselves to advertise. ITe bad an open mind on the subject, and simply wanted to have the. best way chosen. If the motion was to be rescinded it would only be putting them in a ridiculous position by advertising. AVbat he wanted was to get the host services they could. He hoped that Air. Maiding would not adopt tlie attitude that Air. Bright and Mr. Alatthews seemed to have adopted. He hoped that all the members would go on considering liow they could get the best service for tlio Hospital, _ and not have any ill-advised proceeding. Tlio Chairman said be was confident AD'. Harding would continue to assist them in tlicir deliberations. Ho did not care which way they decided as long as they got some satisfactory . finality, something that would be successful. He thought the matter should be dealt with by the whole Board. He was ready to be converted if anybody would take tlie trouble to convert him. AD'. Harding: Y T ou were converted at last meeting. (Laughter.) The Chairman said lie was then under the misapprehension that they could not got ail honorary staff, and they could got a capable man for £350. They now found they could get such a board. Mr. Harding said that, as far as ho could see, the Trustees were not considering the working of the Hospital. They were just considering medical gentlemen in town, but had not tho interests of tlie Hospital at heart. They wanted to put somebody in charge who was not capable, Unless they had a qualified man there unfortunate, people unable to pay a doctor would have to suffer. Air. Macdonald: They would get tlio advice of the best doctors in town.

AD'. Harding said that was questionable under tlioir proposal. Afr. Kemvay asked if they thought they could get an honorary staff to work under those conditions. Air. Harding: AVhy is it possible to get them to act with a house surgeon ? Mr. Kenwav: I think it would act. Air. Harding: AVherc is the difference hot ween the two? Mr. Lysnar said that a medical .superintendent was at the head of tho honorary staff, while the honorary staff would be over the head of the house surgeon. Air. Harding: AVo are not considering the hospital; we arc considering the honorary staff. Mr. Macdonald said the patients could have what doctor they wanted.. Mr. Harding said they wanted t’o have a man there as _ a kind of head matron to take Aliss Stewart’s place. ' Air. Kenway said the question was whether they could get a man for tho money offered to he able to do tho work required, unless they allowed him a practice within a certain area. His solo aim was to consider the Hospital, not tho medical staff. Ho wished to do wliat was best for tlio Hospital. The Chairman: Quite right. Mr. Kenway: I do not care two pins how it affects tho medical staff. If we find on further consideration that an honorary staff would be tlio most workable plan, we can adopt it. Mr. Alacdonakl said they would have the advice of four out of six doctors. Air. Alatthews: AA r c can only get four. Air. Kenwav said he was not considering the honorary staff. He was a new member of the Board, and perhaps was rushing in where angels feared to tread, but he had no other considerations in the matter than the good of the Hospital. He understood from private and other information that tho honorary staff under the proposed conditions would not bo workable, but if they could get a man. for tho money to suit, by all means let them do so.

Air. Harding: How can we know unless wo call for applications? Mr. Alacdonald said that, as Dr. Alorrison had promised to remain at tlio post until the committee had made other arrangements, or until lie was leaving tlie district. It gave them more time to consider matters, lie desired tho doctor to be solely under the control of tho Hospital Trustees, and not have any outside practice whatever, even if they considerably increased the amount offered he could show there could still be a large saving. It would he choaper to have a man at £SOO without private practice than one at £350 with private practice. He (Air. Alacdonald) did not come down forty miles just to air some little fad and make himself notorious. He wished to sec the interests of the Hospital conserved. They knew that the. more harmoniously they worked with tlio medical men the better it would bo. Mr. Matthews said that bo had boon prevented from speaking—lie did not know why. The Chairman: .Becauso you were discussing a notice of motion. Air. Alatthews said that Air. Alacdonald was opposing the very motion which lie had seconded. He (Mr. Matthews) would second Air. Harding's motion. The Chairman : The committee say they will not act, Air. Alatthews then left the room.

The Chairman, in replying to Air. Harding, said lie knew he had made the remarks lie had done with good intention, and without thought of wounding anybody, To sav they were acting with the view qf considering the medical profession caused him, ho would not say pain, but a little annoyance, as it was just the reverse of the position be had taken up. He could not help flunking that under those specifications they would not get the man they wanted, and the desire of all the members was to get the best. Air. Harding asked why tho honorary staff would not work with this man as well as with a house surgeon. Mr. Lysnar said the difference was that one man would bo in charge of the institution and the other would not be. He would never vote for any person unless lie was in full charge of the institution. Air. Lysnar said he had stated tho honorary staff would hare control over the hospital surgeon, while tlie medical superintendent would have control over everything—lie would instruct the honorary staff.

Mr. Harding: Who is in charge of tlie institution? Air. Lysnar: The resident surgeon, who carries out the orders of the honorary staff. Mr. Harding: Then how can he be in charge? AD-. Lysnar: As regards the patients. Air. Harding said if they accepted his motion something would be done. Three months had already gone. The Chairman: We were on the wrong track. AD'. Harding: We do not know that until we try it. If we only had experience for three months it would be something to g° on. Air. Macdouaid sak. it would not lie fair to r. man to ag-or ...... ...a then to discharge him ai-; vu-lox three months, perhaps because they could not get him assistance. _ t The Chr'-'inan said ho Ihougut they could cone to tho conclusion that thev could not get the man they wanted at the salary they were

to offer. ITo could not see why the honorary staff would not work with such a man as well as with a young man from college. If the doctors did not fall in with the proposal the Trustees should have a man who could carry out the work. Mr. Lysnar: Then why this change? Dr. Morrison’s place was connected hy telephone, and it only meant a. ring up and a loss of five minutes or so to get him at the Hospital. Tho Chariman said the time had eomo when they should have a resident surgeon.

Mr. Harding said they could not get Dr. Morrison as speedily as stated. He might he hours away attending on a patient. In reply to Mr. Kemvay, Mr. Harding said .such a in an as proposed would not object to other doctors attending to their patients in tho Hospital, while he had the responsibility. In the case of Dr. Morrison one of the conditions was that ho had charge of all cases. IVIr. Kenway said if they could get a workable scheme on the lines suggested it would get over the difficulty. The Chairman said the trouble remained that, under the specifications, they would not get the, man they wanted. None of the local doctors would accept tho offer of £"•' without being allowed private prac- ' Mr. Harding said that if his suggestion had been carried out it, would have got over the difficulty it was to appoint two doctors, one a physician and the other a surgeon, to lie at call, and dividing the salary between them. , The Chairman and Mr. Lysnar thought that suggestion a good one, but it did not get over Mr. Macdonald’s desire to liavo a doctor wholly engaged in the Hospital work. The discussion now (II p.m.) took a. general conversational turn in the hope of evolving some solution. Mr. Macdonald said it did not seem worth while rescinding anything, as they had conic back to where they had started. Mr. Kysnar said he had not. He had all along desired a houso surgeon with honorary staff. In regard to another meeting the Chairman said that he would bo away for a month, and tho attendance of some others was doubtful, while if all the members were present it was pointed out there would he a drawback.

The Chairman left it to the members to say whether they thought he should give his notice of motion, and on Mr. Kenway sa ing it was on that understanding he had supported the Chairman, gave notice to move —“That the motion to appoint a medical superintendent, passed on tho Ist inst., be rescinded, with a view to further consideration of the whole question,” and the meeting was adjourned until the evening of Friday, March 1. The Chairman said that Dr. Morrison had asked for an expression of opinion on his leaving, and Mr. Harding said that it was his intention to move a resolution appreciative of the doctor’s services. Tho meeting adjourned at twenty minutes to midnight.