TUAPEKA HOSPITAL.

Tuapeka Times, Volume I, Issue 49, 16 January 1869, Page 2

TUAPEKA HOSPITAL.

MEETING OP COMMITTEE. ; On- Thursday evening the 13th instant* the laal/jneetingof Qojnj^dtte'e elated! ' ' ■in. 1868 w.as held in, the SchooUiouse» * Lawrence.. The P«e6idenf, Mr. JJastingii,' occupied the chair; and the meeting was well attended. J '""- ' Minutes of last, meeting having been ; read. and approved", '~* l ' p The $ec'retary:read:a letter from.Mr,.Meyer, wiAdcawinga.mot^uinjrefefenca, to the reduction of the Surgeon sjsalary, of which he had given notice at last meeting.' <l ' " " "• :r: r a ; ■'"_ The letter was received, and the. motion, lapsed. . v "-, \., ,f : . '"" Mr. Russell mo<e4— " Tha| board ot paying patients < be.reduced, to^ £l Is. .per; week." He said tHat^CfO-or 500 personain this di^trtct were, m-oase#of - aiclufess, in receipt of £1* per weefe^jandfithese. would be paying patients, were "the, price. ■ reduced; Mere people 1 would be able and willing to pay were the cost reduced. *\ Mr. Smith seconded the motion. Mr. Fafrer iuoved— tc Th»t the -cost stand at LI 'Bs. j" which he considered very moderate. ■ .. \ 1 Mi\ 'Herbert^seconded. , Mr. M'Swiaey said thei^e existed a wide. spread, feejlrig conaiderable -laxity existed in not insislingori payment'from. ™ many who could afford" it. - He believed that a reduced fate would cause business to be carried on. more strictly and honestly. - ■ ' ' „',"',' On the motion, and amendment bfeing; pnt, the former, was' carried' by' a' large' maj6riiy/only Messrs. Farrer ahd'Herbert voting r fopthe latter. ~ . /'■;«' Mr. Russell asked the, Surgeon if he, had tendered for the medical attenda^e of the'Eo^esters. ' ' ' v f " Dr. Stewart said he had. ' Mr". -Russell considered ihia a slight on the Committee,, as., private practice had' not been^as.yet allowed. Good feeling had always existed between the Committee and the Surgeon, and he trusted it was. not. to be interrupted. ' , " „ , Mr. Smith said; tlia.t for some time a, rumour, had beenj gurrent that private practice was to be allowed, andne thought; Dr. Stewart bladji'p^the.stcength.ofrthat, a perfect ri^ht to tender. 'WereM^a salary reduced, theyfconld. hardly reftwe^ to grant him private practice. The matter then. dropped;. . i GENEEAL. MEETHTG OP SUBSCBIBEB9. The President opened. ? the -seventh annual meeting of- subscribers £0 the -Tuapeka Hospital; and called on the Secretary to read the minutes of last meeting, twhighwere read and confirmed. . -„. , j r. Seventh Annual Report of; the Committee m& of Management of the Tuapeka Hos--Our primary duty^inrehands the management Goldfields Hospital, is to before, you '.*»., ;Ji>ill far the objects^

account L 1420 12s. <&., "leaving a balance of L 1162 17s. 3d. in favour of the Institution. The improvements to the Hospital buildings, have been of great importance during the past year. The necessity for ' water so long felt has been obviated by, the construction of a large circular brick tank, able to supply all the wards of a ttlih larger hospital— saving to the HospitJSH large amount ;in carriage- of water during the dry*season. After much deliberation, and repeated application to the Provincial Government, your Committee have been placed in a position to proceed with the erection of a substantial brick building for the accommodation of refrac : tory and lunatic patients, "which has been so long needed. : The Committee have held twelve monthly, three general, "and ."one special meeting. The attendance has been as follows :— Messrs. Smith, 15. ; Henderson, 15 ; Farrer, 13 ; M'Nickle, 12 ; Halley, U ; M'Swiney, 11 ; KuSseU, 10 ; Hay, 9; Lyng, 9 ; Bastings, 8 f Potts, 8 ; Meyer, 8i Brown, 6 r M'Clusky./e-; Hayes, 4; Herbert, 4 ; Chalmers, 1 ; Bailey, 1. # Your Committee congratulate the Resident Medical Officer on the satisfactoryconduct of t the Hospital ; and believe that "the benefits derived from this Institution' are, under Diyine .Providence, due .very greatly to his skill, and the attention of the staff under his charge. To those ladies and gentlemen who have soi&dly rendered tneij? services in the dramatic benefits and other entertainments in aid of the funds, your Committee, on your behalf,- tender their beartdest thanks. In conclusion, your Committee would draw your attention to the Financial Statement, and resign their office with the full assurance that you will' elect as your future members such genijejnen as will have the interests of this, one of the most useful institutions in a new colony, sincerely at heart, and we are then assured that their honest labours' will be marked with hearty symptoms of sympathy and. $ upport from all around. On behalf of the Committee, Horace Bastings, President." 14th January, 1869. Pr. Halley moved the reception of the report; and complimented the Secretary pn the able and efficient manner in which he had prepared it. Mr. Keen seconded, and it was carried. The report was then adopted. Dr. Stjewart read the Surgeon's Report; which was highly favorable. It appeared from it that rheumatip diseases were most prevalent in thi* district. < .. „* ,\ ! Surgeon's Report, Hospital, January 1,1868. . Number of patients admitted during 1868, 136; male, 112; female, 14; making * total of 145 indoor patients '.treated during the year. Number discharged— cured, 9.5; relieved, 18; not benefitted; 4; sent tp Benevolent Asylum, 1 ; do. Scotland^ 1 ; do. Lunatic Asylum, 1 ; died,. 7 ; under treatment, 18 ; total, 145. Nationality of patients - England, 5.0 ; Scotland,- 43 ;" freland, 25/ ; .European 10 ; Colonies, 13 ; China, 4. -Districts from which patients were admitted—Lawrence and -Tuapeka Flat, 19 ; Waitahuna, 24; Gabriels and Munr£3, 19 ; Waipori, 12 : 10 ; Beaumont/Tevioti'andSwitzerSi 43; Tuapek^Mouth, 10 ; other places, 8 ; total, 14£>$ ' The Surgeon congratulated the Committee oh the successful management of the hospital, and on the new facilities afforded by the recent additions and improvements. He stated the number of outdoor patients treated during the year was 128 against,92 in the year before. .The indoor patients, 145 as above, against 112 in 1867. The deaths had beeu five per cent, of the admissions against.eight per cent, in the year before last. He called the attention of snbfecribers to the fact that the number of paying patients in proportion tonon'-payingpatientswaaas 1 i5.t06.5. In the list of diseases, rheumatism; heart disease,- pneumonia,, phthisis,' andJiepa titte,. headed the list iv the order given. Mx. Harrop moved a vote of thanks to jibe retiring Committee and President. Mir. Simpsori-'secbhtled. The President acknowledged for the Committee., . and left^e .chair ; he was at once re-elected chairman. Mt. Mears said that he desired, before the. business .of. "the meeting commenced, to da-ect- attention to the question of fMoypfog the Surgeon private practice. He .had understood this matter would be brought forward on that occasion, but it appeared- to have been, disposed of in committee. He wished to impress on every one the necessity of knowing the opinion of pyery member of the new Committee on this important question, and to test the public feeling in regard to it! He believed that a large majority wouU oppose bo cut-throat a poli^Oiffih^|fljfl greatly weaken .the hospita^H^^^^^^ its efficiency. A Btrongg4|^^^^^^J favor of private practice #h&d^^^^^H by a few, .'but their effura>|J^^^l

Sperry, who said that Government was going to^reduce the subsidy from three to two to one ; and several people thought it as well for Pr. Stewart to have practice as to be walking about. It was given up because from the state of public opinion it was seen to be no good. There were Borne people, however, who never would give others credit forhonesty. Mr. Donovan had great pleasure in seconding the motion. In regard to Goa ernment reducing the expenditure, they should. leay^the. management to those elected-ty- tW|ubscribera,-and uiind .their ow^Jusinesß. * If they were so anxious to reduce expend ture, why did they permit an dverdrtft when £110Q,,was,,due. If they wished' retrenchment they should begin by paying up the arrears of subsidy. Mr. Keen stated that he had : heird a rumour of similar import, to the statement of^Mr. Sperry when he was in town last Iweek. All the hospitals were to be reduced, and the surgeons allowed private practice.* This .would only be a quid pro quo. There was-a good deal of Jmisunderstttnding in the affair. Mt. Government had no' power whatever in .thejpatter.. If they could reduce the salary, no real power would be left in the hands of the Committee. Further, he did not believe they had any intention of allowing private practice, as a Member of Government had only a few days ago denounced such a policy, as suicidal. Mr. Simpson : Namer the Member of Government. _„. v „a < " Mr. Mears : Mr. Jbhn'Hughfis. -The speaker went on to say that' the expense caused by the overdraft could be easily remedied by banking with the Bank of New Zealand, the Government Bank, where funds belonging to Government were always, lying, and which could be drawn against. Mr. Mears' motion was then put and carried in a most enthusiastic manner ;t; t so much i i bo that the earthquake; which occurred about this time was not felt by any in the schoolhouse. " The . following gentlemen were nominated to form the Committee :—

The first nineteen of .these gentlemen were declared duly elected, there being a tie between Messrs. Qriffen and Aimers, and as each.gentleman was willing to retire in favour of the other, ;? sudden death" was resorted to, Mr. Griffon: being, the successful candidate. Dr.Halley proposed- Mr.; Bastings as President for ,the ensuing year. . Mr. Harrop proposed Mr. Simpson. ■Mr, Simpson decUned .on account of the short period he had been in .the,, district. He had great pleasure in seconding the nomination oi Mr, Bastings. Mr. Bastings was unanimously elected. Messrs. Richards and Farmer were reelected Secretary and Treasurer without opposition ; and Messrs. Armstrong and Able were appointed Auditors. Messrs'. Hendersjon, Harrop, and Mears were appointed the Visiting Committee for the ensuing month. There were two applications for the office of Matron— one from Mrs. Dnncan, the Acting-Matron, and the other from Mrsl Patterson, the former-being elected without opposition. With the usual vote of thanks to the Chairman the meeting closed.

Mr. Bastings 26 Mr. Sjrapson Dr. Halley 24 ; „ Hayes Mr.M.'Nickle . 22 . v Richards „ Henderson 18 „ M'Beath „ Russell 18 „ Harrop „ M'Swiney 17 „ Griffon „ Meyer •37 „ Aimers „ Keen' " 17 „ Herbert „ Farrer / 16 . „ Nicolson „ M'Lusky ' 15 „ ParTcer „ M'Cormack 15 „ Abel - „ Smith . 15 ,i Henry „ Mears . ,15^ .„ Per*y Mr. Lyng, 5 13 13 13 12 11 ML r9r 9 9 9 9 ■' 7 7