ANNUAL HOSPITAL MEETING.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume III, Issue 203, 17 January 1873, Page 4

ANNUAL HOSPITAL MEETING.

The annual meeting of the subscribers to the Mount Ida District Hospital was held at the Onion Church on Thursday evening, January 10th. The President, by virtue of his office, took the chair. Re explained that the Committee might very well take the small attendance as complimentary : it showed that the public did not see anything to find fault with as regards the action of the Committee. The facts deduced from the annual statements were highly satisfactory to the Committee. The assistance given has been not only local, but general. The Government, too, have met tlie Committee with commendable exactitude. Instead of a debt, which was feared, we have a good balance to hand over to the new Committee. We owe nothing, have paid for everything, and have the building as assets. The Committee would recommend that an insurance policy be effected on the building. The following repoit was then read, and the audited financial statement was laid on the table :

HEPOPtT. OF THE MOUNT IDA DISTRICT HOSPITAL COMMITTEE EOR THE YEAR ENDING 9TH JANUARY 1873.

The Committee having accomplished their term of office, beg to resign their trust into the hands of the subscribers. * When they were elected, on the 25th January, 1872, there was no Hospital building erected. Their predecessors had adopted plans, and accepted a tender (that of Mr. J. Morrison) for the erection of a building. It became the duty of this Committee, to devote their attention to the proper completion of the building. The work wa.s pressed forward with all the expedition possible, and, on the 18th of March, it was taken over from the contractor. ITo time was lost in providing suitable furniture, medicines, and instruments, and it was, very soon after, ready for the reception of patients. The Committee had advertised for applicants for the office of surgeon. Three applications were x-eceived, and the election fell upon Dr. John Dick, who entered upon his duties on Ist April, 1872. They also appointed a warder and matron to reside iu the house. "To render the Hospital fit for its intended purposes, it was necessary to erect some outbuildings, for which some considerable excavations were required at the rear. These excavations were made by- the voluntary labor of several miners and others, to whom the' Committee now desire to tender their thanks for their kind assistance.

The actual uses of the Hospital commenced on May 9th, 1572, when the first patient was admitted. Up to 31st December there had been rec sived into the house 25 patients, of whom. 22 have been discharged, cured; relieved, 1; died, 1; and 1 only remained in the institution. -; The particulars of diseases will be found in the surgeon's report. The Committee have to congratulate the subscribers on the financial state of the Hospital. In starting an institution of this kind, a great deal of expenses have to be incurred, which, it is reasonable to suppose, will not. soon again have to be met. The house itself, furniture, fittings, stock of medicines, and instruments, have all been paid for during the.past year. Nevertheless, owing to the liberality with which appeals for assistance have been met, the Committee have been able to pay for everything, and show a handsome balance in hand. When the Committee took office, they found a balance inthebankof £312 os. 7d.; they obtained from the Government a special grant in aid of the building, of £250, and besides this, the Government has subsidised subscriptions at the rate of £1 for every £1 subscribed by the public. The total amount of subscriptions received for the year, has been £3lB Is. 6d., besides a sum of £79 65., received from paying patients. The total amount of expenditure for the period, has been £865 14s. Bd.; of this, £715 10s. 6d. has been paid for building, furnishing, &c. The balance now in the hands of the Treasurer at the Bank, is £346 18s. _Bd. To this has to be added the Government subsidydueupon subscriptions to date —viz., £l7B 12s.—which will bring the actual money assets of the Institution to £525 10s. Bd. Your Committee have obtained the sanction of the Government for a reserve of land for the Institution, and have to recommend that it be fenced in and a garden formed with, as little delay as possible. They also earnestly urge the necessity of the buildings being insured against fire. . Your Committee have held 21 meetings, at which the attendance, has been as follows: H. W. Robinson, President, 15 ; H. B. ■M'lntoah, Treasurer, 16; E. T, George, Secretary, 20; C. A. de Lautour, 6; G. A. Chapman, 17; E. C. Smith, 17; A. M'G. Brown, 17; R. Ross, 13; H. C. Hertslet, 15; E. O'Callaghan, 14; M. Brookes, 12; J. Stewart, 11. District members—W. Morgan, 1; G. Purtcra, 1; R. Johnstone, 1; Jno. Cogan, 1. Your Committee have found it necessary to complete a code of rules for the Hospital, which they have had printed in pamphlet form, and which can be obtained from the Secretary at Is. each.

Before concluding this report, your Committee! desire to acknowledge the very cordial assistance they have received from the Local Committee at St. Bathans, and the liberality with which the people of the outdistricts generally, as well as those resident in Naseby, have contributed towards the funds of the Institution. *

Mr. Index- had great pleasure in proposing that the report be received, and Jhat the thanks of the community are

due to tlio Committee for their very careful carrying out of the works necessary for tlie first year of the Mount Ida Hospital. Seconded by Mr. Morrison, and carried with cheers. ■ The Committee then resigned. Mr. Lautour proposed that Mr. Robinson keep the chair. The Committee, as reported last week, were then elected. Proposed by Mr. J. Stewart., seconded by Mr. Chapman—That Mr. llobinson be President for the ensuing year. Proposed by Mr. Brookes, seconded by Mr. Ste'phens —-That Mr. Pyke be Treasurer.

•Proposed by Mr. J. M'Donald, seconded by Mr. T. Grace—That Mr. George be-Secretary. Proposed by Mr. Inder, seconded by Mr. Horswell —That Messrs. H. Wilson and H. B. M'lntosh be auditors for the ensuing year. Proposed by Mr. Brookes, seconded.by Mr. Mornington —That the Committee be instructed not to make the charge for paying patients higher than 20s. per week. After some conversation, this was agreed to, and the meeting broke up. Messrs. George, A. Brown, and W. Inder were appointed as the Visiting Committee for January.