CORRESPONDENCE.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 109, 18 April 1884, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions expressed by our correspondents). THE HOSPITAL. TO THR editor. Sir, —Your assertion that the enquiry held re the Hospital Managem nt was altogether a misnomer is most substantially correct. There was no appearance of any order in the conduct of the business, and really there was only one or two of the Committee who appeared inclined to “ investigate the internal management of the Hospital” at all. The wardsman, when he did appear, had not a single book or paper to show—simple verbal statements. In fact, the whole affair was only relieved from being a complete farce by the very evident anxiety of one or two gentlemen to bring the discussion into order, and systematically examine and compare all accounts. If the enquiry was for the purpose of “ investigating the internal management,” and the Wardsmen were duly notified to attend, why did not the Committee at once ask for the documentary evidence clearly necessary to arrive at some conclusion ? But nothing of the kind was forthcoming. Apparently the whole of the explanations (?) rendered were virtually from the Wardsman and late Treasurer who put in an appearance, as he styled it ex officio. At such an important enquiry the Wardsmun, and Wardsman alone, should have had ready tabled a succinct statement of the whole affair, showing the manner or system he adopts to regulate supplies and also an account made up shewing the general average of monthly expenditure for all classes of goods &c., supplied. In lieu of this it is simply base assertion. If there is no dietary scale, how does he manage to regulate the daily supplies from butcher, baker, <tc. Is it all guesswork? or are the providers permitted to exercise their own discretion as to what shall be daily sent up. Even if a close dietory scale is too much for the Wardsmans clerical powers, surely some such arrangement as a full, half, low, and invalid dietary scale, could be kept up, and in a proper book, so that the Committee would be able to see at a glance, that during the month the doctor had ordered so many of each class and then the totals prepared by the Wardsman would represent the entire consumption. The matter is simple enough and it is worse than childish to say “ that it is impossible to keep and use a dietary scale.” Had some such method as this been adopted how easy it would have been to check any extra unauthorised expenditure. Most decidedly the Committee should trust the Hospital people. If the Hospital people were fit for their billit, and did their duty, and fulfilled the trust so placed in them, they would have been prepared with documentary evidence, “ Diet Book,” “ Surgeon’s Minute Book,” “ Daily Treatment Book ” and other papers shewing clearly that the trust so implicitly placed in them, was never abused. In place of this the committee were left to grope in the dark, and finally appoint a sub-committee to do, what they could evidently not do, and that is “ investigate the internal management of the Gisborne Hospital.” May the limited wisdom of the subcommittee achieve what the combined talent failed to effect, is the wish of yours &c., Anti-humbug.