Thames Goldfields Hospital.

Thames Star, Volume XIII, Issue 4324, 9 November 1882, Page 2

Thames Goldfields Hospital.

The monthly meeting of the Hospital Committee was held yesterday afternoon. Present—Revs. O'Reilly (President), Davies, Calder, and Neill; Messrs Radford, McGowan, Noonan, Deeble, Mulligan, Rensbaw, and Ahier. THE COOK'S BEEB. The report of the House Committee was brought up. It stated that steps had. been taken to engage three wardsmen in place of the present ones, whose term of notice expired on Sunday. The Committee had allowed the Cook a pint of beer daily. The tender of Mr J. Artha for a kitchen range had been accepted at £28. The patient Veil had been admitted to the Old Men's Home. The additions to the Females' Ward have been carried out. Eev. Mr Neill objected as a matter of principle to the allowance of beer to the cook. He knew that the Government in war time allowed such a thing,but he also knew that it led to baJ results. He had felt so strongly on the subject at last meeting that, if carried, he intended to resign his position. Mr Mulligan said that Mr Aitken was of opinion that it would be more advisable to supply the man with one pint in the hospital than allow him to go out for it. ' Rev. Mr Calder was inclined to agree with Mr NeiW that it would be unwise, as custodians of public money, to pay for services in liquor. Besides, it was possible that the Committee might cultivate a love of liquor in the man, which would result injuriously to himself. Mr McGowan suggested that the House Committee report upon the whole management of the institution. He most strongly objected to paying anyone in the form of drink. There was an idea outside that the patients were receiving stimulants again. If the report was incorrect it would be only right that the surgeon should be relieved from the onus of it; and if true, the Committee was entitled to know it. The Secretary quoted from the daily roll of extras the quantities allowed to the patients now in the hospital.—Mr McGowan consenting to the report being adopted, and the inquiry taking place afterwards, a resolution to this effect was moved and carried. FINANCIAL STATEMENT. Receipts: To subscriptions and donations, £7 Is; patients' charges, £10 9s 3d ; garden, £5 2s Id; Total, £22 12s 4d. —Expenditure: By salaries, £60 5s Bdj maintenance, £54 lls Id ; furniture, £8 8s lOd; sundries, £2 13s 6d ; balance of cash, £6 sb. Total, £148 3s Id. Assets: Amount due and applied for as subsidy and Gorernment aid, to 30th September,

£449 Os sd.—Liabilities : Bank of New Zealand, £432 13s 7d; salaries, £69 6s 8d ; other accounts, £165 18s Od. Total, £667 18s sd; excess of liabilities, £218 17s lOd. HOUBE SURGEON'S BBPOBT. Dp Payne reported that 19 patients had been admitted during the month while 18 had been discharged, and one died— Thomas Smith, from internal contusions and exhaustion. The number of outpatients treated had been 51. The report was adopted. THE BIBPENSEE. Mr T. Aitken, Dispenser, was granted a month's leave of absence owing to ill health. MANAGEMENT OF THE INSTITUTION. Mr McGowan moved—" That this Committee take into consideration the i whole question of management of the j Hospital, and that the House Committee be requested to bring up a report at next meeting conveying all the information ! obtainable regarding the matter." He explained that a report had appeared in the local press to the 'effect that the stimulants had for a time been done away with, and with very good effect. Then another report had got abroad that the patients were again receiving stimulants, and nobody knew the reason why. Indeed, it had been broadly stated that the Surgeon had resumed the practice in order to keep the patients quiet, it being stated that there were reasons for complaint against him. He would not have made this statement had he not been asked his reasons for moving the resolution. Another reason was in connection with the beer to the cook. He did not see how, if they allowed it to one of their servants, they could withhold it from the others. Then there was the matter of the wardsmen. He was of opinion that there was no necessity for three men. Twelve hours a day was not an extraordinary tax upon a man when he was not engaged in hard work. It was unreasonable to suppose that they would be hard at work all the time. Until he found there was an absolute necessity for the allowance he did not intend to agree to it, and it had not been shown that there was any necessity. The President said it was a matter of fact that stimulants had been dispensed with for a time. " Rev. Mr Neill said that the remark had been mado at one of their meetings that more stimulants were being consumed than to common-sense men appeared necessary. The doctor had immediately acknowledged the fact by stopping the use of liquor. He thought the very broaching of the matter would have a good effect in this as well as other hospitals. Mr McGowan said he had no fault to find with the doctors or the officers, but went for the welfare of the institution. He only asked the Committee for all in« formation that was available, and not for any report, but simply to enable the General Committee to thoroughly consider the matter. By listening to the cuirent reports among subscribers and non-sub-scribers, he had decided to move in the matter. —The resolution was put and carried by 6 to 4. WARDSMEN. Five applications for the position of wardsmen were received, and Messrs Smith, Stanford* and Cain were elected by open voting.—A resolution proposed by Mr Benshaw was carried, that the men who should be appointed be expected to do 10 hours' duty one week and only 8 hours the other two, leaving the arrange* ment of the time to the House Committee. HOUSE COMMITTEE. The House Committee for the current month are Messrs Marshall, Mennie, and Dr Kilgour.