HOSPITAL COMMITTEE.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 104, 10 April 1884, Page 2

HOSPITAL COMMITTEE.

The ordinary monthly meeting of the above Committee was held in the Court house last night. Present:—Messrs. E. K, Brown (in the chair), W. Adair, Matthewson, and Dr. Pollen, and H. McKay (sec). The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. The Treasurer said he had received £lO from Mr. Weaver. wardsman’s report. The wardsman’s report was as follows :— Admitted on April Sth Mr. and Mrs. Richardson with two chifdren, by special arrangement. One child died on April 9th. Deaths : Mrs. Salmon and S. Richardson I remaining in Hospital, 3. Mr. E. K. Brown moved and Mr. Adair seconded the adoption of the report.—Carried. treasurer’s report. I have the honor to report that excepting the Butchers, every account that has been authorised by the Committee has been paid. Without authority I have paid Harrop £7. He was engaged at 20s. for one month, but was detained two weeks extra and for this time asked for 10s. per week. As the Committee save two weeks to Mr. Chrisp I did not think it desirable to object. You have £4B 11s. 3d. to your credit in the bank of New Zealand, £4OO has been invested at 10 per cent., and £2OO awaits offers. I have claimed on Government for £35 6s. lid., this will reach here and be sufficient to pay all accounts up to Ist June. I would suggest tfliat the Committee take steps to provide funds to defray expenses up to 30th June when your term of office ceases. I have received £3 on account from Makaraka.—E. K. Brown, Hon. Treas. The Secretary said he supposed the £3 from Makaraka was from Mr. Murchie. The Treasurer said it was, but he did not think it worth while to mention the name. The Secretary said he had, according to instructions from the last meeting, written to Mr. Murchie asking him to account for monies received on account of sports held on St. Andrew’s Day, and had received a communication in reply. As it was addressed to the Committee perhaps it had better be read, otherwise it might be said that the letter had been suppressed. The Chairman thought it best to let the matter drop. He could not see the use of raking the matter up again. Mr. W. Adair was of the same opinion. Dr. Pollen said as the letter was addressed to the Comniitttee he thought it should be read. The Secretary then read the letter, which, after complaining bitterly at the treatment he had received, concluded as follows :—“ I am certain that if you look amongst your numerous papers that you will find the missing pass-book. 1 might go more fully into Hospital matters re over-charges and numerous complaints which I have full data of, but I leave them in the hands of your Committee, as they are competent to deal with them. Demanding that my letter should have an early reply,” &c. The Secretary said upon receipt of the above he had privately sent a most concilliatory letter to Mr. Murchie, informing him that he did not know that he (Mr. Murchie) had paid £3 to the .Treasurer, and also enclosing memo, of accounts which he (the speaker) had extracted from the book while Mr. Murchie was at Auckland. Mr. Brown could swear that the Secretary’s. account was correct as it had been taken out of the book in his presence. The Secretary said he had not received any reply, and was sorry the matter had led to such bitterness. He thought they might ask Mr. Murchie for the £1 os. 6d., and that was all they could reasonably expect. M. Adair thought they had better acknowledge the letter, and say there was an indebtedness of £1 os. 6d., and ask Mr. Murchie to be kind enough to forward the same. Mr. Brown thought they had better let the matter drop. It was only £l, and there were plenty of other matters which claimed attention of far more importance than this, though he had no doubt but what Mr. Murchie had the book. The Secretary undertook to collect the £1 os. 6d. The Treasurer’s report was then adopted. PAYMENTS. Large and Townley (burial), £3 ; Erskine, £1 Bs. 7d.; Wilkinson, £3 55.; Aislabie, £3 55.; Reynolds, £1 Is. Bd.; Weston, 18s. 4d.; Medical Officer, £25. On the Wardsman’s wages account coming forward, Mr. Matthewson moved, “ That he only receive half the amount.”—Carried. The secretary considered half the amount very liberal. They had to consider the public in this matter. The Wardsman had been granted a months’ leave on full pay, and had taken a fortnight longer. He had only been back a fortnight when he had the assurance, without any question, to claim a u oaths salary. He considered this too much of a good thing. On the account of Teat & Friar (for month’s groceries, £l2 15s. 9d.) coming forward, Mr. Adair remarked upon the extraordinary number of eggs which were charged for. Mr. Matthewson.did not see how it was possible that so many could be consumed, when there was only one patient. He moved, “ That the account be further explained before passing.” On going through the invoice it was found that no less than twenty-nine dozen were charged for the month. The Secretary remarked that they could not have been consumed on the premises. Mr. Adair next remarked on the large quantßy of meat down in Mr. Aislabie’s invoice. He could not understand how there could be so much tripe consumed. It was most scandalous that these accounts were not bitter checked. They had to depend entirely on the wardsman in the matter. On casting up the amount of meat for the month it was found to be two hundred and seventy-one pounds, equal to 91b5. per diem. The doctor remarked that there was only one patient (Black) in the Hospital. After considerable discussion, Mr. Matthewson plainly expressed his opinion that there was something radically wrong. Mr. Brown also agreed, but thought it a very delicate matter to go into, as the papers would report it. Mr. Matthewson replied that he had no hesitation in the matter, and would move “ That a special meeting of the committee be held this night week for the purpose of fully discussing the general internal management of the Hospital.” The motion having been agreed to the disputed accounts were held over. The visiting committe for the ensuing month arc Messrs. Brown, Jobson, and Matthewson.