KUMARA HOSPITAL.

Kumara Times, Issue 2541, 13 August 1884, Page 2

KUMARA HOSPITAL.

THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING.

The annual meeting of subscribers and ticket-holders to the Kumara Hospital was held in the Town Hall last evening. The attendance was much better than last year, from forty to fifty persons being present. His Worship the Mayor presided, and after reading the advertisement announcing the meeting and stating the objects generally, called upon the Secretary to the Hospital Committee (Mr L. J. Spyer) to read the report and balancesheet. Mr Spyer, the Secretary, read the report, as follows : Committee’s Annual Report. The Committee in retiring from office have much pleasure in reporting on the general efficiency of the institution, and take this opportunity of congratulating the subscribers on its sound financial condition. The present Committee, on taking office, did so with a bank overdraft of £27 16s sd, but against this amount they had an asset of £9l 4s 6d, being general Government subsidy for the last quarter, thus commencing their year Of office with £65 8s 3d in hand. They now have the gratification in handing over to their successors in office the affairs of the institution with an amount of £239 15s, subsidy due by the General Government, less £7l Is bank overdraft. This financial success is chiefly owing to the energetic manner in which the Friendly Societies’ Easter fete was conducted, and to the praiseworthy manner which the general public assisted in nnaging it to such a successful issue, hue Oc-mmiccco sincerely hope that a Itae or a .ruOiiiar a..rare v ..I ho held annually, Dur lag vhe pas; year me number of persons treated in the Hospital as indoor patients has been Co, as against last year -ii, of whom 40 have been discharged cured or relieved. There Lave been seven deaths, and seven patients are still under treatment. During the same peri-id 113 out-door patients have receded medical and

surgical aid, as against 75 treated last year. The total cost of maintaining the institution for the past year has amounted to .£995 lis 2d, the items for which expenditure will be shewn in the Secretary's balance-sheet. Of this sum £157 10s 6d has been expended in furniture, bedding, laying on a constant supply of hot water-, erecting new closets, and driving a drainage tunnel. This expenditure has been rendered necessary for the general efficiency of the institution. You will therefore see that by deducting this amount of £157 10s 6d from the total cost, it will leave an expenditure of £B3B 0s Sd, or a daily cost of £2 6s for an average of seven patients. Tour Committee have much pleasure in bearing testimony to the efficient management of the Hospital, both under our late surgeon, Dr. Porter, and our present Superintendent-Surgeon, Dr. Monckton, and the other officials. They likewise desire to thank the donors of books, papers, liuen, &c, for their kind and useful contributions duing the year. And they would also state that the grounds on the northwest side of the Hospital have -been grubbed and laid down in grass, and gum trees planted, at a small cost, which materially enhances the look of the Hospital from the Greenstone road side.

In conclusion, the Committee would remind the public that the principal funds raised for the support of the institution during the past year have been derived from performances, &c, and that although the income from the sale of tickets has been slightly in advance of the previous year, still more might reasonably be expected to be raised from this source.

A. C. Campbell, Chairman. Kumara, August 12, ISB4. The Mayor remarked that great credit was due to the Committee for the efforts they had made. The annual income was nearly as much as that of the Borough Council, which was only about £3OO more. Mr J. Metcalfe moved—" That the report and balance-sheet, as read, be received." Mr T. Levit seconded the motion. Mr W. Nicholson, one of the com-mittee-men, stated that the hospital was almost entirely supported by fetes and entertainments. Most of the patients admitted to the Hospital were unprovided with tickets. He read an extract from Dr. Grabham's Report on the Knmara Hospital, which stated that the wards looked bright and cheerful, beds and bedding good and beautifully clean, the whole of the establishment showing sigus of industry and good order.—[Dr. Grabham's Report appeared in full in the Kujiara Times of the 15th ult.] The Chairman then put the motion—- " That the Report and Balance-sheet be received," which was carried. The Mayor then moved " That the .Report and Balance-sheet be adopted." If there was any fault to find, now was the time to speak. The motion was seconded and carried

unanimously. The Secretary then read the Medical Officer's Report, as follows : Medical Officer's Report, For the year commencing Ist July, 1883, and ending 30th June, 1884. In-Patients.—The number of patients in the Hospital on the Ist July was 3 • admitted during the year, GO; total number treated as in-patients, G 3. The number of patients dichargecl cured, relieved or by option, was 49 ; deaths in the hospital, 7 ; remaining under treatment, 7. Greatest number at one time, 10 ; least, 3. Out-Patients.—The number of different persons treated as out-patients was 113. The number of attendances by out-patients last quarter was 57. [A record of out-patients' attendances had not previously been kept, so cannot give them for year.] Occupations of In-Patients.—Fe-males, domestic, 4; minors, proner, 41 ; mechanics, bush-hands, and others 18.

Nationalities of In-Patients treated. English 22; Irish, 12; Sco';ch, 12; New Zealanders or Colonials, -3 ; Geeman, 6; Austrian, 2; Danish, 1 ; Italian, 1 ; Belgian, 1 ; American, 1. Classification of Diseases.—Zymotic, meaning comply.;.;: ts chat i-.ee ii„a>c:ioi.o or contagions, 1 ; accidents, and results of external injuries, 19; sporadic diseases, which include all not classified in the foregoing, 43.—Total, 63. Causes of Doiith during the Twelve

Months.—Pycetnia, 2 ; heart disease, 1 ; aneurism, 1; phthisis, 1; gangrene of lung, 1 ; Bright's disease of the kidney, I.—Total deaths, 7. Francis Alex. Moxckton, Hospital Surgeon.

Kumara, July 29, 1884. On the motiou of the Mayor, seconded by Mr George Watson, the Medical Officer's Report was approved of and adopted.

The Chairman said the next business would be the nomination of gentlemen to act on the committee for the ensuing year. Mr Janion said that before proceeding to that part of the business he would ask for a vote of thanks to the out-going Committee. These gentlemen had devoted much time and attention during the year to the maintenance of the Hospital ; by their zeal and energy a large amount of money had been raised and judiciously expended in the most charitable of all objects—the relief of the sick, the maimed, and the dying. They had often acted with much self-denial, mauy of them contributed handsomely themselves, aud worked hard for the good of the iustitution. He had therefore much pleasure in moving a vote of thanks to the out-going Committee-men.—[Ap-plause.] The Mayor seconded the motion. He could testify that many members had devoted their time and energies at much personal sacrifice. The motion was carried unanimously, amidst applause.

The Chairman stated that nominations would now be received of gentlemen who would be willing to act on the Committee during the ensuing year. If more than the required number (thirteen) were nominated by ten o'clock, the poll for election would be taken on Saturday next, at an hour which would be notified by advertisement.

This concluded the business of the meeting.