A HOSPITAL MATTER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 12662, 16 September 1904, Page 6

A HOSPITAL MATTER.

DEATH OF THE LATE. FIREMAN GLADDING. The letter received by the City Council a fortnight ago from Mr. H. F. Gladding, in reference to the question of compensation for the death of his son (Fireman Gladding), was reported upon by the Finance and Legal Committee of the Council last evening. The late Fireman Gladding, it will be remembered, met with serious injuries through a portion of the brick wall falling on him on ' the occasion of the fire at Messrs. T. and S. Morriu's warehouse in May last, and he died some weeks later in the hospital. The committee reported on the matter as follows:"The claim has been settled by the Ocean Accident Corporation, Limited, to the satisfaction of both parties. Dr. Sharman appeared before the committee on the subject of the treatment of Gladding in the hospital. It was resolved that a copy of Dr. Craig's report be sent to Mr. H. F. Gladding and he be informed that any complaint he may have should be made to the hospital trustees or to the inspector of hospitals. Dr. E. W. Sharman said that the committee, in its wisdom, had not seen fit to open up the matter, but he regretted the fact that the Council seemed to be more or less powerless in the matter. It would have been bettor, ho thought, if they could have thought of some way of assisting Mr. Gladding instead of simply turning him over to the insurance company. This sort of thing did not tend to bring employer and employed togethei. The Mayor (the Hon. E. Mitchelson) said that the committee considered that the matter was not one in which the Council could interfere, and that if Mr. Gladding had any complaint to make it should be made to the Hospital Board or to Dr. MacGregor (Inspector-General of Hospitals). In regard to the insurance company, the firemen, in common with all other Council employees, were insured against accident. When the claim was received it was referred in the ordinary way to the insurance company, which settled the matter witb Mr. Gladding by the payment of £100. Dr. Sharman: I was not finding fault with the finding of the committee, but simply expressing regret that we had no power to assist in the matter. Mr. J. T. Julian said that it would be a dangerous thing to interfere in the settlement of such matters with the insurance company, to which the claim had been referred according to the usual course. Mr. L. J. Bagnall said he did not see how the Council could assist in any way. A complaint had been received as to the treatment ot the deceased in the hospital, and this was referred to the Hospital Board, which obtained a report on the matter from the surgeon in charge of the ease. The Council could do no more than forward a copy of this report to Mr. Gladding, who, if he desired to make any furthei complaint, could do so to the Hospital Board Oi Dr.' MacGregor. The committee's report was then adopted.

Attention is directed to the auction sale of city freeholds by Mr. Mandeno Jaokson, which takes place at the Chamber of Com- ! merce on October 11 at noon. Special inI terest is always directed towards Quoon- : street frontages, and the sale of the well- : known premises of T. and S. Morrin, LimiI ted, is sure to excite keen competition. The | advantageous position of the Queen-street ' property has no doubt been well noted, and the fact of having a frontage to Durham- , street for the entire length of the promises : will enhance the value for building purposes, to say nothing of the fact that this . property has a frontage to High-street as : well. _ The late wholesale warehouse site I comprises an area of nearly half an acre, and valuable buildings still remain thereon. This also has a double frontage «to Highstreet and Viotoria Quadrant. The Vic-toria-High-stre-et corner opposite the Central Hotel also is worthy of attention. This sale offers a ohance rarely met with of acquiring freeholds in the heart of a populous business centra..