HOSPITAL AND CHARITABLE AID BOARD.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 2018, 12 August 1880, Page 3

HOSPITAL AND CHARITABLE AID BOARD.

The ordinary meeting of this Board was held yesterday afternoon. Present —Mr H. Thomson (chairman), the Mayor of Christchurch, the Mayor of Sydenham, and Dr. Turnbull. The Hospital committee reportod that during the past fortnight twenty-two patients had been admitted to the Hospital, and sixteen discharged, leaving fifty-five patients at present in the institution. Daring the same period there was one death. The Chairman stated that a list of drugs required for übo in the Hospital had been prepared, and was laid upon the table. The committee recommend that the Government be asked to obtain the drugs from a Sydney wholesale house, instead of sonding home for them as formerly. The Chairman remarked that a considerable saving of time would be effected by adopting the course suggested by the Government, and he did not think the cost would bo any greater. It was resolved to send the report of the committee to the Government. The secretary stated that he had receivod letters from the city members acknowledging receipt of statement of accounts of the Hospital.

Mr Ick said he desired, before other business was taken, to call the Board's attention to a letter which appeared in that morning's " Times," in which the writer seemed to infer that this Board had thrown obstructions in the way of the Board of Health. He thought the writer must be laboring under a mistake through ignorance of the real circumstances. Ho (Mr Ick) had that day called upon the chairman of the Board of Health and Mr Hobbs, one of the members of that body, in relation to this matter, and both those gentlemen had assured him that the Board were perfeotly satisfied with the assurances given to them by the Hospital Board. It was'a pity, therefore, that the gentleman who had written the letter had not made himself acquainted with the facts before making statements which were calculated to injure a public body in the estimation of the public. As a matter of fact the Board of Health were perfectly satisfied with the course adopted by this Board in relation to recent matters which had occupied the attention of both bodies, and Mr Harman

had authorised him (Mr Iok) to convey this assurance to the Hospital Board. The Chairman said there did not appear to be any necessity to deal with the matter further. Dr. Turnbull remarked that ho would take this opportunity of setting himself right with the Board and the public, in reference to certain statements made as to the position he occupied as a member of the Board. It had been stated of him that he not only wrote leading articles in the "Lyttelton Times" touching the matter referred to by the writer spoken of by Mr Ick, but he had been told that members of this Board had disseminated the idea that he, while professing to act in unity with the Board, was writing anonymously in the "Times" denouncing that Board. He might say now that he agreed entirely with the conduct of the Board in this matter. He took this letter which had been spoken of as a peg to hang his hat on, so to speak, and so that his declaration might go forth to the pnblio, that never during the past five years had he written either a leading article or an anonymous letter in any of the Ohristchurch papers, on the subject of politics, the health of the district, or any other subjeot. Whatever he had written he had always attached his own name to. He spoke in the widest sense to avoid any mistake, meaning that he had not even dictated, suggested, or inspired any article whatever that appeared in any of the local papers during the last five years, the only exception he could make being an occasion of no importance, when a correspondent came to him for information which he happened to be best qualified to furnish, and the question then was not one in any way connected with the Hospital. He had no doubt that the chairman, as well as others, had at times accused him of writing this or that, but there was no foundation for it. On the oontrary, he had often seen articles on subjects of interest to the Board of which he entirely disapproved. He might add to what he had already said that they had a number of well-conducted papers in this city, with capable and responsible men connected with them, and he could fearlessly throw down the statement he had made, and challenge contradiction, that he had never written or instigated the writing of any articles in thoße papers for years past, either in connection with this Board or politics. He made this explanation in justice to himself, and was sure it would be accepted with gratification by the Board, as clearing him from the charges which had been levelled at him in this respect. In conclusion, he begged to state that he had never by thought or deed been otherwise than thoroughly loyal to that Board. The Chairman expressed satisfaction at the statement which they had just heard from Dr. Turnbull.

Mr Ick said he was very glad indeed to hear ! the doctor's explanation. J The Chairman said no doubt members of < the Board had thought at one time that Dr. Turnbull had written leaders in the public press, but the explanation given by that gentleman could not be considered otherwise than highly satisfactory. The matter was here allowed to drop. In reference to the cost of maintenance, the following letter was read from the Colonial Secretary's office: — To Mr J. E. March, &e. Sir, —I am directed by the Colonial Secretary, in reference to your letter of the 29th ult., to forward to you a statement of the expenditure in the Dnnedin Hospital for the half-year ended the 30th June last, and to request you to be good enough to explain why the cost of the Christchurch Hospital should be so very much in excess of that at Dunedin. d, S. Cooper. The secretary read a reply to the above comparing the relative cost of the Dunedin and Ohristchurch Hospitals. Mr Ick considered the explanation satisfactory. After some discussion of a conversational character, The Board resolved to send a copy of the memorandum drawn up by Mr March, accompanied by a letter from the chairman, to the Government. A letter was read from the medical staff in reference to signing the certificates of death occurring in the hospital, and Mr March was instructed to wait upon the staff and explain the view of the Board in this matter. After disposing of some routine business, and dealing with certain cases for charitable aid, the Board adjourned.