Thames Goldfields Hospital.

Thames Star, Volume XIV, Issue 4458, 19 April 1883, Page 2

Thames Goldfields Hospital.

The annual meeting of subscribers was held last evening in the Academy of Music, the Rev. P. O'Rielly (President) in the chair. There was a large number of persons present, and the reason of the a tendance was no secret. The election of a committee favourable to the re-appointment of one medical man as House Surgeon was sought to be obtained by his friends, while it was desired by a number of subscribers that another medical man should be chosen. This appointment lying in the hands of the Committee, the friends of each candidate sought the fulfilment of their wishes by endeavoring to elect those favourable to the selection of the man of their choice. One of the candidates had caused a liat of those, who, it was thought, would secure his appointtnent, to be circulated, and requested the subscribers to vote for them. Several subscribers, to the amusement of those whose duty it was to see the tickets qualifying miners, produced "vote for" and '• vote against" slips. The preparer of the list had the satisfaction of seeing nearly all of his men returned.

The President congratulated the meeting on the interest taken in the institution, |«|evinced by the large attendance, The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed.

The annual report was to the following effect. That there had been 17 committee meetings; the number of commit* tee members was 20—3 nominated by the Borough, the same number by the County Council, and 14 by the subscribers; the receipts and expenditure was as per balance sheet presented. The cost of maintenace of the Hospital and Old Men's .Home, averaged £5 15s 5d per diem; the number of in-patients treated had been 210; £256 had been spent in improve-, ments, and various additions had been made to the building; Mr T. Aitken's (dispenser) indisposition was referred to, and the appointment of Mr Challoner as his temporary successor reported; a plan for meeting the demand for further space was under the consideration of the Com" mittee; the charge of the fever hospital had been taken over, Dr Huxtable was appointed physician, and a nurse was placed in charge; the Committee desired to record their thanks to the hon. medical staff for their attention and assistance. The report was adopted.

FINANCIAL STATEMENT. The Secretary read the Treasurer's Financial Statement as follows:—" State* \ tnent of receipts and expenditure for the year ended 31st March, 1883 :—Receipts: To cash balance 31st March, 1882, £10 6s 8d; subscriptions and donations, £150 5s 6d ; Hospital Sunday collections, £28 Is 7d; patients' charges, £98 7s Id; netfc I proceeds garden, Old Men's Home, I £26 13s lOd; Government aid, £2121 49 lOd; Bank New Zealand, including cheque afloat (£8 8s), £242 16s 7d. Total, £2677 18s Id.—Expenditure: By bank overdraft, 31st March, 1882, £535 3s 7d; salaries, £824 2s 8d; commission, £8 13s; audit, fees, £8 8s; rations, £550 3s 8d; repairs, £256 19s 4d ; furniture, £55 8s 2d : medicines, £126 3s 8d; medical comforts, £76 12s lOd; bedding, £33 8s 2d ; clothing, £1117s 3d; printing, £3 12s 6d; advertising, £13 Os6d: stationery, £2 6a 6d; burial expenses, £3 19s : incidental expenses, £29 17s 9d; insurance, £715s ; interest, £40 Os 7d; fever hospital, £53 8s lOd; cash balance 31stMarch,£36 9s7d. T0ta1,£26771651d j —Assets: Gash balance, £36 9s 7d; subsidy due from Government, £75 2s 5d ; balance of deficiency due from Govern ment, £513 17s lid. Total, £625 9s lid. —Liabilities : Bank New Zealand overdraft, £242 16s 7d; salaries, £72 8s *8d; monthly account?, £18912s 4d £6 15s; drugs, &c, from England, per ship Clyde (Ehrenfried Brothers' indent) £113 17s 4d. Total, £625 9s lid."

The statement was adopted. The House Surgeon reported to the effect that on March 31st, 1882,11 patients remained in the Hospital; during the fols lowing year 190 were admitted, thus making 201 treated during the twelvemonths. 161 had been discharged, 12 had died, and 23 remained. The out-door patients had increased by 32. The 12 fatal cases during the year were : —Heart disease, 1; concussion of the brain, 2; pulmonary, 3: internal contusions, 2 (one of these lived only five minutes after admission); liver disease, 1; cancer, 1; fever, 1; debility, 1. There had been 82 cases of contusions, 2 of removals of tumours, 2 of brain concussion, 12 of eye injuries, 4 scalp wounds, and many others of a minor character; the remaining 25 oases are 16 requiring surgical, and 9 medical aid. There had been 1889 attendances in the out-patients' room. The place of the absent dispenser bad been efficiently: filled by Mr J. Challoner. This report was also adopted. The election of officers was next proceeded with, the result being—President, Eev. S. J. Neill; Vice-President, Mr J. McGowan; Treasurer, Mr 0. Abier. Thirty-one candidates for election as committee-men were nominated, and the following were elected; the number- of, votes polled by each follows their names : —Eev. W. Calder 110, E. T. Wildman* 97, J. Benshaw 96, Rev. P. O'Reilly 91, Rev. H. Bull 84, J. Marshall 81, J. W. Hall 86, Eev. 0. E, Barley 76, J. Stone 71, T. Radford 67, L. Ehrenfried 68, J. Mennie 64, Dr Kilgour 64, G. Lawlor 63. The unsuccessful candidates and the numbers polled by them were :—Green. ville 24, A. Aitken 38, T. Veale 5,5, S, 0, Schofield 54, L. J. Bagnall 57, W, Plant 14, McLaren 28, Gillespie 49, Mulligan 39, N. Taylor 25, A. D. Potterton 49, S. C. Maoky 37, T. Bawdon 32, B. S. McFarlane 21, and W. Creighton 32. Dr. Kilgour proposed Mr Kenrick as a candidate, stating that it was uoderitood

when the Government promisad aid to the Hospital, illr Kenriclr was to represent them on the Committee. Mr Bagnall asked that the President would rule as to whether Mr Kenrick, who, as Dr. Kilgour had stated was not a subscriber, was eligible for election on the Committee. The money paid by Government had been taken from the Borough and Connty subsidies, who were represented by three" members each. It was a pity Mr Kenrick was not a subscriber as he would make an excellent member of committee, The President ruled i hat he was not eligible. Messrs Gellion and Gillespie were re* elected auditors. Votes of thanks to the retiring officers, and to Mr Curtis for the gratuitous use of the hall were passed, aud the meeting closed.