HOSPITAL AND CHARITABLE AID BOARD.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1504, 11 December 1878, Page 3

HOSPITAL AND CHARITABLE AID BOARD.

TUKBDAY, DBCBMBEB 10. The usual weekly meeting of this body was held at the Hospital at, 7 p.m. Present, tho Mayors of Christchurch (chairman), and Sydenham, Dr. Turnbull, and Mr W. Montgomery. Tho Chairman stated that ho had seen the engineer, who had received instructions from tho Government to have the place painted, to improve the kitchen, and make other small and necessary additions to the Hospital, and to remove the dead houso. The Govemmont did not purpose to put up a lecture room at present. The Chairman stated that the two lads injured on tho railway wore apprentices to Government carpenters. Dr. Turnbull suggested that the account should be sent to the Government. Mr March said ho did not think the railway had any funds to pay their medical attendance. Dr. Turnbull would at any rate send notice to the Government that they would be expected to pay. The Chairman thought it was evident they were Government apprentices, and the Government ought to bo looked to for payment.

It was resolved to communicate with the railway department on the subject.

The Chairman said he had received no reply from the Government on the question of nominating two extra members of the Board, viz., the Mayors of Christchurch and Sydenham.

LETTEB PBOM THE GOVEBNMENT. The following letter was read: — Colonial Secretary's Office, Wellington, December 2nd, 1878. Sir—l have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 13th ult., on behalf of the Charitable Aid and Hospital Board, and to thank you for the information and suggestions contained therein.

The Government concurs with your suggestion that the counties between Eangitata and Hurunui rivers, under present circumstances, should contribute to the charitable aid and hospital expenditure of the Central Christchurch Board, and that that Board should, at all events to a large extent, be nominated by the local bodies within those limits ; but I venture to express a hope that before long the two institutions may be separated, and that charitable aid be made to rest chiefly upon the basis, and be measured by the amount, of voluntary benevolent contributions.

If in reply to a circular lately sent by the Colonial Treasurer to the several local bodies, the Amuri and Cheviot Counties are suggested by the Board, or themselves elect, to contribute to the Christchurch rather than the Nelson, Picton, or Blenheim Hospitals, the Government will make no objection. After some hesitation the Government has decided to include the Akaroa Borough and County among the list of contributors as a temporary measure, but should those local bodies extend the present cottage hospital so as to meet tho requirements of the local sick, they Bhould be afforded every facility to provide independently and locally for their own hospital. At present the expenses of the Akaroa Hospital will be charged to the Christchurch Hospital, to which any deductions from their subsidies will be paid. It now remains to provide for this new Board, to be nominated by the local bodies contributing. The question of tho proportionate representation of the several local bodies, is one which I trust, after communicating the contents of this letter to each, they will have no difficulty in settling on an equitable footing before the new year, at which time it would be convenient, if practicable for the new Board to take over its duties. I take this opportunity of adding a few remarks on the general subject. Government recognises a very great difference between the two branches of the charitable institutions.

With regard to the Charitable Aid Board, the present system is in the opinion of Government open to the objection that it has no tendency to encourage private and voluntary benevolence and amounts to a recognition of a right to charitable relief which is the objectionable feature of the English poor laws, and practically creates a clas3 of professional paupers. It would, therefore, be more satisfactory if heteafter the two branches could be separated and kept distinct, and that at least the Charitable Aid committee included some representation of the body of individual voluntary subscribers. In relation to this part of the subject, Government would gladly see some such effort made by the Board as I learned was in contemplation .by it/to stimulate that spirit of local benevolence which has throughout the colony been readily awakened at the first serious appeal. But as local management or a system likely to produce successful administration is the first object of Government, if the views above expressed do not meet with the concurrence of the Board and inhabitants of the provincial district I shall be happy to co-operate with any committee which is of a purely local character, constituted in such a manner as to command local confidence. The suggestion by the Board that population should form the basis of deductions from subsidies possesess great value, and will hereafter be considered. But meanwhile the law compels the Government to proceed on the basis of the proportion of the respective subsidies to actual cost, and therefore it has at present no voice in the matter. While these arrangements are being made I must point out that they are not the most advantageous in a pecuniary sense that the district can adopt under the existing law, and are, therefore, I trust, on'y temporary in their character. If the Boards when constituted will undertake the management and control of these institutions on the plan of the 6th clause of the Financial Arrangements Act of this year, half of the entire cost will fall upon local funds instead of the whole, and it will be for the Boards or committees to invite voluntary subscriptions and to arrange with the local bodies as to the contributions from their funds in such proportions as they may mutually deem reasonable and fair. This system is found to work well in practice elsewhere where it has been adopted, and being for the benefit of the localities in a financial senso, it_ is to be hoped may prove a success when carried out in Canterbury. Should this system hereafter be adopted by the Board, any difficulties with the local bodies where the Act is not in force in relation to their respective contributions is fully provided for by clause 8 of the Financial Arrangements Act, 1878, which lays down the course to be pursued by the Colonial Treasurer under such circumstances.

I have the honor to be, sir, Your most obedient servant, G. S. Whitmore. It was resolved to consider the letter at the next meeting of the Board. It was reported that during the week there had been twenty-three admissions to and twelve discharges from the Hospital. A long and acrimonious discussion took place as to the duties of the various officers of the Board with a view to more clearly defining those duties. Mr Montgomery moved—" That until new regulations be made all written communications of the secretary, Mr March, given to the house steward be strictly attended to." Dr. Turnbull moved—" That the orders of the Board communicated to the house steward in writing by the secretary be strictly attended to."

Seconded by Mr Booth and agreed to. Mr ChiH.ern then handed in his report, showing twenty-three admissions during the week.

Dr. Turnbull said if the counties would not pay subsidies they should at least pay for the medical attendance of those patients who were admitted into the institution from those counties. The House Surgeon stated that he received notes from different doctors to admit certain persons into the Hospital. He was not guided by such notes, but usually made enquiries and acted on his own responsibility. The Chairman suggested that a circular should be sent to all the surgeons in the province, pointing out that the hospital was only for those persons who had no homes, and could not pay. It was resolved that the chairman should draw np a short circular by the next meeting. The report of Dr. Powell was read, stating that a successful operation had been performed upon a patient named Jordan for double cataract. He would bo able to leave the hospital in about three weeks. It was stated that Mr $. Parkcrson had sent in that day a large dish of strawberries for the patients. The House Surgeon said it was disgraceful the way things were brought into the hospital, which patients eat surreptitiously. Food of all kinds was brought in unknown to the authorities. There had been fowls, kits of oranges, vegetables, &c, so that the hospital was made a kind of store for provisions of all kinds. That day there had been puddings, tarts, lettuces, vegetables, fowls, &c, stopped by the gatekeeper, whose house was a perfect storeroom. One young girl in the hospital had been eating about two ounces of coffoe a day, and it was impossible to tell what was the matter with her till the discovery was made. It was strictly against the rules of the institution that anything should be allowed to be brought in to the patients without the permission of the house surgeon. Discusoion was then resumed on the subject of the authority of the house surgeon and the house steward. The discussion assumed a very unpleasant tone. It, was resolved to hold a special meeting, to consider the rules of the Hospital, which it was stated were not now what they ought to be.

Tho secretary was instructed to write to the Government on the subject of gazetting tho members of tho Board, and to say that they would not act unless they were gazetted.

The Chairman said he should not attend another meeting unlrss such gazetting previously took place. Ho believed that was the reason that Mr John E. Brown was not prpsent that evening.

After transacting some other business the Board adjourned at a quarter-past eleven until four o'clock next Tuesday afternoon.