Thames Goldfield Hospital.

Thames Star, Volume IX, Issue 3060, 5 December 1878, Page 2

Thames Goldfield Hospital.

The usual monthly meeting of the Committee of this Institution was held at the Salutation Hotel yesterday afternoon. Present—Mr J. Frater (President), Mr McCullough (Vice President), Mr J. Hudson (Hon. Treasurer), the Revs. E. S. Bunn and J. T. Hinton, Messrs McGowan, Ehrenfried, Wilson, Mulligan, Renshaw, D. Miller, Murray. APOLOGIES. The absence of the Rev. S. 0. Neil], Mr Da vies, and Rev. Father O'Reilly was apologised for. MINUTES. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed ; also the minutes of the special meetings re' the Hospital Demonstration and Charitable Aid. DEMONBTBATION. The President said with reference to the prizes for the Demonstration that at a meeting of the Friendly Societies there was evidently a feeling that the £30 guaranteed for,prizes by the Committee would not be sufficient, and, on behalf of the Hospital Committee, he had guaranteed an additional five pounds. Himßelf and the Secretary had divided the town* ship into collecting districts. The action of the President was approved of. The Secretary reported that there was about £27 collected for prizes. There were several sums yet to come in. It was decided to leave this matter in the hands of the President. The President said that at present there were only about 11 patients in the male ward, and they had beds for about 36 patients. Those who were present at the meeting at the Borough Council Chambers would know that the Council were anxious to know how many old men could be taken into the Hospital, as they did not wish to incur the expense of sending them to Auckland. It was only a temporary arrangement. The Rev. J. T. Hintrn proposed that the Council be notified that the Committee can permit three or four pld men to be admitted into the Hospital. Mr Renshaw seconded. Mr Miller moved, as an amendment, and Mr Ehrenfried seconded, that no limit be put to the number of the old men admitted to the Hospital, provided there is room. The amendment was carried by seven to two. CHAMTABLB AID. The President read the report of the Charitable Aid Committee to the Borough. Council. He said that after the conference of the Committee with the Council, the sub-committee 1 had concluded the purchase of Mr Dodd's property, abutting the Hospital ground, for a sum of £280. He considered that it would be very desirable to acquire as much of this block as possible. Mr Hall was willing to dispose of his property for £450, and he thought Mr Fleming and Mr Nahe's property could easily be acquired. When they had the Old Men'sbnd Old Women's Refuge they would need all the room they could get. Mr I McCullough said he thought Mr Nahe could be induced to make his property a present to the Hospital. He thought the matter should be left to the' sub-committee. ,

MrEhrenfried proposed and the EeT. J. T. Hinton seconded that the matter be left to the ■abcommittee. Carried.

The Rev. J. T. Hinton moved that the Committee agree:to take charge of the Old People's fiefuge. Mr Renshaw seconded. Carried. - ;

Mr Eenshaw moved that a special meeting of the Committee be held after the next usual monthly meeting of the Committee, for the purpose of altering the rules so as to enable the Council to.' nominate three members of the Committee. . Mr McCullough seconded. Carried. . HOUSE COMMITTEE'S BEFOBT. The report of the House Committee was read as follows : —" The House Committee for the past month beg to report having examined the accounts now presented for payment, and find them correct: Salaries £56 2s, and general accounts £40 6s lid. The general management of the hospital has been quite satisfactory; and there, hare been no complaints from either patients or the servants.' 1 - - The report was adopted on the motion of Mr Miller seconded by Mr McCullough. HON. TBIASUBKB's BEPOBT. The report of the Hod. Treasurer was read as follows: —"Receipts.—Dr.: To balance forward, £465 17s 3d ; subscript tions, £12; patients' charges, £24 6d— £502 7s 3d. Expenditure.—Cr.: By salaries, £64 15s; maintenance, £41 Is Id; medicinal comforts, £4; drugs and appliances, £7 4s 6d; funerals, £2 7s ; building and repairs. £2 13s 6d; printing and stationary, £,3 15s; commission, £1 Is 6d; miscellaneous expenses, Is 6d; balance, £375 7s 2d—£so2 7s 3d. Liabilities and assets. —To salaries, £56 2s; general accounts, £40 5s lid; balance, £278 19s 4d—£375 7s 3d. By bank balance, £375 7s 3d—£375 5s 3d."

With reference to the large item " patients' charges," the President stated that Mr Kilgour, who had been in the Hospital, had donated £20 under the head of " patients' charges." The report was adopted on the motion of Mr Mulligan, seconded by Mr Ehrenfried.

HOUSE SUBGHSON's BEFOBT.

The report of the House Surgeon was react as follows: — "The number of patients in the Hospital still continues low. In fact, if the cases suitable for an Old Man's Kefuge were deducted from the total the remainder would be small. This being so, a question arises as to whether a saving might be effected bj employing one wards roan for day duty continuously, and getting some elderly person as night watchman, instead of a Second wardsmanP The boy Samuel Bobinson is becoming perfectly helpless. Latterly, when he used to walk on the verandah, he would sometimes forget he was under the view of the public. I would recommend his removal to some institution more suitable than this for the treatment of his particular case." . The report was received on the motion; of Mr McGowan.

On the motion of Mr Henshaw it was resolved that the. matter-of Bobinson be left in the bands of the President and the Surgeon, and it was decided to take no action on the recommendation re the wardsman.

TENPKBS.

Tenders for the six monthly supplies to the Hospital were opened as follows:—

Groceries: Tenders were received from Messrs Hewin Bros, and W. Deeble. The latter being tbe lowest was accepted. Meat: Tenders were received from Dalziel, Bobbett and Townsend. The tender of the former was accepted. Bread: Tenders were received from Peek, Forgie and Bollerson and Son. The tender of the latter was accepted. Milk: Tenders were received from Hirk and Williams. The tender of the latter was accepted. Tenders for washing were received from Mrs O'Brien and Mrs Clark, and the tender of the latter was accepted. Funerals: Tenders were received''from Twentyman and Cocks (informal). The tender of. the former, though the highest, was accepted. HOTTBE COMMITTEE. The following gentlemen were appointed House Committee for the ensuing month: —The Revs. Father O'Reilly and R. 8. Bunn, Messrs Aitken and Bensbaw. This concluded the business. ,