Page image
Page image

28

H.—l

alone would have made me in my own mind pretty sure that the unhealthy surroundings had been responsible for the outbreak. 445. Suppose we take your experience of that week in July, along with all the rest of the things that we know of now. We know as a fact that the Hospital is insanitary, do we not ?—We do. 446.- First of all, take that particular week alone : would the occurrences of that week make the cases anything more than suspicions ?—I should decidedly say that they were more than suspicions. 447. I understand you to say that these cases not only strengthen but confirm your previous experience ? —Yes. 448. Do you base the second portion of your complaint, as to the highly unhygienic conditions of the Hospital, on any individual case, or do you base it on the general results of your experience ?—On the general results of my experience. 449. And do I understand you to say that Mrs. S 's case, and the other cases which will be referred to by-and-by, are illustrations by which you come to that conclusion?— Yes. Mrs. S 's case is a very striking illustration. I do not think that I ever read of a much more striking series of cases.

Feiday, 22nd August, 1890. Dr. Batohblob's examination continued. Witness : In connection with the question that was asked me yesterday about the money that was offered to the Trustees for the erection of a gynecological ward, there is one remark which I wish to make in order to make my reply correct. There is a letter written on the matter which was handed into the meeting on either the 13th or 14th of May. That letter explains itself, and I should very much like that it be read. 450. Mr. Solomon.] It was subsequent to this, was it not, that Mrs. Batchelor wrote that a sum of £1,270 had been raised ?—Yes. [Letter read as follows : " A sum of £1,270 has been raised by public subscription for the purpose of building and furnishing a new ward in the Dunedin Hospital, and for the treatment of special diseases of women. Upon this sum we have every reason to believe the Government subsidy can be obtained. I have the honour, by direction of the Committee of the Women's Ward fund, to request that you will inform me if the Trustees are prepared to accept this sum upon the distinct understanding that it shall be devoted to the purpose for which it was raised. In the event of your answer being in the affirmative, the money will be at once handed to your trust. I may add that, should the Trustees decide to build a new hospital, these moneys may be used in aid of that purpose, provided that a special ward in such new hospital be set apart for the treatment of these cases for which this collection was made. —Anne Batcheloe."] 451. That money was offered to the Trustees to build a hospital, was it not, provided that included in the hospital a special ward should be built before all the money would be spent ? — Yes. 452. And that was the last offer was it not ?—Yes. 453. The Chairman.] Was the first offer declined ?—Yes; there were two or three offers which were made at different times and under different conditions. 454. And the first offers you say were declined ? —Yes. Mr. Chapman : That was for building a new hospital. Mr. Solomon : But it was provided that the building should include a special ward for gynecological cases. You, gentlemen, will see that the matter was considered at a meeting of the Trustees— I have the report of the meeting here—and that it was then moved by Mr. Solomon, who is my father, that the money offered should be accepted, subject to the conditions contained in the letter. The Chairman : Was that motion carried ? Mr. Solomon: No ; Mr. Solomon proposed, and Mr. Eobin seconded, a motion that the money should be accepted. Mr. Green moved, as an amendment, " That the letter be received and consideration of it deferred until the proposed nurses' home is erected, and the Trustees see what is necessary." Mr. Clark seconded this amendment, stating, among other things, that it was proposed in order that the money should be hung up. Then Mr. Solomon proposed, as a further amendment, " That Mrs. Batchelor's offer be received and consideration of it deferred until the next meeting of the Trustees." In each case you will find, gentleman, that four of the Trustees voted for the money being used and four against it, and that the Chairman of the Trustees in each case decided the matter by his casting-vote, and that he finally decided the question by voting against it. 455. Mr. Solomon.] And the result is, doctor, that that money is still lying at the disposal of the Trustees who refuse to accept it ? —Well, all I can say is that I never- heard anything more about it. 456. But am I correct in saying that that money is still at the disposal of the Trustees?— Certainly, subject to the conditions you have named. 457. Which are that they can use it to build a hospital, provided that they have a separate ward for women?— Quite so. 458. And they have refused to accept it at all?—In the meantime they refuse to accept it at all. 459. Do you know what the Government subsidy on this money would be ?—Twenty-four shillings in the pound.

Log in or create a Papers Past website account

Use your Papers Past website account to correct newspaper text.

By creating and using this account you agree to our terms of use.

Log in with RealMe®

If you’ve used a RealMe login somewhere else, you can use it here too. If you don’t already have a username and password, just click Log in and you can choose to create one.


Log in again to continue your work

Your session has expired.

Log in again with RealMe®


Alert