NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 225, 16 June 1908, Page 8

NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

(BY TELEGRAPH—MESS ASSOCIATION.)! — e

> HOSPITAL FEESDISCUSSION BY THE AUCKLAND BOARD. Auckland, June 15. Speaking at the meeting' of the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board this afternoon, Mr. J.. Coyle mado an attack on the system of collection of fees at tho Hospital. He said tho amount written off as fees not collected totalled an enormous sum, no less than £39,000 in three years. The total waa ; steadily mounting up. In 1905-0 it waa £11,335, in 1906-7 it was £13,355, and in 1907-8 £14,058. He regretted to find tho Hospital" being impoverished. As it was, it seemed to him the doctors "collared" all tho paying patients, and sent them to their owa private institutions, and sent all the nonpaying patients to tho General Hospital.

Mr. Bagnall said Mr. Coyle did not understand tho position. The Hospital was primarily intended for poor ' people who . wero unable to pay for medical and surgical at-, tention. It would not bo in order to run tho Hospital for -profit. So far it had beer practically full of patients who wero unable to pay. Tho Committee went carefully into each case to find whether a patient could pay tho wholo of his fees or any part thereof. Of courso, looked at in Mr. Coyle'ji light, a hospital was an unprofitable institution. It was bound to be, because it waa, for the sick poor. /Tho basis of charge waa ss. a day. At Wellington the charge was 3s. per day, although the Hospital there cost as much if not moro to ran than tho Auckland Hospital. Other Southern hospitals had smaller cnarges, and that-made tho Auckland writing-off look larger. ' _ ■ The Chairman (Mr. Knight) said tho Hospital was supported by rates. If a man had been hero thirty or forty years and fell ill, aiid wont to the Hospital unablo to pay for tho attention, well, lie had earned it during tho time lie had been contributing to tho rates. Auckland Hospital collected more in fees in proportion than any'other largo hospital in New Zealand. f Tho discussion then closed. ARTHUR'S PASS TUNNEL. PROGRESS OF THE WORK, • Chrlstchiirch, June 15. . Tho boring of the Arthur's, Pass tunnel continues in good solid country, and though wet,. is fairly good driving. Tho heading is now in a distance of some forty yards, tho ground having gradually hardened from the time the surfaco was broken, and there seems even likelihood of a scotch of good country being met with for some timo at all events. At the foot of Holt's Creek, tho new site of the' power-house, the ground has been levelled and prepared, and tho work of erecting the building will be put in hand forthwith. Tho changing of the sites will mean a great reduction in tho length of pipes required, and thero' will also be a saving in power, for tho great loss of power that would naturally take place in tne run along the flat has been abolished by ■ placing the power-house immediately at the foot. of tho creek, and close to its confluence with tho Rolleston River. The original site is being utilised for tho erection of three-roomed cottages for married men.

DENTAL EXAMINATIONS. Dunedfn, Juno 15. The dental, examinations hare just con< eluded. Of thirteen candidates, the follow, ing five passedßobert Henry Barron (Dunedin), Raymond Alfred Dearsley (Auckland), Percy Ridley Hetheringtou (Christchurch), Stuart Denrden Mearcs (Christchurch), Robert Melville Smith (Invercargill) < THUNDERSTORM SHATTERS TELEGRAPH POLES. Hskitika, June-15. A heavy thunderstorm early on Sundaj morning caused considerable damage to tho telegraph line, several poles being shattered. Hokitika Post Office had a narrow escape from damage by fire, a gas-pipe in the telephone room being melted and tho gas fired by the electric current. The fire was fortunately found early in the morning before serious damage had been done. Tho weather is very cold. There has been a heavy fall of snow, on tho ranges. 1

. WAIROA PROGRESS. 'Valroa, Juno 15. The Wairoa Harbour Board has granted the New Zealand Shipping Company permission to erect largo wool stores and a dumping plant on tho east side of the river. THE LOSS OF THE MURITAI. ' Auckland, Juno 15. Tho inquiry into the loss of tho steamer Muritai was concluded to-day, tho Court reserving its' decision. -. ' DIVORCE CASES. Auckland, June 15. In tho' Supremo Court to-day, Sylvia Maj West, of Waihi, was granted a divorce from Thomas West, livery' stablo keeper, of Inglewood, on the ground cf misconduct. Gnrisfcftursh, Juno 15. At the Supremo Court to-day divorce decrees were granted as under: —Charles Parker v. Mary Parker, misconduct; John William Collier v. Eva Maria Collier, deser< tion; Henrietta Charlotte Treadwell v, Thomas Alfred Treadwell, misconduct; Marj Rachel Searle v. William Isaac Searle, mis conduct. £ / DANNEVIR-KE BOROUGH AFFAIRS. □armcvirks, Juno 15. At the last meeting of tho Borough Coun> cil, a committeo wa3 set up to consider tho question of erecting new and commodious borough offices and to present a detailed report at a future meeting. . A curious misunderstanding evidently occurred with regard to the opening of the now public library in Damievirke, as tho Mayor i read a telegram from the Premier, who was. asked to open tho building, saying that he would bo pleased-to perform the ceremony on Juno 15, while tho library had been opened officially a fortnight beforo < that date by tho Mayor. However, the Premier was informed of the mistake, and invited to break his journey on passing through to;day, tho result being, that the Mayor and Councillors met. him at the station and discussed several matters affecting tho district. CHARGE OF SAFE-ROBBERY. . Grcymcutii, Juno 15. Tho hearing of the change against Heenan and' Todd of safe-robbing at Otira was resumed at tho Courthouse to-day, when'.a number of witnesses were examined. The evidence was mainly as to accused's movements, and soveral witnesses identified accused as having l been s'eeu on the Christchurch road on the days before and after the rolibery. The case stands adjourned until to-morrow. . CANTERBURY CRICKET. : Ciiristcfiarcli, June 15. The' Canterbury Cricket Association tonight resolved to request Lord Hawko to select a coach for Canterbury at a salary of £350. • COLD WEATHER, _ Dimedin, June 15. Tho weather has been bitterly cold to-day, and heavy showers of hail and rain havo fallen at frequent intervals. The high levels round the city are coated with snow. NAPIER ITEMS. ' Napier, June 15. At a largely-attended . meeting to-day,, which was addressed by Lady fiunkct, it was decided to form a branch "of the Society for Promoting Health of Women and Children, and officers and commitees wero olected. Tho Charitablo Aid Board to-day Bot up a committeo to inquire, whether arrangements could bo mado fer eoiiio of the in mates of tho Old Peonlo's Homo to do small jobs, it liavinc been reported by a visiting membor that bo thought it was possible to , introduce such a system. *