WAKATIP HOSPITAL.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Volume I, Issue 30, 12 August 1863, Page 4

WAKATIP HOSPITAL.

MEETING OF PROVISIONAL COMMITTEE AT FKANKTON.

Present—From the Arrow, Messrs Spencely, Richmond, M'Guigan, Hurst, Melody, Callaghan, and Mace.

From the Shotover—Messrs. Gillespie, Mirfin, Luscombe. From Frankton—Messrs. Paterson, Davis, and Williamson.

From Queenstown —Messrs. Rees, Bracken, Comiskey, Morton, Gruinitt, and Mr. M'Gaw, chairman. The chairman stated to the committee that the object of the meeting was to engage the cooperation of the gentlemen of the various districts, and in order that no misunderstanding might arise in future, he thought it best to cohsider at once, and while all were there assembled, the best mode of carrying on the business of the Hospital while in the hands of the Provisional Committee. !No doubt a General Committee would soon be formed, but in the interim it was highly necessary that the public should know what was being done. He would read the surgeon's report:

Wakatip District Hospital, August 10th, 1863. Gentlemen,—I have the honor to submit to

you my r< port of what I have done since I took charge of the Wakatip District Hospital. I have hitherto obtained all necessary articles of food, tin-wood, water, &c, through the order of a mi 'ml cr of the. loc.il committee As most of. the pinenis up to this time wore compelled by the in.-ufficieney of bedsteads to <>c upy the floor, 1 have (nirchised ticking ;iud inMitl nia'dug bedt!c;s to be stuffed wuli giuds ; tlief.e will answer th< ir purpose until more muttrebsorf are obtained.

I have endeavored to keep the patients orderly. Most of them are able to contribute to the support of the Hospital, but I have not as ! yet proposed the subject to them. There are at ! present twenty-three patients, some of them in a very dangerous state. I would suggest the immediate necessity of appointing a night watchman. The wardsman has hitherto attended strictly > to his duties. The carpenters at work at present in the Hospital have been kind enough to make I tables, forms, &c. I have also the honor to submit to you an account of the articles I have purchased on behalf of the Hospital. ! I have the honor to be, Gentlemen, j Your most obedient Servant, P. Usher Pelley. j To the Provisional Committee of the Wakatip Hospital. Mr. Luscombe remarked it would be advisable to go into business at once. Mr. Rees cordially agreed, and stated the sooner the General Committee were formed j the better. It would save endless disputes, and overcome many arising difficulties. ! Proposed by Mr. Luscombe, seconded by Mr. ! Bracken—" That a Permanent Committee be | formed at the earliest possible moment, and that ! the 21st day of August be the latest day on | which the different secretaries of the various Provisional Committees send in accounts of what j amounts may have been collected; these amounts to be published in the local paper, and that the 21st day of August be the day of election of the Permanent Committee." Mr. Rees said the next thing to be done was to arrange how many of each district I form the General Committee. ! Proposed by Mr. Spencely, seconded by Mr. I Richmond-—" That the amount received by the I treasurer of each district be now named." | The Chairman.—This is not a Financial Committee, and I regret to say that owing to : the severe illness of our secretary, we are not I prepared to go into that subject. ; Mr. Richmond.—The gentlemen of the i Arrow are. j Mr. Dewes.—And so are the gentlemen of j Frankton. Mr. Mirfin.—The Shotover gentlemen are | unprepared. j Mr. Morton.—This discussion is altogether I out of place here. We hope to get a great I deal more money, consequently our lists are not closed. Mr. Richmond. —On behalf of the Arrow, we have £206. Mr. Dewes. —In Frankton, we have £SB. Mr. Rees regretted that the Queenstown ! Committee could not bring forward their lists, | but he was quite willing to guarantee £3OO j collected. Proposed by Mr. Rees, seconded by Mr. ! Spencely—"That the different districts be reprei sented on the Permanent Committee in propor- [ tion to the sum actually subscribed by such district." Mr. Richmond. —Do I understand right—is it the number of subscribers, or the ! amount ? Mr. Rees. —The amount. ' Pioposed by Mr. Comiskey, seconded by Mr. ; Rees—" That each patient on entering the Hospital pay the sum of £1 if able, or upwards, according to his means ; and no larger sum than £2 per week." The Chairman said this was quite usual in hospitals in Victoria; and he thought many would go there and be quite willing to pay. Mr. Comiskey would be the last to make payment compulsory in all cases, but he thought some means ought to be adopted for keeping up the funds of that institution. Of course the Poctor would have discretionary power when to demand any fees of this nature. He could assure them it was quite usual in Victoria, and many men would prefer the careful nursing in the hospital to the irregularities of a tent life. Proposed by Mr. Rees, seconded by Mr. Gillespie—" That the sum of £SO be represented by one member of the Permanent Committee, and that any odd sum of £25 or oyer be qualified for the last member of such district." Proposed by Mr. Bracken, seconded by Mr. Rees—"That all members of the Permanent Committee meet on the 26th instant, at Frankton, to consider the business, and make permanent rules for future guidance." Proposed by Mr. Comiskey, seconded by Mr. Rees—" That a copy of the resolution relative to the return of members, be forwarded to St. John's and Maori Point, by the secretary of this i meeting." Proposed by Mr. Spencely, seconded by Mr ! Mirfin—" That W. N. Morton, Esq., act as 1 treasurer, pro tern., for the district of Maori Point" JJ , ™ Pioposed by Mr. Morton, seconded by Mr. Luscombe— * k That in the event of no Provisional Committee having been appointed at Maori Point before the 21st inst., the subscribers there shall have the power of sending one member to sit on the Permanent Committee."

Proposed by Mr. Luscombe, seconded by Mr. j), Wl . lS —" That the treasurers of the various l'i"o\ isioual Committees be instructed to inspect the ace unts sent iu to th'in from their respective districts, for all goods ordered up to this date, and, if found correct, to pay them." Mr. Luscombe understood that there had been much cavilling about the moneys spent b\ the Queenstown Provisional Committee, and this motion was to qualify their actions in this matter.

Mr. Grumitt regretted that such an observation should have been made in reference to Queenstown, particularly from a gentleman who, at the time the purchases were made, was not extant as one of the committee ; and the generally-expressed opinion, so far from displeasure, was one of satisfaction at the very prompt manner in which Queenstown had acted, in endeavoring to alleviate the sufferings of our fellow-men. The Chairman said it had been absolutely necessary to expend money, but the greatest pare had been used in the expenditure, which was borne out by the fact that even now they had not enough. Culinary and other things were much wanted. Mr. Rees stated that he felt confident that by the next meeting, when the subscription lists were produced, a sum of £7OO would have been collected, and this, with the Government subsidy, amounted to £2IOO. Mr. Morton had £143, collected through his own exertions entirely, ready to hand over; and several other gentlemen would be glad to show they had not been idle in the matter. It was of great importance that it should be distinctly known that none but subscribers of £1 per annum could vote.

Proposed by Mr. Spencely, seconded by Mr. Bracken—"That Dr. Pelley has the sanction of this meeting to discharge such persons from the Hospisal when he considers them in such a state of health as to need no further medical aid."

Proposed by Mr. Rees, seconded by Mr. Gillespie—" That Dr. Pelley, under supervision of the Frankton Committee, continue to order in such articles, till the election of the Permanent Committee, as he may find necessary for the benefit of the patients." Proposed by Mr. Bracken, seconded by Mr. Bees—That a watchman be appointed." A vote of thanks was then accorded the

Chairman, and the meeting stood adjourned till the 26th instant.