OAMARU HOSPITAL.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 870, 29 January 1879, Page 2

OAMARU HOSPITAL.

The annual meeting cf the subscribers to this institution was held at the Mechanics' Institute last evening. About thirty gentlemen were present, and Mr. T. H. Brown (President) occupied the chair. The Chairman having read the advertisement calling the meeting, the minutes of the last annual meeting wore read and confirmed. The Secretary then read the annual report, as follows : In submitting their report for the year ending the 31st December, 187S, your committee submit that the subscriptions and donations (including proceeds of entertainments) received during the twelve mouths then ended amounted to L3S9 0s 7d ; Goverment subsidy for part of 1577 and IS7B. L3GO Is 4d; maintenance money received from patients, LS4 6s Gd (this item showing a very satisfactory increase on that of last year, when it stood at Lls 0s 9d ; rents from endowments, L"200; interest on mortgage, L!) 9; sale of grass, L 4; which together aggregate the sum of LII3G Ss 5d as the total revenue for the year, which, added to the sum of LISO 5s 5(1 (the sum to credit at its commencement), represents a total to be accounted for of LI3IG 13s lOd. The ordinary expenditure for salaries, rations, stores, medicine, bedding, printing, burial expenses, and incidentals, totals up to LBSO 10s : and there has been expended in the erection of new buildings, furnishings, and maintenance LlOl 10s, and on the improvement of the grounds Ll4 3s, leaving a balance in hand at the beginning of the year 1879 of LSO os lOd.

The only change in your committee since the annual election has been the resignation 0:1 his removal from Oamaru of Mr. Blackburne, and the appointment to the vacancy of Mr. Montagu. The management of the Hospital generally —both as regards the medical supervision and the duties which fall to the Warder and Matron have been most satisfactory, no complaints of any kind having been brought under the notice of yeur committee, and the establishment having been at all times well and cleanly kept. On the Ist of .January, 187S, there were 5 patients, and since then there were admitted, to 31st December last, 116 —making a total of 121. Of these there were discharged, cured, or relieved, 113 : there died 5 ; and there remained in the Hospital on 31st December, 3 patients. The nationalities of the patients were as follow : English, 41 ; Scotch, 34 ; Irish, 38 ; Foreign, (i ;" Colony, 2. The last residences of the patients admitted were as follows : Oamarn, 71 ; Waitaki, 6; Awamoko and Papakaio, G : Otepopo, Hampden, Kakanui, and Maheno, .14 : Waiareka, 12 ; Waimate, 2 : Dunedin, (5 ; Christchurch, New South Wales, and other places, 4. The average number of patients in the Hospital during the year was S : the average duration of stay "of each patient was 23': days; the average total cost per patient was Ll> 2s 7d, or, pdv day, a fraction over 5s 3d, as against 7s per patient last year, and Ss in the year preceding, a circumstance which your Committee regards as very satisfactory, as in no respect has efficiency been sacrificed to economy. The demands upon the institution having rendered it necessary that additional accommodation should be provided, your Committee have added a new wing of corresponding design, affording space for sixteen additional beds. The contract for the mason work, L 192, was entrusted to Mr. J. Barclay, and that for the carpenter's work. Ll4f), to Mr. John Bain, the works having been well and carefully carried out, and the new wards having been since furnished. Your Committee have pleasure in reporting, that during the year the funds of tiie Hospital were augmented by the sum of Lot) 5s Gd, as the proceeds of a concert kindly given by the Oamaru Christy Minstrels ; that the' architect for the new wing (Mr. John Lemon) kindly presented the total amount of his commission (LI 7 Is); and that nine new bedsteads, for the new ward, were kindly furnished by Sirs. Shrimski; and that gifts of shrubs &c., for the grounds have been made by Messrs. Stemson and Leigh, J. Main, and J. Paterson ; while contributions of linen, periodicals, and pictures, have been made by various donors. During the year your Committee held twelve meetings, at which the attendance of members has been as follows: —T. H. Brown, 12 ; J. Paterson, 11 ; J. Mainland, 11 ; A. Kerr, S; Headland, S ; Townsend, 7 ; S. E. Shrimski, 5; T. Morris, G ; J. Lemon, 6 ; Montagu (elected in lieu of Mr. Blackburn in June), 6 ; W. J. Steward, 5 ; T. Dunn, 4; Blackburne, 4; R. Wilson, 4; George Jones, 3.

In closing their report, your Committee congratulate the subscribers generally on the efficient -.tate of the institution, and trust that during the year ensuing it will continue to receive the hearty and liberal aid and support of the public, so that its beneficent operations may be extended to all who stand in need of the assistance which it was established to afford. T. H. Bkowx, President. J. Church, Secretary. The report of the medicaL superintendent (Dr. Garland) was read, giving particulars as to the number of patients treated, the cause of the deaths, and the operations performed. The report concluded as follows:—"I have to acknowledge, with thanks, the kind assistance rendered on different occasions by the following gentlemen : —Drs. Brown (Palmerston), Smith (Qtepopo), Roberts (Dunedin), Maunsell (Dunedin), Brown (Dunedin), Fleming (Oamaru), and Mr. Edwards (Oamaru)." Mr. Shrimski pointed out that, although mention was made in the report of the entertainment given in aid of the Hospital by the Oamaru Chrisfcys, no notice was taken of the concert given under the auspices of the Caledonian Society. He thought this was an omission, and would move that a reference to that -. concert should be added to the report. The Secretary explained that the report | only dealt with matters which transpired before the end of last year, and as the concert in question took place after that time, it could not properly be included in the report. Mr. Shrimski : Oh, I see. That is all right. I beg pardon. The annual balance-sheet was then read, showing that, including a balance brought forward from last year of LIBO os sd, the receipts amounted to L 1316 13s lOd, made up as follows : —Subscriptions, donations, &c., L 389 Qs 7d ; Government subsidy, L 360 Is 4d • maintenance money, LB4 6s 6d ; rents from endowment, L 20 0; interest from mortgage, L 99 ; sale of grass on grounds, L 4. The total expenditure was L 1266 Bs, thus leaving a balance of LSO 5s lOd. Amongst the items of ex-

penditure were —Salaries, L 373 7s 2d ; rations, L 306 13s 8d ; erection and maintenance of buildings, L 401155. The Rev. Father Coleman moved the adoption Of the report and balance-sheet, saying that the statement disclosed a very satisfactory state of affairs, and reflected great credit on all concerned in the management of the Hospital during the year. If the incoming Committee did their work in a similar manner, the subscribers would have every reason to congratulate themselves on the success of the institution. Mr. W. Bee seconded the motion, which was carried unanimously. The election of officers was then proceeded with, and after a good deal of time had been spent in discussing the proper mode of electing a Medical Superintendent and as to the salary of the Secretary, resulted as follows :—President, Mr. T. H. Brown ( re-elected ) ; Vice - President, Mr. J. Mainland (re-elected); Treasurer, Mr. J. Lemon (re-elected); Secretary, Mr. J. Church (re-elected), with same salary as last year (L3O) ; auditors, Messrs. G Sumpter and H. Aitken (re-elected), L 3 3s, remuneration being allowed as last year, the Chairman remarking that botli gentlemen had last year returned the amount to the institution, but mention of it had inadvertently been omitted from the report; medical superintendent (salary same as last year, L 150), Dr. Wait, the numbers being—Dr. Wait, 14; and Dr. Garland, 10. Com-mit-tre : Country members—Messrs. E. C. Smith (Duntroon), T. Henderson (Otepopo), D. Sutherland (Omarama), P. Aitclicson (Papakaio), M. Morton (Kakaniii), and E. Menlovo (Waiareka) ; Town members—Messrs. Dunlop, Townsend, W. J. Steward, Shrimski, Montagu, Paterson, Dunn, M'lntosh, Christie, and Headland. On the motion of Mr. Sumpter, seconded by Mr. Shrimski, it was resolved, " That this meeting wishes to record its appreciation of the attentive and skilful manner in which the late Medical Superintendent (Dr. Garland) lias performed his duties, and that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to him." Oil the motion of Mr. Headland, seconded by Mr. Townsend, it was resolved, " That the Secretary be instructed to write to the gentlemen mentioned in the Superintendent's report, thanking them for the assistance rendered to tho Institution." ft was also resolved, on the motion of Mr. Headland, seconded by Mr. Paterson, " That the Secretary write to the medical gentlemen in the district requesting them to become honorary medical officers of tho Hospital." Votes of thanks were passed to the retiring officers, and Committee, on tho motion of Mr. Mollison, seconded by Mr. D. Hay. Oil the motion of Mr. Hislop, seconded by Sir. Sumpter, it was resolved—That tlie thanks of the subscribers be tendtred to the warder and matron of the Hospital for the careful and zealous manner in which they have discharged their duties during the year. The meeting terminated with the usual vote of thanks to the Chairman.