THE WELLINGTON HOSPITAL.

Evening Post, Volume XX, Issue 280, 30 November 1880, Page 3

THE WELLINGTON HOSPITAL.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE EVENING POST. Sir — From the unsatisfactory manner in which the recent investigation was at first conducted by his Worship the Mayor, and subsequent conclusions arrived at by the Hospital Committee of Enquiry, re charges against the matron, I venture to remark the public have reason for concluding the Council either cannot give the time or are not sufficiently posted up in such matters to organise a satisfactory Bystem of management. The letters from Drs. Grace and Kemp tend to prove the Council have not improved matters since the investigation, and that a radical charge is absolutely necessary for the well being of the institution and protection of ratepayers' interests against the extravagant expenditure now going on connected therewith. With the view of meeting the difficulty, permit me to suggest for public consideration the advisability of the Council, or others interested willing to render service to a good cause, to at once move in the matter with the proper authorities to place the institution under the control of a committee of management of twelve gentlemen, three for each ward, to be nominated by the ratepayers and elected by ballot; they afterwards to elect president and vice-president, frame the necessary rules and regulations for working the institution^ appointing and discharging all officers, receive and disburse all moneys, and manage all affairs connected therewith. The people on the West Coas.t suffered under a similar difficulty of bad management and excessive expenditure for a considerable time. The Hokitika folk were at last forced to agitate for an alteration, and finally succeeded in getting the institution placed under a committee of management, about eleven years ago, similar to that proposed, which resulted in reducing the expenditure fully one-third and afforded 25 per cent, more relief. There are West Coast people now residing in Wellington who, I believe, can support the above statement, and, from all I can learn, the management still continues to give every satisfaction. Trusting abler pens than mine will continue to agitato the matter, I am, &c, Samuel Palmer.