Tuapeka Times. AND GOLDFIELDS REPORTER AND ADVERTISER. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24, 1874. "MEASURES. NOT MEN."

Tuapeka Times, Volume VII, Issue 367, 24 June 1874, Page 2

Tuapeka Times. AND GOLDFIELDS REPORTER AND ADVERTISER. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24, 1874. "MEASURES. NOT MEN."

Our readers are already familiar with the report of Mr. Squires regarding the Hospital expenses for alcoholic drinks, and with, the correspondence which has appeared in our columns on the same. It will be borne in mind that " Subscriber " showed that for a period of five months, one guinea per day was expended in the Hospital on alcoholic drinks, and that too at contract prices, for about 16 patients, or at the rate of Is. 3|d. each. It has been shown that this sum is greatly in excess of the Dunediu Hospital ; that, in short, Dunedin with 140 i patients costs less for drink tlmn Tuapeka with only 16 patients. We are iv circumstances to add that the Wakatip Hospital, ', with about the same average of patients, is only charged at the rate of £4 18s. for I medicine and medical comfort's per month this year for, the in. >uths of April and May. But not to deal unfairly with the Tuapeka Hospital, wo go to the only annual report of the Wakatip Hospital we have to hand, that for 1870, and fi;nd it at the rate of £11 per month for the same articles. Nay, Tuapeka itself for the same year is only at the rate of £9 per month for both medicine and medical comforts ; whereas, now, for the same things it is about £40 per month for six months. This state of things demands enquiry. How cornea it that Tnapeka so far outstrips others, and even itself, in this way ? We have here I an auninoly requiring to ba cleared tip. \ Tt will never do for the Committee to | shirk the matter. We are avvare that J there are those who will regard this call :as almost equal to incendiarism. We acquit ourselves of any love for the getting up of a case for its own sake. Nothing but a stern sense of duty animates us iv this call. It must be in-

vestigated, and. fully investigated, otherwise, the interests of the institution will suffer. Nothing dries up the springs 'of charity so effectively as a wasteful or self-indulgent administration of its funds. While some give, of their abundance to the support of the institu - tion,- much in. the list of contributions represents generous gifts at the expense of self-denial ; and to take such contributions and administer them carelessly or wastefully is to act the criminal part of one who offends, one of th& few good ' things still left in even the wor3t of mankind, and where principle does not powerfully support beneficence will sup pressit altogether. We claim that there be an investigation, and that it be thorough. We cannot forget that this is the second time ihat apparent careless administration or wasteful extravagance has called for enquiry, and it ought to be gone in to fearlessly. To the questions which have been put as to where the responsibility rests, we call attention to- the following Rule, viz., XXIII., as bearing upon the matter, under the head "Surgeon": — " . . . All money received by him (the Surgeon) from paving patients to be handed over to the Treasurer ; and all bills presented each month shall be directed to him, and cliecked. He shall compare auch bills With the inventory taken by the Hospital Keeper y , and attach hi 3 signature thereto, , vouching for thier correctness, accompanying each by a memorandum filled in to the amount in favor of the. person appointed to receive it, attaching his signature thereto, and sending it to the Secretary, together with the bill." We ars told that the Surgeon expressed his surprise when the alarming statement of Mr. Squires was made. Surely he had not complied with the above Rule, or he would not have done so. From the reading of Rules 26 to 80, it is obvious that the Hospital Keeper is responsible for the stores, and if any leakage had taken place, it was his duty to report to the Surgeon. We call attention to these points- in addition to others that have beeu brought forward in tho correspondence, a3 showing in what direction the enquiry ought to proceed. At the same time a certain margin may be allowed in connection with this inquiry, a3 we fear the rules have been almost entirely ignored. But whose fault that is ought also to form the subject matter of enquiry^ j