RHODES CONVALESCENT HOME.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11534, 17 March 1903, Page 2

RHODES CONVALESCENT HOME.

ANNUAL MEETING.

The fifteenth annual meeting of the contributors to the Rhodes Memorial Convalescent Home vras held yesterday. Mr A. Carrick presided, and "there was a good attendance-

The report of the Committee stated that the daily average of patients passing through the institution md been twentyone, us against 19.25 the previous year. There had been an increase in the ordinary expenditure raider the head of supplies and staff, consequent on the increased number of patients. Had there been at the same time an equivalent increase in the amount of fees received, the Committee would not again have thought it their duty to consider the question of an inorease in tn© foes paid by ddrmitory patients. The same conditions were present, viz., the increased coet of supplies and wages, etc., and also the decrease in value and number of tiie contributing subscribers, as noted in the report of last year- There wee olio en incrwtiiftg number of patients from whoni no fees were received, whilst at the same time the income from endowment*, consequent on the low rule vf interest ruling, tended still further to prejudice their return?. In view of these circumstances, the Committee had, after careful and eerioua consideration, detided that the fees for dormitory patients should be 17s 6d per w«c*k, instead of Ise. The additions made to the building, giving further accommodation for patients, lutd been found mast' useful, having enabled them on many occasions during the past year to take in a considerably larger number than would otherwise lhave been possible. The thanks of the Committee were accorded to Mr A. E. G. Rhodes fc* his services (gratuitous) in connection with the investment of endowment funds, andooJlecting and forwarding interest on same. Mr C. Clark, after having served on the Committee many years, had resigned his position, to the regret of the members, and thanks were due to him for liis services. The Committee had filled the vacancy caused by this resignation by the election of Mr B. M. Molineaur. Mr G. E. Rhodes, of Meadowbank, had been nominated us representative of the family of the late Mr R. H. Rhodes, of Elmwood. The accounts showed the receipts to have been, with £656 11* 6d carried forward from last year, £2335 18s Id. The adoption of the report and balanpesheet wore moved by the chairman, who called the attention of the meeting to the raising of the fees for dormitory patients from 15s to 17s 6d per week. He expressed regret nt the retirement of Mr Charles Clark, who had been a member of the Committee for a number of years. Mr W. Han-is seconded the motion. Mr Blackburne regretted- the increase of the amount to be charged patients, and called attention to the diminution of the number of subscribers, which he thought was to be deplored. He considered that some means should be taken to put this before the public. He found that seven members of the Rhodes family subscribed £280, and then came shipping companies, banks and business people. There were only twenty-nine individual subscriber* giving £38 between them. This was not by any means creditable to Christchurch or to "Canterbury, as the institution was one for Canterbury as a whole. It, peri haps, occurred because the public thought the Rhodes family should support the institution wholly. "' This, he considered, was an entirely wrong position. The Rhodes farjty had presented the community with th> building, they had given an endowment of £1600, and subscribed £250 out of the total, of £342 16s subscribed during the year. It was not a private institution, but one for the benefit of the public, not alone of Cliristchurch, but of Canterbury generally. He thought that.; the Committee should take some steps to bring the matter before the public, who were deriving considerable benefit from the institution. The Chairman eaid Mr Blackburne had expressed exactly what the Committee had felt for years. The public evidently thought that the institution was a.private one instead of being one for the benefit of the public. If they could raise £150 or £200 a year more they would be able to do more than was now the case. Mr W. D. Meares suggested that perhaps the employment of a ■paid canvasser might Tesult in some more funds being obtained. The question of obtaining more support from the public was relegated to the incoming CommitteeT and the motion for the adoption of the report and balance-sheet was agreed to. The retiring Committee re-elected. Votes of thanks «were passed to Mr Charles Clark for his valuable services to the institution and for the use of his room; to the honorary auditor, the. retiring Committee, and the matron and staff of the institution. In reply to Mr Blackburne. the secretary eaid that considerable difficulty had been experienced in obtaining the services of a consulting physician, but the medical gentlemen of the city had been very careful indeed in recommending persons for admission.