Thames Goldfield Hospital.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2785, 17 January 1878, Page 2

Thames Goldfield Hospital.

ANNUAL MEETING.

The annual meeting of the subscribers of the Hospital was held at the Theatre Boyal last evening, and, notwithstanding the unpropitious state of the weather, there were over 60 present besides a number of the general pubiic who occupied the gallery. The President, Mr Renshaw, was voted to the chair.

Tbe Chairman said he was sorry the weather was so unfavorable for their meeting, but, as the balance-sheet etc., had been printed, those who were not present could read it, He then called on the Secretary (Mr Honiss) to read the minutes of the last annual meeting, which was done, and they were then confirmed.

The Secretary then read tbe Committee's Annual .Report as follows :—

The committee, ia presenting this their ninth annual report, hare pleasure in expressing their thankfulness fur another year of successful work. The objects aimed at by the promoters of hospitals hare, to a large degree, been met. The necessitous sick hare been cared for, the sudden accidents bare been attended to, and tbe working men of the district can feel confident that, should unforseen disaster overtake thorn while about their daily duties, that the doors of the hospital are at once open, and efficient medical help avail' able fur them. There is very little in the ycur'fi operations calling for special remark. The Mudioul Officers' report gives particulars of cases attended to. One rulo has been altered, giving to subscribers recommendations for two out and one in-patient for every pound coutributed, instead of as before only one of each. The Treasurer's Keport shows the income to have been a little less than for the previous yenr, but as t.ie Hospital buildings and appliances hud beeu brought up to an efficient standard n tmnller outlay during the year gone by has sufficed iv that direction, leaving our financial position at present good. The committee would acknowledge tlio ready response that has been made to every appeal for funds, and are pleased at the general interest shown in the maintenance of this institution. Our thanks are due first, to tho annual subscribers, who are the main-ftay of our funds, and we would urge upon all who have not indentified themselves with us in this way at once to do so. The Friendly Societies, by their annual fete, have given efficient help and added largely to our receipts, and our warmest thanks are accorded to them »nd also to the mine managers who have interested themselves in collecting subscriptions. To the managers of Churches who assisted in making Hospital Sunday a success, to the promoters of Benefits, tbe contributors to the Christmas feast, and to Mr Andrew Dunn for the use of his room for Committee meetings, bur acknowledgments aro dun ; as also to the newspaper proprietors for gratuitone printing done, and their ready help in giving full publicity (o every effort made for raising money and promoting the efficiency in every way of the Hospital. The General Government have taken over the duty hitherto performed by Ihe Provincial, and continued the grant of £1,000 per annum. The pr<o tice followed at the Thames of raising a fair proportion of the expenses and keeping the Hospital under local control, seems to liavo given such general .satisfaction as to appear likeiy to be recognised by Government as the principle on which all such institutions shall be managed. It is desirable that our financial year and that of the Government should assimilate, and as the 31st of Dec, terminates ours and the 31st March theirs, we ask that the committee to be now appointed may hold office for fifteen months instead of a year, so that the preparation of necessary accounts may be facilitated. This will involve the altering of a rule and the holding tb<j future annual meetings in April instead, of January. To Dr O'JFlaherty we present our thanks. As honorary medical officer his attention has been unremitting. — Yourt respectfully, James Eenshaw, President.

■ Mr E. H. Power mored the adoption of the report. This was seconded by Mr W. Bowe, who in doing so said that the Committee were entitled to the best thanks of the whole community. The Thames Hospital was a Thames institution, and was deserrmg of support, and he had always regarded it with the greatest interest. He said that he felt pleasure in looking back at the unanimity that had characterised its management and all connected with it during the last four or fire years, and it showed that there was a disposition amongst them to promote all that was beneTolent and good. There was one feature to which he wished to call their attention, and that was, the endowment. They could not always hope to get such a large Government grant as they were getting at present. If they had an endowment they need not fear thai. # Ho referred to the large endowments obtained by other hospitals in New Zealand, and said he did not know the reason why the Thames was not placed on the same footing aa others. -They must be united and they would get their endowment, when they would not need to be dependent for the support of their hospital on Government aid or any other aid. He again congratulated the subscribers and the committee on the efficient state of the hospital, and said he hoped the hospital would always be in as efficient a state as it was at present. The report was then unanimously adopted. Mr J". Hudson, Hon. Treasurer, then read the Treasurer's annual report as follows:—

Becbipt.*.—To cash balance, 3lßfc Dee., 1876, £103 14s 5d ; subscriptions and donations accounts —workmen in rations mines, mill, efc. (Moanatuiri £44 4a, Quoen of Beauty £13 3s 6d, Alburnia £12 7s 6d,

Queen of the May £11 10a 9d, U.P.A. £11 Is Id, Piako mine and battery £10 16< 6ti, City of London £5 In 6d, Alma £4 3*, Grown Princes*, £3 6s, Shortland Saw Mill £3 6s, Thos. John* nnrl parly £2, Irwin and party £1 12s, OlnHerhoufl-t m» party £1 In, Prices' Foundry £1), £12* 12s lOfl; aooietiew, associations, etc. (Borough Council £2 12*, Thames' Choral Socioky £1, Thanes Stock Exchange £2, Nort'iorn Pioneer Lodge, I.O.GhT, £1 5?, PoHco Court ss), £7 2s j private contributions, £187 7« 7d ; Friendly Societies 1 deinonctrnlion and'benefits account (Miss Brady and Mr Fobs £9 Bt, Mies Jack-, son £6, Mra Enilean £2 B>, owners ©f p.s. | Enterprise No 2 £5 3s, FriontlJy Societies j Demmstration £137 13s 3d). £160 12s 3d j | Hospital Sunda/uecouiit, £67 lla 7j patients' charges account, £54 7s 2-i •, Ooyernment grant, £1000.—Total, £1700 7* 10.1. Expumditubb.—By enlaries account, £680 13s 4d ; maintenance account (meat; broad, groceries, milk, fuel, etc ), £416 7a 6d ; medical comforts account, £47 ; furniture account, £22 4» 8d; printing, advertising, and stationery account, £19 10s 6d; tniscellancous expenses account, £11 llb Sd j funeral expenses account, £7 18s 6d ; building acd ropaira account, £6 6i 2d; commission account, £26 2s 3d ; drugs account, £47 4s lid ; insurance account, £10; balance at Bank of Novr Zealand, £251 9s 6dj cash balance, £153 13s I.— Total, £1700 7a 10J. LiABiMTiKa. —To salaries, £54 17s; general current accounts, £50 17a 7dj balance, £549 Bs.—To'al, £655 2s 7d. Assets. —By balance at Bank of New Zealand, £251 9a 6d ; cash balance, £153 13a Id j O-OTernment grant due, £250.—Total, £655 2s 7d. By balance, £549 Bs. (Signed) Jno. HttdSon, Hon Treasurer.

! E. HONIB3, Secretary. To the President and Cornmittao of the Thames Qoldfield Hospi'al.—G-enllemcn,— We hereby certify that we hove oxaccined the boots of the Thames Hospital, and find them carefully kept. The books agree with (he Touchers produced, and the abore balancesheet gires a true account of the financial position of the hospital. D. R. Gb&mok, I AnditoH , WILIIAM OAEBICK, S AUdltoH> January 14,1878.

He said, with reference to the item, cash in hand, that it was not customary to hare so much on hand, but, at the time that the balance was made, the cheque for the Friendly Societies 'Demonstration has just been handed to the secretary, who had not then time to bank it. The Chairman said that they had commenced the year with £103, and ended it with £405. (Applause.) Mr Cocks had much pleasure in proposing that the rery satisfactory report of the Treasurer be adopted. This was seconded by Mr McGowan, who pointed put the great disparity between the items " salaries account" and " maintenance account."

The Chairman said that that was easily explained. In their own homes they paid more for the doctor than for their maintenance/and so it was in the hospital. The hospital staff needed to be efficient. Mr E. H. Power asked what were the items of the Hospital Sundaj collection. Mr Honiss said he had not the items with him.

The annual report of the medical staff, was read as follows :— .

On collecting the statistics of the Thames Hospital, and comparing them with those of previous years, we find a total of 141 in-door patients treated' during the year, as against 181 in 1876, 266 in 1875, and 280 in 1874— decrease attributable either to the improved sanitary condition of the neighborhood or : to a decrease in population. It is most satisfactory to observe that, though the number of accidents admitted during the year has increased from 35 in 1876 to 44 in the past year, no death has resulted front accident. The number of deaths during the year hat been 11, m ngaiust 17 in 1876, 24 in 1875, and 20 in 1874 The number of out-door patients treated during the year has been 458, as against 566 in 1876, 820 in 1875, and 647 in 1874. This leads us to congratulate ourselves on the peculiarly favorable sanitary return* of the year jueb closed. We trust the committee will not lose sight of the necessity of pressing upon the attention of the Government the want in this district of a home for persons permanently disabled from supporting thtmselves. In conolasion w# would congiatulate the subscribers upon the efficiency of tbe Hospital, and the good.service it has done to this district with its large working population. Great credit is due to the committee for the many improvements effected. These have conduced much, to promote the comfort of the inmates. L '

P. O'Feahkmt, 1i.8.0.8.1. Wm. A. Pbhstox, M.D. Annual Stat* o* Sick from: lit Janitabt to 31i* Dboembeb, 1877.—Bemained in Hoipital, 81st December, 1876, males, 15 j females, 3 ; admitted from lit January to 31st December, 1877, males, 99 ; females, 24; discharged from Ist January to 81st December, 1877, males 90; females 23; died from Ist January to 31st December, 1877, males 9, females 2; remaining in hospital 31st December, 1877, males 15, females f; number of out-patients during the; year, males 290/ females 168; total treated during the year, males 518, females 222—740. Statistical nosology :— Zymotic: diseases* treated 38, died 1; constitutional diseases, treated, 7, died 4; local di eases, treated 49, died 6; derelopment diseases, treated 3; violent diseases or deaths, 44. Country of birth of patients treated :—England, 49 ; Ireland, 31; Soot- , land, 13 j New Zealand, 15 ; other countries, 15. ■ " . . ; •: Mr Howe mored, and Mr McGowan seconded, that the report be adopted. Carried. ■* The Chairman said that the next business was the election of a President, Vice-President and Treasurer. '. .. •

Mr Bowe moved and Mr McCullough seconded, that Mr J. Prater be elected President for the ensuing year; This was put to the meeting and carried unanimously. Mr D. Miller moved,.and the Bey. V. Lush seconded, that Mr McCullough be elected Vice-President for the ensuing year. Carried unanimously. Mr J. Hudson was unanimously reelected Treasurer., .

The Chairman announced that the next busiuess was election of a general committee.

The following gentlemen were nominated.— Bcv. S. Chastagnoni Messrs Benshaw, Danes, Ber. V; Lushj Ber. J. Neill, Ber. J. T. Hinton, Miller, Mcllhone, McCJowan,, Aitken, Ahier, Bowe, Gudgeon, Mulligan, Tizard, Ber. B. S; Bunn, T. Hicks, L. J. Bagnall, John Brown, Wilson, Wilkinson, Ehrenfriedi Cocks, James Ferguson, Souter, H. C. Gillespie. Mr Bowe declined to stand. ' Messrs. Patterson and McEwen were then elected scrutineers.

The election was then proceeded with as follows :— Benshaw 50, Caries 45, Comer 52, Luili '58, Neilt 49, Hinton 48, Miller 31, Mcllhone 37, McGowtn 42, Aitken 35, Ahier 50, Gudgeon 30, Mulligan 31, .Tisard 13, Bunn 50, Chastaenon 46, L. J. Baßnall 37, J. Brown 25, Wilson 20, Murraj 41, Wilkinson 8, Ehrenfried 39, Cocks 19,Fergusson 19,SoUter 15, B. H. Power 26, H. 0. Gillespie 10. The following were declared elected:—

The Bey. V. Lush 58, Comer 52, Renshaw 50, Ahier 50, Bunn 50, Neill 49, Hititou 48, Chnstagnon 46, McGowan 42, Murray 41, Uieks 40, Ehrenfried 39, Mcllbonc 37, Aitkcn 35, Mulligan 31, Miller 31, Gudgeon 30, Power 26. Mr E. H. Power mored—" That this meeting recommend that our members of tlin House of Bepresentatives be ex officio member* of tlie committee."

This was. pat and lost. Messrs Carrick and Gellion were then re-elected auditors for the ensuing term, on the motion of Mr iVTcllhone. \ Mr Mcllhone said that there was a j matter which he liar) wished (o bring I before the Hospital subscribers, which he j had prerionsly brought before the Committee, who had, however, rejected it. i He referred to the advisability of having more thnn one paid doctor on the medical staff. He thought that a man unfortunate enough to be in tlio Hospital should hare the choice of a doctor. He moved that it be an instruction to the Committee that the subscribers consider it advisable to have more than one doctor on the medical staff of the Hospital. Mr E. H. Power had much, pleasure in seconding tke resolution proposed, by Mr Mcllhone,

Tho Bey. J. T. Hinton laid he felt much pleasure in supporting the motion of Mr Mcllhone. lie said that in Australia an arrangement of a similar character was carried out, and successfully too. He thought that some feasible plan of a similar character could be adopted with respect to their hospital. He unfortunately, however, had been at Auckland at the time when Mr Mcllhone tabled his motion before the Committee, or he should hare supported it. Mr McCullough said that when the matter had then brought up at the Committee meeting, it had been decided by a majority that it was not advisable in a place like the Thames to hare two paid surgeons, though it might be in a larger town. There had been no complaints against the present system, and if a change wag made, it would lead to the assumption that it did not work satis* factorily. He was of opinion that if the course Mr Mcllhone proposed was adopted, it would only lead to confusion, and would not benefit the patients. He recommended them strongly to " leave well alone." If anything went wrong no one would be to blame, with a staff of sereral paid doctors, and the position of the dispenser and other officers would be that they would hare to serve two masters, and to make fair to all. If more doctors came to the Thames, it would be necessary to let them hare a share in the management (Applause.) Mr Cornea said that he thought that in this case "too many cooks spoil the broth." At home all the large hospitals were governed by one head orer each department, He thought, as Mr McCullough had remarked, that they should " let well alone.''

v Mr Rotre said he concurred with the remarks just made. When an institution had been governed successfully for many years, a rery strong case, indeed, should be made out to gire a reason for a change in the management. Before they changed their course of action he thought thai the evils of that course should be shown:-;

No instruction on the matter was given to the Committee.

Mr Kowe moved a vote of thanks to the Committee, the Secretary, and especially to the Hon. Treasurer, Mr Hudson, for their services during the past year. Carried. ■ A rote of thanks was passed to the medical staff, and the meeting terminated with a rote of thanks to the Chairman.