NAPIER HOSPITAL COMMITTEE.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3815, 6 October 1883, Page 3

NAPIER HOSPITAL COMMITTEE.

Tho following business was transacted at yesterday's meeting after we went to press:— A letter was read by the secretary from Captain Russell with reference to the system adopted by his late manager at Tunanui of handing fines, imposed _on shearers for bad work over to the hospital funds. Last season about £3 were collected in that way, which the shearers made up to £5 ss, and took five tickets for which they drew lots. The letter was as follows: — " Dear Sir,—l now enclose cheque for £5 ss, which I made out on a final settling of accounts with Mr Milno. I give it to tho building fund. The idea of handing over the fines to an institution such as the hospital seems to me most excellent, and, I understand, is common in Australia. I have instituted tho same this year, but when I suggested it to somo shearers that I wished to shear for me they refused to agree, on the ground that if any employer was dissatisfied with the work done he should discharge the man doing bad wwrk. The answer to that is this:—ln shearing _ most frequently one half the men aro simply rovers, who care little for being discharged, and if they know a large flock is waiting, shearers—some, at any rate—would do bad work on purpose to be sent away, when immediately they go off to the vacant shed. The system of refusing to pay for a badly shorn sheep, you will at once see, puts a check on ' slamming.' The good man is never interfered with, and though few men would bo capable of such menness as to mark a sheep evidently well shorn, the paying over of the 2_d precludes tho possibility of any irritated shearers saying the act is done for selfish purpose. I have inflicted all this on you so that if you take any stops to urge tho plan ou flock-masters you may know the views and experiences of one of them."

Tho Secretary, referring to the £500 given conjointly by Mr Douglas McLean and Mr Slicchan from the estate of the late Karaitiana Takamoana for a ward for Maoris and Europeans, said he had consulted with both gentlemen, who seemed quite willing to hand the money over provided tho new ward were culled the McLc-an-Karaitiana ward. He (the secretary) had also communicated with Mr Kinross, the hon. secretary of the Sir Donald McLean Memorial Fund, which amounted to between £500 and £000, and he believed that that money would bo joined to the amount given by Mr McLean and Mr Sheehan, giving a twelve bed ward, which at the usual estimate of £100 per bed would bo worth £1200. Mr Carncll and Mr Knowles thought the time had arrived for vesting the hospital and reserves in trustees, but no action was taken. The architect laid on tho table plans in which it was proposed to place over the front wing of the building, the addition providing four rooms for tho doctor's residence, his present quarters being taken for hospital purposes.—After some discusi sion of a conversational character it was agreed to invito tenders for the work, the secretary undertaking to find the money. Vouchers for the month having been passed for payment the Committee adjourned. '

THE MUSICAL SOCIETY

We were yesterday shown the plans supplied by Mr Finch for the new stage ordered by tho committee of the Musical Society to bo erected in the theatre for the forthcoming concert, and have much pleasuro in gi.'ing our readers a description of them. The platform will bo 30ft wide, 25ft deep, andt 3ft high in front, and consists of a fron stage Bft deep, with seven tiers of seats behind, and a passage way up the centre. Each row of seats is raised a few inches above tho standing space of the row behind, to prevent the annoyance of feet on the seat below. Access to the platform is gained lits of steps leading from ;ho stage, thus taking up .self the entire width of uctor is raised above the o be iv easy view of each i there is accommodation •cd. This arrangement 'i-formers into tho body ;hus prevent the sound uory aud hangings. The n sections, in such a way o taken down and put uired. It is evidently .ittee to make the society usfc that the honorary well represented by all ninity. Subscribers of led to two tickets to each -Inch thoro will bo four is the honorary member - of the performers are Lvo any one possessing al qualification, and any fining as a performing municato with Mr G. J. :tor. Letters addressed ;cretary enclosing .".abolition by return mail. in society every success, nost popular institutions