INQUIRY INTO KUMARA HOSPITAL MATTERS.

Kumara Times, Issue 2772, 10 August 1885, Page 2

INQUIRY INTO KUMARA HOSPITAL MATTERS.

' ♦-♦-♦ [Before J. Giles, Esq., R.M., and Major Keddell, Esq., R.M. The inquiry into the late proceedings of the Committee of the Kumara pital, having reference more especially to the dismissal of Dr. Monckton, late Surgeon Superintendent of the Hospital, and the appointment of Dr. Davy to that position, was continued on Friday and Saturday. The following is a continuation of our report of the proceedings, after Dr. Monckton had finished reading his statement to the Court. James Metcalfe, questioned by Dr. Monckton, stated : I am a miner, residing in.Kumara. I was a member of the Hospital Committee about the 7tb June. I was reelected as one of the last Committee, in January, after the previous committee had resigned in a body on the question of asking Dr. Monckton to resign. I afterwards resigned, about the 3rd June, because I did not agree with the action of the Committee, or the steps they were taking with regard to Dr. Monckton ; the Committee gave no reason for askiug him to resign; no reason, valid or otherwise, had ever been advanced for his discharge. I never heard or saw anything in his conduct to warrant the Committee in discharging him. There was on'y one charge brought against Dr. Monckton, except that of Mr Joseph Meade. I forget the nature of it now ; it was before they proposed to I give him notice ; it was of no importance. I have noticed extreme animosity on the part of Mr. Burger towards Dr. Monckton at all meetings of the Committee, and for some time. I remember Mr Burger saying that it was an ungentlemanly action to turn Mrs Wells out of the Hospital. I remember the House Committee being instructed to make inquiry into the matter. No report was submitted, that I know of. By Mr Burger: There was only one complaint in writing brought before the Committee. I was not on the Committee when Hyndman's case was brought before the Committee. Thomas Lewis never spoke to me of the way in which he had been treated as an outdoor patient. William Nicholson, examined by Dr. F. A. Monckton, stated: I am a saw-miller, living at Kumara. I am Secretary to the Oddfellows —the Albert Lodge, Kumara. I remember you sending a letter to the lodge asking to strike Mr Burger's name off the medical officer's list. I do not know that I cautioned you that if you did so you would make a bitter enemy. In consequence of your request, I allowed the matter to lapse for a quarter; I informed Mr Burger unofficially of the reason. Mr Burger said he considered Dr. Monckton had no right to do so. This was about the beginning of last year. I was Treasurer of the Kumara Hospital. Mr Burger was opposed to Dr. Monckton. I am not a member of the Committee now ; I resigned because I did not approve of the action of the Committee in dismissing Dr. Monckton. I had been a committee-man all the time he was medical superintendent, until I resigned the other day. I never saw anything in his conduct to justify the Committee in asking him to resign. On more than one occasion I challenged them for their reasons, but I never got any. I resigned on the point of their not giving any reason. There w-as complaint made at one time by Meade: with that exception there was no other reason for asking him to resign, To Mr Burger : I did not assist the sub-committee to draw up the advertisement for a new medical officer. I was a member of the committee when the nine applications were received in response to the advertisements, and was present when they were entertained, also when a communication was received from Mr Purkiss (solicitor, Hokitika). I advised a legal opinion on Mr Pnrkiss's letter, and was on the sub-committee to consider the late Mr Warner's letter. I suggested that as there was only one solicitor's opinion against another, we should get the advice of the Attorney-General. I recollect the case of the late Mr Hyndman, and the ill-feeling of the committe and public. I, Mr Campbell, and Mr Hope, made arrangements for Hyndman to go to the Hokitika Asylum. I heard of Mr Hyndman leaving the Hospital and going to his homo. I have heard complaints concerning All man's case, which caused disagreement between the Rev. Mr Holland and Dv. Monckton- I do not remember now of a sub-committee meeting being appointed to inquire info Allmaii's case. I remember Lewis's case, a verba! complaint against the doctor being brought

before the committee, also Meade's written complaint, the last being the one that brought matters to a crisis between the committee and the doctor. I do not remember any complaints about Healey or Claxton. I remember the doctor objecting to attend to outdoor patients on Sunday. I do not remember anything about Hea'ey or Donnelly. I do not remember a complaint hy Mr Andrews, nor Ireland. I may have stated that there would be no peace between the committee and doctor until he went away. I remember you bringing up complaints often against the doctor for his manner towards you. To the Court: I did not resign till after the question of the legality of dismissing the doctor was brought forward. Henry Burger, examined by Dr. Monckton, stated : I am a storekeeper, residing at Kumars. The names of the witnesses I propose to bring forward are as follow :—Tbos. 'Lewis, Joseph Meade, Robt. Stewart, George Clapton, Henry Henley, John Donnelly, J. Andrews, s«o., Michael Heilihy, and Robt. Ireland. These are the names of the persons I have asked to give evidence. I do not know that you have beard any complaints at Committee meetings from any of these men except Meade. Witness then read the letter he sent to the Hospital Committee, in October last, complaining of the insulting language used towards himself in the presence of Messrs Rudkin and Nicholas, two gentlemen at that time members of the committee, in which letter Dr. Monckton, without the least provocation, accused him (Mr Burger) of being " a thick-headed obstructionist." Unfortunately the Committee took no action to record this matter, although a general debate took place in the presence of the doctor. At this meeting also a letter was read from Dr. Monckton in reply to the complaint of Meade. Mr Burger to the Court : Dr. Monckton was asked to he, and I believe he was, present at the meeting at which Meade's and his letters were read and considered. The Court wished to know what evidence the witnesses Mr Burger proposed to call could give in reference to this inquiry. Mr Burger : They are men who have been somewhat similarly treated to Meade, but who did not lay their complaints in writng to the Committee. The Bench held a consultation as to whether it would be advisable to admit the evidence of these people, and came to the conclusion that as Dr. Monckton had not been confronted with their charges, they did not think it advisable to admit their evidence. Mr Burger was then proceeding to read a letter from Dr. Monckton in reply to Meade's charge, when Dr. Monckton asked to be allowed to read it himself, to which Mr Burger assented. Letter read, as follows : To the Chairman Hospital Committee, Kumara. Sir—l have received a copy of complaint laid by J. Meade, and, with reference to it, I have to say that the complainant came to the Hospital and claimed treatment as an out-patient. I asked him whether his circumstances necessitated his obtaining medical advice as a hospital patient. His reply was to the effect that by his having a ticket I had been paid beforehand, and his possessing means had nothing to do with it. I did not press the question, as one of the Hospital Committee, named John Nicholas, of Larrikins, had a short time previously taken a similar advantage to get cheap doctoring. I simply told Meade, in the presence, that I would attend to him, and I deny saying anything as to his going to my surgery. On looking to see what was the matter, I was shown a finger with the skin grazed, t- was surprised that any man should come to me on an excuse too trivial for a boy to go to his mother about. I told him to wash it in warm water, and he might tie a rag round it afterwards. He suggested being supplied with carbolic oil, which I declined doing, being the best judge on the subject. In both Nicholas' 0 and Meade's cases I believe a shilling was asked for, received, and entered by the Wardsman, in accordance with my instructions and one of the rules of the Hospital.—l remain, &c, F. A. Monckton, Surgeon-Superintendent. Kumara, November 24, 1884. ■ In reply to Dr. Monckton, Mr Burger stated : There has been no other written complaint submitted to the Committee in reference to vour duties at the Hospital. I remember a sub-committee being appointed to examine into the election papers and votes. To the Court: Although the case brought forward may seem frivolous, there were a number of other cases brought verbally before the Committee; notably F-Tvndman's, which is referred to in the Wardsinan's Report for March, 1884, which ciused ilip Committee- to go into the question of dismissal. We treated Meade's case more harshly than

we would otherwise have done if there had not been numbers of others i» which the patients had been uncivilly treated. I had no ill-feeling against the doctor. Dr. Monckton then called for Henry Hope, who stated : I am a miner, living at the Three-Mile. I saw a placard at Dill man's Town at the time of the last Hospital election for Committee. It had on it " Vote for the miners friend !'' I saw no paper. I wrote on a ticket that Dr. Monckton had laid an information against Mr Evison. It was signed "H. Hope." I decline to state who gave me the information ; it was on very good authority. To Mr Burger: I remember other cases besides Mr Meade's. I also know there were general complaints among the subscribers in my district. When I joiued the Committee there was not one single subscriber on the Greenstone and Westbrook side of the river (Teremakau). I canvassed the district thoroughly and now there are between 25 and 30 subscribers. I have been round to renew the tickets and was told that they would not subscribe one shilling whilst Dr. Monckton was surgeon. That was my reason for voting against Dr. Monckton. The day the Premier was here a man in company with me fell 'off the flnming on the other side of Dillman's Town, two miles distant. I then asked a man to bring Dr. Monckton, as there was a man seriously hurt. He returned before the doctor. I then saw Dr. Monckton crawling along Main street,, and into Ben Tonkinson's house. It might be five minutes before he came 011* I told him there was a man seriously hurt, having fallen off a flaming. He (the doctor) said, " vvVll; what do you expect me to do? Do you expect me to carry the man down V I said No; we wish you to look at him before he is moved. He walked to Seddon street, till he got to his own place, the snrgery, and then walked in. I recollect Hyndman's case. I recollect the doctor saying he discharged himself* that he walked out himself. I with others took Hyndmau down to the Hospital. The doctors had given orders not to admit him. Dr. Monckton : To save time I admit civic orders not to admit Hyndman. [To be continued.]