THE HOME FOR INCURABLES. PUBLIC MEETING.

North Otago Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 8918, 15 June 1897, Page 3

THE HOME FOR INCURABLES. PUBLIC ME ETING.

A public meeting, called by tho Mayo in response to a special request, was hel< in the Theatro Royal last evening tore consider tho question of tbe practicability and feasibility of erecting a home fni incurables, and was attended by about 3o( people. His Worship the Mayor took the chair, and said that he had been petitioned tt hold another meeting to further con> '•ider this question. It appeared by a letter in tha Mail that Mr S. Boreham ronsidered last- meeting a holo-and-corner one. This ho denied. The meeting was called in a perfectly open munner, and it was held in a room which proved amply sufficient for nil requirements. But the present meeting was called in response to a requisition from 79 persons, whose petition ho could not overlook. It was his desire to see tha public consulted about the matter, and their wishes cairied out-. He was gui c neutral regarding the proposals He might say th.it Mr Sievnri^hfc had sent a letter of apology embudyit q his idea previously expressed. Mr Boreham, after referring to tho f >cb that only the ideas of a small number had been consulted at the previous meeting, went straight to the point and moved a motion which was to the effect that in the opinion of tint meeting the project for the erection of a home for incurables was not desirable. The motion proceeded to give reasons, which Mr Boreham proceeded to enlarge upon*. He said he had no desire to kill the scheme in progress or to propose any scheme which would benefit any particular individuals He was of opinion that the home was not necessaiy. It was not the function of the Hospital to take in a man who was incurable, and if he proved to be so tha Hospital had to turn him out at the end of a few weeks. He was led to understand that a difference existed between the local charitable institutions. 'I he Benevolent Society did not have the means of giving these people the attention they needed, and the Hospital was not going to be imposed upon He found that the doctors were opposed to tlu home being near the Hospital on the ground that the incurables' home might cause the spread of diseases to the Hospital But they thought nothing of put ting the home next the Old Men's Home, wheio the old men oould contract these diseases. It would surely be a most humane act, wouldit not, to placethehome where the old men could catch disease ' It was said that the drift of incurables would not be to Oamaru. But he was of opinion that judges of the Supreme Court had decided that it was not possible to refuse a man admission who came from another district. Oamaru would therefore be simply flooded with incjrables. He was not at all in favor of the town saddling itself with the expense of keeping the homo after it had started. He quoted two cases to show that the old people would not be disposed to use the home. It would therefore be a white elephant. Oamaru was rated to L 2 10s per ratepayer, and were they going to add to their burdens to celebrate Her Majesty's record reign ? It was said that it would only cost about L5O more than the presei.t expenditure to keep tho home going. He asked, did they expec , with all expenses of lighting, heating, food, and raiment, besides an attendant, to keep it open on L5O a year. He said distinctly, and assuredly, that it was the duty of the Charitable Aid Board an 1 Benevolent Society to distribute cha ifcablo aid without T ncreasing the taxation. ' In any case, it was the duty of the general Government to provide for these cases, as incurables would simply gravitate to the place where there was a home. He closed by reiterating the statement that tho homo would be a white elephant. His Worship pointed out that Mr Boreham was wrong in his figures. The borough rates were only one third of the amount meutioued by him. i Mr Boreham : " There are harbor rate?, which I include." His Worship said that harbor rates should be kept quite separate from borough rates. The Hon. S. E Shrimski seconded the motion. The harbor rates, he held, should be included in this matter, because it was part of the indebtedness of the town. He considered this an attempt to lo'd the town with a debt. Mr Dewdney (he would not cdl him reverend) was trying to load the town with moro expense and greater taxation, which he (Mr Dewdney) would have no part in bearing as he was not a taxpayer. There were charitable people hero before Mr Dewdney came to the own. They had mortgaged their properties by borrowing large sums of money, on which they had to pay the interest now. If they went in for this home there would not only be the present expense, but it would bo a perpetual expense to the ratepayers. He proceeded to make reflections on the motives of the movers in the project and asked were the doctors \ievving this only from a charitable atand» point. Would it not bring them more work, and give them another place to attend ? Mr Dowdney Mr Dewdney here rose and wished to contradict the assertion that he was the leader in the movement. [Cries of "oit down."] Mr Shrimski : It makes no difference. I repeat His Worship rose and interfered. Mr Shrimski : It does not matter. We~e they going to pay all tho expenses out of L5O a year ? When the hospital started it was computed that it would only cost a small amount, but now it cost LllOO a year. These incurables would cost as much, for they would need as much attendance as hospital cases. When the Benevolent Institute was started the cost of charity was LlOO, and now it was LlBOO annually, L9OO of which was from the Government F*i be it from him to say anything against charitable institutions. But Mr Dewdney and his crowd were trying to increase the indebtedness of the town merely for their own pleasure. By the action of Mr Dewdney the town had lost licenses, and thereby revenue. He (Mr Dewdney) boro no part of the taxation and presently ho would clear out and leave thorn all to pay ts soon as he got an offer elsewhere, pri vately rejoicing that Oamaru had a monument of him. His scheme was to celebrate her Majesty's jubilee, but her Majesty would not approve of their doing so by increasing their indebtedness and taxation. Let those who were starting it ondow the institution. He trusted that the people of the town would consider the burden they would be undertaking by putting up this home. Let them not tax themselves or deprive their children of necessaries to carry out a fad— a fad of Mr Dewdney's. Mr Jackman had heard in the last fortnight in travelling through the district a good deal about the question of an incurable home. It was a good thing, but it should be a national question, and be dealt with by the Government. Mr Mollison asked was it competent to put this motion to the meeting before another motion which had been carried j by a previous public meeting had been rescinded ? His Worship thought it was competent to do so. Mr John M'Dowell Mked what poiition

the community would be in if this motion were carried. The lis's on behalf o fthe homo were being circulated, and their position would be rather invidious. Mr Mollison moved an amendment to the motion : That the meeting see no reason to alter the decision previously unived at. He did n t see why personal feeling should be introduced into this matter Ho considered that they were only buildiac? a ward for incurable cases Ifc was said that (he ward was not • cquired, but against this the Hospital Trustees said the ward was an absolute necessity, and the Benevolent Trustees said the same The medical faculty said ifc h<>d been a necessity for a long time. They had theeethree bodies independently arriving at the sumo conclusion. It was said that the home was not necessary. Well, the men who considered it waa were those who were working on the Charitable Aid Board, *nd had to come into contact with the poor. The men who had to go through these cases knew that there were cases absolutely needing help and comfort which they did not now get. It was much more expensive to b ard these people out than it would be to gather them in one home to be tended by one woman. They had one case of a person who was getting 25s a week for nursing, and others in nearly the same condition. There was not a man or woman present v/ho would not be convinced of the need for the home if they would visit the homes as the visiting committee of the Benevolent Society had to do. He knew of four or five cases which needed this provision. He had spoken what he knew. Mr Boreham had made a great point of the fact that others would come from all parts claiming admission Well, the same applied to relief, and they had been distributing relief for 20 years without any such complaint. Mr J. G. Finch seconded the amendment. He scouted the idea that they could have any personal reasons for asking for this money. It was all very well to say there was friction between the two charitable bodies. But he was on each body, and they were both trying to carry out their functions faithfully. Now they wanted to do something to help those cases which fell between the two bodies Doctors differ, but the doctors were mnnimoua here. They had no personal motives to serve, and what they said they knew of their own personal knowledge. Mr Coitrell said he did not believe in Mr Shrimski's sympathy. Neither Mr Molliaon, Mr Finch, nor himself had personal reasons for this scheme. It -was said that a rush of incurables would take plrice to Oamaru. How was it there was no rush to Timaru or to Christchurch of Oamaru incurables. They there had provision fo-* the incurable^, and had had for years. Mr Boreham said he knew of no need for this home Well, the speaker had visited a good few homes whilst on the Trustees, and he hid never met Mr Boreham on his rounds trying to alleviate distress. It was said this should bo a colonial question. That might be so, but they had to deal with a fact, a local need, and there was no near prospect for colonial legislation. He was sure that, they had only to go through some of the home? to find that the home was needed. They were all satisfied that in conjunc tion with the prpsent benevolent homes the institution would not cost more than an extra LlOO. Tho medicil men had said, md repeatedly said, they were willing to attend free at tho home. They expended here LIGOO in charitable aid through the Benevolent Trustees, hilf of which came from tho Government It was only the ratepayers who paid tH 1 -, but spre.ul over all tlie people in die district the pre; ent taxation was 5s 6d per head of ratepayers. Another LlOO would cost 4d per head extra. It was said that this would bo an additional expense Was it not worth it, for the addition of 4d per head per year. Dr Garland said tho medical faculty in Oiiina^u had felt, for years the need for provision for poor old invalids. There were people in the dis trict who noo' I 'd only careful attention and not alt of medical attendance. Mr Cottrell's computation was tint the home would cost them each 4d per year, but it would really be a^out 3d. The present building could be altered, and an addition made to U. Regarding the position of the home, the hospital needed to have very clean air for surgical work. There was no danger for the old men at the home if the incurables' ward were near These cases were provided for at Dunedin. He would let the audience into a secret. It would be less trouble to the medical faculty to attend tho cases at a home than having to attend them individually, aa now. Should they allow their aged poor to dio in tho streets ? No ! not for tho sike of 4d a year Mr Avery had been against the proposal for an incurable home, but he had heard the speakers there that evening, and had been convinced that the home was practicable. He had been set down to move an amendment, but could not now do so. Mr Boreham, in reply, was inclined to think that if the Charitable Aid Board had been enonomical they would have had the home before now. If people were actually dying in the streets, as stated by Dr Garland, why had not the medical faculty risen, and demanded thia home before now 1 On the motion and amendment being put the amendment waß carried by rather more thnn 2 to 1. As this settled the imin question there was no other motion to bring forward. His Worship announced that already L6O had been promised by six people to the fund. A vote of thanks to the chair, on the motion of Mr Mollison, carried anani. mously, cksed the meeting!