THE HOSPITAL QUESTION.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2280, 19 February 1887, Page 2

THE HOSPITAL QUESTION.

Public Meeting at Cambridge. (BY TELEGRAPH.—OWN (JORHK3PONDKNT.) CAMiminoK, Friday. In response to a requisition from the chairniSh of the Toatoroa, Cambridge and Pukekura Road Boards, the Mayor of Cambridge called a, public meeting for this evening to take into consideration the question of Hospital and Charitable Aid for Waikato, and neighbouring counties. At half-past seven, the time appointed for the meeting to open, the .Mayor took the chair arid there were present only Messrs Hunt and Gane, the chairmen of the Taotaoroa and Pukekura lioad Boards. After waiting a considerable time Messrs F. J. Brooks, T. B. Lewis, J. S. Bond, R. Kirkwood, J. Hally, R. Davis, T. Wells, Archdeacon Willis, J. Taylor (chairman of the Cambridge Road Board), G. W. Russell, J. Forrest, Wilson, Paltridge, Robinson, Chambers and others having arrived the meeting commenced. The Chairman said he wished it to be understood that at any meeting at which he presided, he should commence at the time appointed. He then read the advertisement convening the meeting, and called uyou the gentlemen who wished to speak. Mr Gane said the idea was to get the ratepayers together to ventilate the matter. Now was the time, before the rates were struck. It was not done in any spirit of opposition ; they had paid for the charitable aid in the past, but for the future it would be by a rate that would come directly out of their pockets. He then read the resolutions that had been proposed at the meeting of delegates at Hamilton, in which £150 was proposed to be spent. The rate of one twelfth of a penny would bring £1270, and Government would Rive them £ for £. They must have charitable aid, but they must have it on economical grounds. No , doubt others would enter more fully into the matter.

Mr Russell said : I have been asked to propose the following resolution: "That this meeting fully recognises the duty, of providing for the poor and afflicted of the YVaikato Hospital District, and is 'prepared to accept the responsibilities of that duty. It is nevertheless of opinion that the policy of the board should be t;> provide merely for actual necessities, and with a view to the strictest economy." In 1885 a Poor Law was passed so that poor people should be provided for. We in the Waikato did not want this. We had been able to provide for our poor. We had sent a few people to the Auckland hospital, for which we had to pay £3000 per year. This we did not, like, and we have become separated, in a great measure thanks to Mr J. B. Whyte, but it seemed we had got out of the frying-pan into the fire. The chairman of the Hospital Board wanted to have a doctor at £500 a year, and in addition to other things, a porter to open the door for the doctor. As Mr Graham wished to carry on the hospital it would cost £2,500 a year. Such an establishment was ridiculous. Again, a secretary was to be appointed at £1500 a year. This is an extraordinary price to pay in these days. This man is also to be relieving officer. How can it be done? It is absurd. Each of the local bodies should act as relieving officers. The fact is, it is to provide a billet for somebody, and I think I know who it is. We do not want to get out of providing for our poor, but we do not want to provide Hamilton with a belter doctor than they have. I propose this resolution in full confidence that it will be carried.

Mr Forrest seconded the resolution. He said that he had been told that Mr Whyte had asserted that the farmers wished to shirk their liability. He thought the farmer's had to depend upon what they could get out of the land, and that was nothing. Mr Whyte was also reported to have said that previously the aid had been kept out of road board subsidies. It may have been so, but he believed that it would now be kept for honoraria. The Chairman said before putting the resolution he would read a letter received from Mr J. B. Whyte. The letter wsa a long one, and went fully into the question. No amendment being forthcoming, the resolution was put and carried unanimously. Mr T. Wells proposed the following resolution :—" That this meeting is of opinion that the necessities of the Waikato Hospital District are not at present such as to require a large and expensive building and staff, which it is understood that board contemplates. The meeting therefore considers any building engaged should be of a temporary character until experience has been gained as to actual necessities, and that the staff surgeon and officers should be arranged for entirely on the basis of meeting the necessities of the poor and indigent." Referring to Mr Whyte's letter, he thought there was only one point of the resolution he had proposed in which it differed from Mr Whyte's ideas. That was in the matter of extravagance. Some of the Hamilton people actually said it would pay. Did anyone ever know a Government scheme to pay? He thought not. He then advocated tho boarding out principle, and said that at any township they could provide a few rooms at a very reasonable cost. As to doctors, were not the doctors who attended to their wives and families good enough ? They did not wish to shirk their responsibilities. The most experienced men trading under the most favourable circumstances could only hold their own, and he considered anyone who, at the present, took money out out of their pockets was little less than a robber. Mr J. Taylor seconded the resolution. Mr J. Fisher said ho was opposed to the resolution. Mr Wells had referred principally to the charitable aid. He thought a hospital ought to be erected where anyone injured could go. The Mayor said it had been taken for granted that the resolution had been agreed to by the board. It was merely Mr Grahain, the chairman, who had arrived at the estimate. He could not say if it would be carried. He hardly thought it would. The amount had been agreed to, but it was not arrived at in the way stated. Mr Russell asked if Mr Graham had not asked for the rate to be l-7th of a penny instead of l-12th. The Chairman: No. Mr Lake, M.H.R., asked if Mr Graham had not done what he was compelled to do under the circumstances. The counties of Waikato and Waipa had their representatives. They need not fear what Mr Graham did if those representatives did not approve. The Mayor said Mr Graham was compelled to bring in his resolution at the first meeting. He had legal advice, and they found the amount of the estimates must be fixed at the first meeting. It was agreed to by the members, but was arrived at in a different way. They would find the members economical.

Mr Wells said it was very gratifying to find from what the chairman said that the board was on the side of economy. The meeting had not been held in opposition, but to strengthen their hands. He pointed out that if the patients wished to pay they could go to Auckland, and it would not cost them as much as it would in the Waikato if they built an hospital. The resolution was then put, and carried. Mr Gane said there was no intention to censure the members of the board, neither was the meeting held in opposition to Hamilton. He thought Hamilton was the proper place to have the hospital. (Cheers.) He proposed the follovying resolution, " That this meeting is strongly of opinion that a relieving officer is not required in the Waikato Hospital District, and that charitable aid should be administered entirely by the borough councils, road boards, and county councils in outlying districts, as tending to preatey economy and keener supervision of administration." Mr N. Hunt seconded. Mr Wells said that was the way charitable aid had been administered in the past. Mr Fisher said he disagreed with the resolutions passed, but proposed that they be sent to the chairman of the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board. Mr Hicks seconded. Carried unanimously. Mr Wells proposed a vote of thanks to the gentlemen who had signed the requisition. Carried, Mr Gane returned thanks, and proposed a vote of thanks to the Mayor for presiding. Mr Gwynnnth thanked tnom, and said in future he should commence all public meetings punctually.