OAMARU HOSPITAL

North Otago Times, Volume XXXV, Issue 9779, 11 January 1901, Page 3

OAMARU HOSPITAL

.The aumial meeting of,the contributors to the Oaiharu Hospital, heldiuthe Athemeiiui Hall- last' evening, was attended by a quorum of contributors, iVlr J. Mainland was elected to'tho chair. The notice calling the meeting was read, and the minutes-were also read and confirmed. ".-. ', ?, r ; Tho annual report, Jas already pubished, was taken as read.' 'j h(J secretary read the balance-sheet to the 3li> March, 1900, officially audited Mr Headland moved, and Mr' ft the adoption of th report and balance-sheet, ; Theelectionof trustees in tho place of Messrs Bap and M'Douall, who rtire in rota ion, and the Hon. S. E. Shrimski, who had resigned, took

Mr HeaoUand nominated Messrs Barr, J. Hay andM 'Douall as trust ee^and Mr Milhgan seconded this, and they were duly elected. : y AUliis juncture a trustee pointed to the excellent attendance of tho public Ust year they had a bare quorum present, this year they bad two more thau the quorumj-au increase of 20 per cent Mr if; Milligan said that the institution was now in a strong lluancial posi-' tion, and he supposed that the trustees < were not simply hoarding up money. If any necessary improvements wore pre- . ratted he supposed the trustees had not adopted a fixed policy of refusing such suggestions. He thought iu the present position the trustees should not' seruplo to spend money in necessary, developments. ... hero was a possibility somo tlay.pf their losing part of their balance, and he thought the trnsteesmight secure the institution by spending it first. The Chairman said that tenders were -to bo in in a day or two for improvements to the hospital. Mr Headland mentioned that only a short while ago L 320 werospent on the operating theatre. ' The Chairman said Dr Whitton thought that he had not seen a better opcratin" room, considering the size of the institu° tion.

Mr Headlaud pointed out that to increase the size of the institution would be-to increase tlio cost of maintenance; it would for instance then become necessary to have a resident surgeon, Mr Milligan explained that ho, of course, had simply suggested that improvements should be added as they were found necessary. The lhairuian remarked that as to that, when recently it was proposed to add a large ward Dr MacGregor rofnsed to recommend the Government to subsidise the effort.

Mr Kose said that as a trustee he had noticed whenever it was represented to the trustees that anything was necessary it was granted, and he remembered uo casein which there had been a refusal. 1 ooking at their balance-sheet, it would be found that the expenses of maintenance were about LIOO a mouth. They spent that much monthly in the relief of the injured and suffering. But all they got from the public in donations was L 125 a year. It was clear that their revenue was not so much larger than their expenditure, and if thoy did expend any considerable sums in buildings they would have to come upon tlio public. Dr MacGregor's report had shown that no. hospital was better equipped in tho colony for its size. The Chairman said the hospital had some endowments, but tho public had actually petitioned that they should bo taken from them. They had douo what they could to oppose it, not that they wished to hold these particular endowments, but they were determined to hold 'them till they got others in their place.

Mr Milligan said with regard to the appeal to the public for fumls, a large number of people refused to contribute to the institution, saying it did not need the money.

Mr Headland: If they had not one excuse they would have another. Mr Milligan, concluding, had the greatest confidence in the management of the institution. The matter then dropped, and a vote of thanks to the chair closed the meeting.