A QUESTION OF DUTY.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8558, 17 October 1907, Page 5

A QUESTION OF DUTY.

HOSPITAL TRUSTEES AND BENEVOLENT SOCIETY. Aj difference of opinion, with regard j to the treatment of poor patients when leaving the Hospital, between the Benevolent Trustees and the Masterton Hospital Trustees, has on many occasions been apparent, and the latest incident, in this connnection occurred at the meeting of the Hos« pital Trustees, yesterday morning, upon receipt of the following com munical ion from the Secretary of the Benevolent Society : "I have been instructed by the Chairman of the North Wairarapa Benevolent Society to call your attention fc'o the case of Mr Daly, who was discharged from the Hospital on Saturday, 12th inst., in the rain, without a penr.y in his pocket to provide him with accommodation or a bite to eat, and who had to apply to tin's Society for assistance, and would ask if it is not possible for your Trustees, in future cases.' to see that some provision is made for I penniless patients, when they are ' discharged from your institution, mo>'e especially when they are discharged on a cold and wet day like Saturday, and too late in the day to give them a chance of getting em- - ployment, to provide means to obtain food and shelter for the night." The s< cretary, Mr J. C. Boddington, stated that on various occasions he had found that the Benevolent Society was not the easiest of bodies to co-operate with in matters of the kind under notice. Advances by the Hospital Trustees had more than once been turned aside by the Benevolent Society. Dr. Hosking said that there had been nothing the matter with the patient referred to. He had been only resting in the Hospital, and when his bed was wanted for another patient he had to go. It was impossible to keep convalescent cases in -—flgfche Hospital when urgent cases came Another thing, if the Trustees Waited for a fine day on which to turn but patients, the Hospital would be overcrowded. The Chnirman (Mr A. W. Hogg, M.H.R.) said it was decidedly the duty of the Benevolent Trustees to —-Ugnd to patients in poor circurn*ssßces when they came out of the Hospital. The Secretary was instructed to inform the Benevolent Society when cases like the one in question were « dismissed from the Hospital, so that the latter body might carry out their duty arid render assistance.