THAMES HOSPITAL COMMISSION.

Thames Star, Volume VI, Issue 1807, 17 October 1874, Page 2

THAMES HOSPITAL COMMISSION.

, We bay* been request-eel to give insertion to the following letter, a copy of one sent to the Hospital Commissioners yesterday by the writer :— To T. M. Philson and B. B. tusk, Esqs. • Gentlemen, —Having been requested by Mr. Honis* to, attend before you. as a witness in the case of Maurice Power^ I beg to say that I decline to do so. I Consider that the. manner in which the inquiry is being conducted is mostnn: fair to Power, and consequently the result of your .labours will not be : satisfactory. I artT'aLware that Power's wound" was not properly attended to after" his admission to the Hospital', and I have no doubt that many people who saw the first dressing operation would say the same thing.—l.am, gentlemen, your obedient (servant, T.E. Shaw. .

Grahamstown, 16th October, 1874.

In connection with the enquiry the following letters bare been sent to His Honor the Superintendant, copies having been left, with us with the request that they might be published!:— T: ,' , • To His Honor the Superintendent, Auck- • land. ■•

; Sic, —:I respectfully beg leave to call your Honor's attention to the incenvenie'nce "to which I hare been .put in endeavoring 'to appear before the Hospital Enquiry Commissioners at the Thames, and also to point out to your Honor the incompleteness of the inquiry without my evidence.., I was telegraphed to at Otahuhu oh Wednesday last by the Committee of the Thames Hospital, requesting my attendance at the Thames as goon as possible, -which place I left on-~TlsH's- r day, but did not"arrive in Auckland in' time for the steamer to the Thames on that day. I left Auckland per Golden Crown yesterday, and, very much to my astonishment (on my arrival at the Thames), I met the gentlemen comprising the Commission on their way to Auckland. I was introduced to them as one likely to give important evidence as to the treatment of Mr. l?ower while.in the Hospital. The Commissioners merely expressed re gretthatl had npt 'arrived sooner, and gave me to understand that they had closed the inquiry. In conclusion, I cannot refrain from stating that throughout the whole prpeedings of the Thames Hospital enquiry, I have been shamefully treated by the Thames Advertiser, and this last act of your Honor's Commissioners affords still further grounds of complaint on my part.—l am, &c, Maey Milgbew. ■: Shortland, October 17,1874. .-.-

His Honor the Superintendent, Auckland.

Sib, —I take the liberty of bringing under your Honor's notice the manner in which the Commissioners appointed by you to enquire into my treatment whilt in the Hospital acted towards me at -the investigation. I am clearly of opinion that the loss of my right arm was caused by the neglect of the Hospital management, and had the whole, of, the evidence been elicited by the Commissioners this would have been clearly proved beyond doubt. At the* first of the enquiry I made a request to be allowed the presence before the Commissioners of some person who,i"rom his previous knowledge, of the case: would have materially assisted in the investigation, more especially when Dr. Lethbridge was permitted to be present, to,take notes, and exaraine the witnesses : a course which I was wholly incapable of adopting. This waS refused and the enquiry proceeded with. At a subsequent stage; of the ca«S and .when I very strongly felt my utter inability of eliciting the truth I made' a similar request, but was again refused. There was no other course open to me but to retire.from the inquiry, which I did, leaving the and Dr. Lethbridge to pursue their own course of examination. Several witnesses who'cquld have testified.to the manner ill which 'I was treated, seeing the course the Commissioners: were pursuing, declined to give; their revideiice, therefore the true state of my treatment Hat not been brought out by the Commissioners. I may, how.ever, add-that the Commissioners, at a later stage of the inquiry, offered me (by letter) clerical assistance, but both from the time of such offer and the insufficiency of such assistance for the purposes of cross-examination I respectTully declined the offer. la conclusion permit me to add that I am notatall satisfied-with the conduct of the Commissioners as regards myself.—l have, &c, Maubi&i Powes. „ ; ShortlandiiOct. 17, 1874/ -..;•. '<:,