WAIKATO HOSPITAL EXPENDITURE.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 2690, 8 October 1889, Page 3

WAIKATO HOSPITAL EXPENDITURE.

TO TIIK I'.IHTOIt. Si u, —-11 ibserve in your report of the last tneeting of the Hospital Board, that _a special meeting is to bo called on tho !)th inst., and that notices of motion have been Riven to increase the salary account by £180 per annum. This being btisinoss of very great importance to all the contributing Local Bodies, would i l . not he a graceful and a very proper proceeding on the part nf the Board to adjourn the consideration of this matter till the meeting to be held in December, when the new Board for ISflO will have been elected? This would also "give time for the various Local Bodies interested to cinsider the question in all its bearings ; and in the lueantimo the Secretary might be instructed to write to_ the various Secretaries of Boardo of Hospitals similar in size and other circumstances to the Waikato Hospital, asking as to thecost mid efficicncy of their respective meoicnl services, also whether any them require tho undivided attention of their meclictil officer, or whether he is allowed private practice, and if so to what extent. This information, I think, would be a valuable) guide to the new Board, and might bo done before the three months notice given by 1');-. Kenny cxDires. —I am, yours etc., Jamf.s llally, Cambridge, October sth, 18811. TO TIIE EDITOR Sni.—l was pleased to notice in yesterday's issue of your paper that at a meeting of the Hospital Board the resolution was carried " That the doctor be a resident one by a large majority ; all honor to those who voted for it. Havins been at tho Hospital lately, I was forcibly struck_ with the incompleteness of the institution, inasmuch that I had to wait hours before the doctor came to the place—so long as he was allowed a private practice of three miles r<idiu>s there no certainty of his beincf iible to attend to the most urgent case for hours together. It w indeed lucky such has not occurred, I presume it would be the loss of somebody's life, that would bring those who voted against the resolution to their senses. At a meeting fixed for the 10th it is so bo hoped the doctor s salary will be made large enough to secure the services of a i'irst-class medical niiin. At seems to me the offer made to the Board by tho present doctor was a very liberal one— I understand in consideration of the increase of salary, he offered to do any private business for the benefit of the institution. Under those conditions it is quite probable that Dr Kenny's services would have been got for much less than at present, as tho public, knowing that their money was going for the benefit of the Hospital, would have been tnuch more likely to consult him. I think with some others that Dr Kenny s offer should be accepted, and that the Board should not have run the risk of losing an officer who might not be replaced by one who would give such general satisfaction. —I am etc., Observer. Alexandra, October 4th, ISB9. TO THE EDITOR. Sill, —Regarding Dr. Kenny's application to the Waikato District Hospital and Charitable Aid Board for an increase of salary, much rubbish has been written by different correspondents, including Mr R. W. Roche, of Te Awamutu, and absurd comparisons have been drawn between the cost of working the Waikato District Hospital and those of other localities. As far as wo can loarn from newspaper reports tho doctor only asks the modest sum of .£IOO, with £50 for residence >idded, in exchange for his whole services to the institution, for which he was engaged some two years ago, at the totally inadequate salary of £300 per annum and what he could make by private practice. It appears to me the doctor has entirely underrated his services and without dueregaid to the times, which we all know are well suited for increased expenditure. He has foolishly asked too little of the Board. As it is only a question of time I would suggest that the Board entertain the following additional claims while considering the doctor's application : —Ist £50 per annum for board ; 2nd, £10 per annum for washing; 3rd, £50 per annum for wear, tear and smashing of buggies and horses (seeing that tho doctor does not propose to live exactly upon the premises). My suggestions only amount to some £110 over and above the doctor s application, and as the Board would probably be called upon to meet further demands later on (should they grant those before their prosent notice), I think it would be well if they made tho additions I suggest at once. It is quite possible that I have not fully taken into consideration the Doctor's requirements, and that there may bo several items that ought to claim the consideration of the Board, but if it is merely a matter of a £100 or so, it will be found a mere matter of detail to tho generous and open-handed gentlemen who have the onerous responsibility of distributing other people's money.—l am, &c., Plethora. TO THE EDITOR Silt, —I see that Mr R. W. Roche states in his letter in last Saturday's issue that " the average cost per patient per day in Hamilton was 11-! -Id, less repayments from patients, which reduced it to 10s 3 : fd, the highest of any save Coroinandel, etc. This statement is not a correct one. It is quite untrue, and has been denied publicly several times. It is a great pity that persons making public statements should not take tho trouble to have them correct as such a mis-statement as the above mentioned throws, a lot of doubt on the correctness of the other figures,—l am etc., Facts.

Hamilton, October 7th, 1889.