THE HOSPITAL.

Marlborough Express, Volume XXXVII, Issue 142, 19 June 1903, Page 2

THE HOSPITAL.

TO THE EDITOR.

Sir,—Ah! Ab! Jnsfc let mo see. Holloway's Oiutment, Pink Pills, and Warner's Safe Care, not forgetting "Shawtwork," which in the present instance is more appropriate. Apparently the suggestion made by the Secretary of the Hospital Board re* garding the recent exposure of the cost of drugs to the Hospital three years ago, has had something to do with my action in preventing the wanton waste of the ratepayer's money. This is, indeed, characteristic of the man from whom it emanates. Throw nmi at the ether side, is bis method of excusing himself from answering the charges laid at his door. If the amount £242 is correct and was passed for the drug account by the Hospital Board three years ago, I c*n only say this sum was not received by me. My arrangement with the Board for dispensing was £40 par annum, and existed for eleven years. The purchase of X-Bays and other instruments, dressings and sundries, by the Board was entirely beyond my control, and, as Mr Griffiths is well aware, the two former items are always procured from England, probably with a view o£ saving commissions. It is nseless for him to draw a red herring across the scent. It is nothing to his credit to make a saving of £800, or in other words collecting money from the ratepayers, and compelling the medical officer and staff to live on a mere pittance, and curtailing the food allowance of both patients and staff, to the great detriment of the Hospital. There is certainly no denying the fact, as it is well-known, that the nurses at this institution went on strike on account of the poor diet supplied, and were it not for the medical officer coming to the rescue and altering the diet card, the Hospital would now be without a staff* Regarding the £300, is it really in hand, and if so, why levy on the rate* payers year after year for more. The only object I can see is to assist in filling the coffers of Mr Griffiths by piling up his salary. When applications were called for the position of secretary to the institution, Mr Griffiths accepted it at £40 a year, and he hsi been weeping and wailing ever since, until gradually it has reached £G0 a year (besides commissions granted by the Board), and now we hear him bleating for a further rise to £80 or £100. Is there anything so monstrous ? It may seem to him th?,t he is not properly dealt with, but if jj e is dissatisfied the remedy is in hi? own hands, and I venture to say th' jre are plenty of honest men who *,vould be glad to carry oufc the dvt r i6S a t na if the sum. Had I possessed the concientious scruples of ft f tr Griffiths I should have displayed rj, O re care in the past when criticising his actions, and no doubt would have retained the dispensing for the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, "fn conclusion I must not overlook the. one important accusation contained in Mr Griffiths letter, viz., that I tri-ed to impress the City Fathers with the advantage to be deprived from discharging him from his duties as Borough Valuer, a position which he has had for all time, and which he, perhaps, expects to hold until the end of time. At present it is impossible to find out what the salary is, but of one thing lam certain I was elected by the ratepayers to study their interests, and when I find an officer receiving pay for work which is carried oofc by a Government official who is paid expressly for his expert advice, I consider it my duty to assist; the Council in curtailing useless expenditure, even if it should be at the expense of Mr C. J. W. Griffiths.—l am, etc., Frank Shaw. June 15th, 1903.