OAMARU HOSPITAL.

North Otago Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2688, 28 January 1881, Page 2

OAMARU HOSPITAL.

The annual meeting of subscribers t<> the hospital, for the purpose of electing officers and general committee for the ensuing year, was held in the Volunteer Hall last evening, the president (Mr A. J. §. Headland} occupying the chair. There was a large attendance of subscribers. The Chairman read the advertisement convening the meeting. The minutes of the lds.t annual meeting were read by the secretary (IVJr Qhurch) and oonfirmed, The annual report vraa read aa follows , In submitting their report for the year ended the 3lat December, 1880, your ommittee have to inform the subscrioers that while the demands on the institution have been adequately supplied, its finances are in a satisfactory position the balance in h*nd being L 74 4s as against L 72 13s Bd, the balance to credit at corresponding period of last year. The amount on deposit in bank remains at L2OO as last year, and your committee were enabled to invest on mortgage aa additional sum of LlOO, the total ao invested being now Ll3OO. The subscriptions, including proceeds of entertainments, received during the year ended, amounted to L 64 17a Id; »Jovernment subsidy for 1879 and 1880, L 225 10a , 4d ; maintenance money received from patients, L 162 0a 6d ; rents from endow, ments, L2QO j interest qn mortgage, etc., Li 14 43 9d; and aundrioi, 10a; these sums aggregating a totaj revenue of LQ67 2a Bd, which added to L 72 13s 8d (the sum to credit at the commencement of the year) represents a total amount of L 1039 16js 4d to be accounted for. The ordinary expenditure for salaries, rations, medicines, etc., as ptr b*]ance iheet, amounts to L 80 512« 4d, with.

the withdrawal of LlOO from current acooa jt for investment on mortgage, leaving the balance in hand as before stated at L 7 4 4s. Your committee have every reason to congratulate the subscribers on the management of the hospiW, the medical supenntju lent and the warden and matron having ia their different spheres given the most entire satisfaction. Every part of the establishment has been kept ia the most perfect order, and uo complaints of auy kind have been received by your committee. On the Ist of January, 1880, there were in the hospital 6 patients, and since then there were admitted to the 3 1st December last ' 106, making a total of 112 Of these there j were discharged cured or relieved 99, there , died 9, and there remained at the hoapitil4. j The nationalities of the patients were aa ' follow : England, 32 ; Scotland, 19 ; I- eland, 47 ; foreign, 4 ; New Zealand an 1 Australian Colonies, 10. The last residences of the patients were : Oamaru, 41 ; Upper Waitaki, 10 ; Papakaio and Awamoko, 8 : Otepopo and Hampden, 9 ; Waiareka and Ngapara, 21 ;\ Duntroon and Livingstone, 6 ; K*kanui and Maheno 8 ; Dunedm, 3 ; sundriei, 6. The average number of patients at the hospital was 8§ ; the average duration of stay of each patient was 28 days ; the average total coat of each patient waa L 7, or per day, 5s There have been no additions made to the institution during the year, and the outlay on permanent impr »vements has been on the laying on of water and q is, with necessary fittings -an outlay that your committee consi *er will be of great and last-ng benefit to the hospital. Your committee have pleasure in acknowledging the receipt of the handsome ruto of L3l 10s, being the proceeds of an entertainment given by the Caledonian Society ; and the, liberal donation by G«o Grey Russell, Esq., of the sum of L5OO, invested in trustees — the first instalment of interest, L 23 19s 2d has been duly received. Other suitable and seasonable gifts have been received fr >m various donors from time to time, and duly acknowledged in the local papers The gift of a cow by Mr John M'Lean, of Redcastle, will, in addition to the one given by Mr D. Sutherland la t year, keep the institution well supp'ied with milk and butter. The thanks of the subscribers are due to Mr M'Lean for his appropriate gift. There have been during the year twelve ordinary and two special meetings of the committee, and the attendance hw been a* follows : T. H. Brown, 8 ; J Mainland, 12 ; S E. Shrimski, 7 ; Alex Kerr, 4 ; VV. M'lntosh, 9 ; T. Morris, 1 ; J. Hassell. jun . 9 ; J. Markham, 8 ; H. Watson 9 ; James Allan, 8 ; A. J S. Headland 10 ; J. Lemon, 8 ; F. H. Townsend, 8. In concluding their report the committee are pleased m stating that the institution has been enabled tt carry on its beneficent operations and maintain a satisfactory financial position. It is, however, evident from a comparison of revenue with expenditure that it will require continued exertion to prevent the possibility of its being hampered in its means of usefulness. For the committee. A. J. S. Headland, Chairman. The medical report for the year was also read as follows : I have the honor to report that during the year 1830 there were ad nitted into the hospital one hundred and six patient, and there were six remaining from 1879, of which eighty-nine were males and twentythree females. There were nine de iths during the year, eight males and one female. The causes of death were as folio <rs : One from dislocation of the spine, the result of an a cident ; one from cancer of the liver ; two from consumption; one from inflimmation of the lung 3; one from chronic bronchitis ; one from rheumatic fever : and one from inflammation of the stomach. Three were between fifty.five and si<ctythree years of age, the other six between nineteen and forty. There were thirty-ona aciidents admitted during the year, mostly fractures and lacerated w mnds ; three cases of ohildbirth ; eighteen cases of acute and chronic rheumatism ; six of inflammation of the lungs; six of acute and chronic bronchitis ; one scarlet fever ; the others were various acute and chronic affections. Eight-five were discharged cured and fourteen chronic cases relieved, and four remained in hospital at the end of the year. There were alio thirty-nine out patients treated during the year. I desire to record my thanks to the honorary surgeons of the hospital who have cordially aided me, both by their opinion and assistance, in cases of difficulty and danger ; also to the warder and matron, who have peformed their duties in a most unwearying and satisfactory manner. — I hare, etc , Jko. S. Wait, Medioal Superintendent. Oamaru Hospital, Jan. 20, 1881. In the absence of the treasurer (Mr Lemon) the secretary read the balance sheet. On the motion of Mr Fleming, seoonded by Mr Kerr, tho report and balance sheet as read were adopted. The election of officers was then proceeded with. Mr Mainland proposed that Mr John Lemon, who had fulfilled the p >st of treasurer for eight years, be president. Mr J. Booth seconded the motion, which was carried unarnm iusly. Mr J. Hannah proposed and M,c M'lutosh seconded Mr Henry Aitk.en as, vicepresident Carried. Mr L,emon, on taking the ohair, briefly thanked those present for the honor they had paid him in electing him as president. Mr Montagu was elected treasurer, and Mr J. Church, secretary, at the same salary as last year — L3O. Messrs J. Booth and GK Sumpter were elected auditors. Before proceeding with th,e election of medical officer to the hospital, Mr Headland said— Qentlemen, some shorttime since a report was given through the town the purport of whioh was considerably to the detriment of one of the candidates for the office of medical superintendent. 1 would like to tell the meeting how that originated, and then you will see who are to blame. When Dr, Wait wanted to go north, he earae to me, as president vi the institutiqn, and seated that he could not wait until the calling of the regular monthly meeting, and asked if it would be necessary to call a special meeting to get permis»ion to go. I told him it would not be necessary, but that if he wrote a letter and appointed somehody in whom the committee had con6dence to take his place, it would be all right. He informed me that he had arranged with Dr Garland, and handed me a letter 10 give to the committee, bqt unfortunately X forgot to do so, and when they spoke to me about the matter I explained to them the tame as I have done to you now. The com. mittee were thoroughly satisfied with that explanation, excepting one member of the committee. Of course Ido not aay that any person has circulated the rumor knowing it to be false, but I do say such has been circulated and it is false. It is only fair to Dr Wait that I should state this, and if there is any one to blame it is I. As regards the other candidate, he came to me and said a report had been circulated to the effect tha,t he did not possess the neqestsary qualifications for the offi.ee of medical superintendent. I told him that seeing the Government had placed his name on the list of medical practitioners that alone would be sufficient, He then obtained a lawyer's opinion which coincided with my own ; and, therefore, gentlemen, I think I have said sufficient to show that both candidates will start fair. (Hear, hear. Mr J. Booth proposed Dr de Liutour, who was well kuown to them and was eminently fitted to fill the post. j Mr Dunn, seconded the nomination. Mr J. F. Reid propoied Dr Wait. i Mr Sprooe seconded th« prcrpufition, j

The secretary read a clause in the Ordinance which directed the manner of voting, which w»s that the name of the candidate and the proposer should be placed on the p vpor. Mr Collis objected to open voting, as there were many present who would not wish to write their names. Mr M'Laan had understood the voting was to be strictly by ballot. MrjConnell suggested thatthescrutineers should be appointed by the meeting. Mr Jones proposed that they be sworn to secrecy. Mr Kerr threw out a hint that a mode of procedure adopted <>n a former occasion | should be followed — viz , the supporters of one cmdidate should go to one side of , (he hall and those of the other remain oppositß. ("No, no," and cheers.) The Rev. Father Coleman : Is it contrary to law, and does the law apply to the hospital, to tender money just now to entitle a person to vote at this meeting 1 The Chairman : I could not inform you whether it ib 30 or not. * The Rev Father Coleman: Is it forbidden by law ? The C lainnan : I do not know. The Rev. Father Coleman : Is any person entitled to tender money now nt this meeting? < Cries of " Yes, yes.") The jK,e\. Mr Todd : I think if any person gave in his subscription before the meeting he would be entitled to vote, but not now. The Kov. Father Coleman : On what ground ? The Rev. Mr Todd : 1 would aay common sense. (Laughter.) The R-v. Father Coleman amidst applanse and confusion approached the platform with a pound note m his hand, and giving it to the treisurer said, " I beg to tender you the money." The treasurer said' he would accept ifc under protest, and immediately afterw trds i% doz-n others came toward, each tendering one pounl, to give them the privilegn of voting. Mr Headland, on the legality of the procedure bein;* questioned, moved, "That it be competent for the collector to receive subscriptions up to the time of election of the medical officer." Mr O'fttaagher seconded the motion, &s he considered it a pity that the opportunity of receiving the money should be lost. The motion was carried. Mr Filooner regarded it as unfair that auy buc subscribers at the time of meeting should be allowed to vote. The Rev. Mr Todd expressed his opinion that as it was a meeting of subscribers that had been called, clearly those who were never such could not legally exercise the privileges of subscribers. Mr Kerr concurred in this opinion. After further discussion of an animated nature, Messrs Fleming and Townaend were appointed scrutineers. Mr Sumpter proposed, " That the incoming committee be requested to take the necessary steps to have that portion of the Ordinance amended with regard to voting, so that in future it Bhalltake place by ballot." Seconded by Mr J. Booth, and carried. Mr M'Lian propped, " That it shall be a recommendation to the committee that a rule shall be mide that no money shall be taken to entitle any person to vote after the meeting has met." The R^v M • Todd seconded the motion, which was carried. 0-1 the motion of MrSumpter, seconded by Mr Booth, the following were elected country members : Messrs E. C. Smith (Duntroon), T. Henderson (Otepopo), D. Su- norland (Omarama), P. Aitchiaon (Papakaio), M Mm ton (Kakanui), E. Menlove (Teaneraki). The meeting proceeded to ballot for ten members for the town, the following being elected out of 14 candidates : Messrs Mainland, Townsend, J. Hawell, junr., Headland, Shrimski, Humphrey, M'Combe, M'lntosh, Malcolm, and Konayne. Dr de Lautour was elected medical superintendent, the numbers being — Dr de Lautour, 90 ; Dr Wait, 74. On the motion of Mr Headland th« following gentlemen were elected honorary medical officers to the hospital Drs Fleming, Wait, Denton, Garland, and Bowie. The salary of the medical officer was fixed at the lame amount as before, Ll5O. Votes of thanks were passed as follows: On the motion of Mr Sumpter to the outgoing officers ; on the motion of Mr Fry to the prtst treasurer, Mr Lamon ; on the motion of Mr Jones to the secretary ; on the motion of Mr Hdadland to the warder and mitron ; on tho motion of M.C X mayne to Dr Wait ; and to the chairn.an. The meeting then terminated.