THE HOSPITAL COMMISSION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 12760, 10 January 1905, Page 6

THE HOSPITAL COMMISSION.

' MEETING- OP THE BOARD. ■ DISCUSSION ON THE REPORT. 'A DISAGREEMENT AMONG MEMBERS. • ' SOME SUGGESTED IMPROVEMENTS. A special meeting of the Auckland Hospital Board was held yesterday to consider the. report- of the Royal Commission, which recently inquired into the management of the hospital. Sir. John McLcod (chairman of the. .Board) presided, and there were also present: Messrs. S. C. Brown, G. .J. Garland, W. R. Bioomfield, A. Bruce, Sl'. Casey, J. Bollard. A. R. Harris, E. Davis, and L. J. Baguall. THE COURSE OF BUSINESS. The Chairman said he had called the meeting in terms of his promise to convene a special meeting whenever the report of the Commission was officially received. He regretted that the report had been so long in reaching the Board, and that it had reached them while the senior medical officer was awaiting trial. He felt that it would be injudicious of the Board to consider the portion of the report that deals with that aspect of the question until the trial of Dr. Collins is over. There was, however, apart from that, sufficient in the report to call for the serious consideration of the Board—in fact, he thought they might spend a good deal of time in considering the portion of the report bearing 0:1 the present condition of the hospital buildings and suggested improvements. and the portion bearing on fees payable by patients. The report, of the Commission was then read by the secretary. The Chairman moved, "That consideration of the matters in the report referring to the senior medical officer be deferred." A DEFENCE OF THE BOARD. Sir. Garland seconded. It was, he said, claimed by the Commission that it was the intention of the Board to curtail the responsibilities of the honorary start', and to place the senior medical officer in a unique position. This statement was inaccurate. There had been no modification of the duties of the honorary staff, except in the matter of fractures and dislocations. He would like to emphasise tiie fact that the proposal made to alter the former conditions had emanated from the honorary staif itself, and the Board had consequently embodied the change in its rules, because it- was recommended by the surgeons of the day. The Chairman said he was afraid Sir. Garland was raising points that might lead to a discussion of the whole report. Sir. Garland said he thought it would be imprudent at the present juncture to discuss the Wallis White case, but he thought they might discuss the constitution of the Board and other matters mentioned in the report. A SUGGESTED ADJOURNMENT. Mr. Harris said he did not see how they could discuss any part of the report without making some reference to the case which was to come before the Supreme Court. He suggested that the meeting be adjourned, and that each member of the Board be supplied with a copy of the report. There was no particular haste in the matter, or the Government would iui'-e sent a copy of the report to the Board earlier. Mr. Bruce differed from Sir. Harris. There were, he said, many things in the report which had no connection with the senior medical officer of his management, and which would be sufficient to provide an afternoon's discussion. They might defer the matters relating to Dr. Collins for two or three months, but the other subjects need not be deferred. Mr. Ba-gnall agreed with Sir. Bruce. Itwould, lie thought, be a mistake to defer consideration of some port-ions of the report. He had only been a member of the Board for a short time, but during that time certain matters had been continually talked about, and nothing had been done. The question of a lift was of the utmost importance, and he thought that the meeting should come to some decision in regard to that, for one thing. Then, there was the matter of the buildings, which, after discussion, might be referred to the Hospital Committee for a report as to which works might be taken in hand. Sir. Garland said that- 'he Board's policy had been a continuous one in all its essential principles In regard to the honorary staff, there had been no interference, and its advice had always been asked in all important matters. Mr. Harris moved as an amendment to the chairman's motion, "That the matter be journed, and a copy of the report be furnished to each member of the Board.'' Mr. Bollard seconded the amendment, and suggested an adjournment for a fortnight. He said that there was 110 particular hurry to discuss the report. He would have occasion to refer to I lie reportin very strong language, when the proper time came, but members had not yet had sufficient time to fully consider it. The matter affecting Dr. Collins, of course, could not be now discussed, being sub judiee, and so far as the lift and other works were concerned, it- would be quite sufficient if a decision were arrived at in regard to this at any time before the Finance Committee made its annual estimate as a basis of the coming financial year's allocation. This would not bo done before March, and in the meantime nothing could bo done in respect to carrying out new works, and therefore there was 110 hurry, as nothing could be gained by an immediate decision. Nil*. Casey: Adjourn it for six weeks, and then the trial will be over. Sir. Bollard: Well, if it is only a matter of six weeks. I would agree to that adjournment. You can do nothing in the way of putting up buildings until you make an estimate of the cost and get the money. Wo have not the money, and we cannot- have it for at least six months from now, and if wo discuss this matter before the estimates are made up in SI arch, we will be just as far forward as if we discuss if to-day. SOME NEEDED REFORMS. Mr. Bioomfield said the Board was a new Board, and as one of the new members he had come to the Board with a desire to sink all the acrimony that had been actuating members in the past, ami to endeavour to adjust all difficulties and carry out whatever reforms are required tit the hospital. lie agreed with Sir. Bruce that there was no time to be lost. lie saw no reason whatever fur deferring such matters as the state of the hospital buildings, the question of mental diseases, the admission of patients, fees, and food. Sir. Davis said he was of the same opinion as Mr. Harris, but he thought the question of the accommodation at tho hospital should be dealt with at once. lie mentioned that Dr. SlacGregor made an exhaustive report to the Government 011 tho hospital, and he thought tho Board should ask the Government for a copy of that report, and consider it along with the report- of tho Royal Commission. Mr. Casey said it would be better to adjourn the discussion of the report until after Dr. Collins' case had been disposed of Mr. agnail said it would; be a most cruel thing to continue carrying patients up and down stairs if a lift could be got for £200 or £300, as suggested by the Commission. If the main wards are insanitary, as the Commissioners said, that should not bo allowed to continue one day longer. He believed that £500 or £600 would do all that was wanted in the class of work he had' referred to, and lie held that it ought to be considered at once. Mr. Brown /said he would oppose tho motion for adjournment, because ho believed there was much in the report that could reasonably be dealt with at once. The Chairman said he could net see that the question 01 the buildings or the collection of fees had any bearing whatever on the charge against Dr. Collins, and he opposed the motion for adjournment.. I

Mr. Harris said that a hospital committee had been set up, and the proper course would be for that committee to report to the Board, and for the- Board to consider the report. Mr. Baguall said that tho duty of tho committee was to report upon such matters as were referred to them by the Board for consideration. Sir. Harris then altered his amendment to read that the discussion of the report bo adjourned for six weeks, and this was negatived by live votes to four. ■ NO NEED FOR DELAY. Sir. Bollard then moved another amendment, " That the discussion be adjourned for 14 days." Ho objected to discussing such an important report on the day 011 which it was laid on the table. He took exception to Mr. Bioomfield' remark about tho importation of feeling into the -discussion. There was no feeling whatever in his mind, and 110 was quite willing to work harmoniously with either the new or the old members. The Government had seen fit- to keep tho report back for a month after it had been given to the newspapers, and now some members of the Board could not even spare a day for considering it. It was quite beside tho question to say the report had boon published in the newspapers a month ago. The official report, which they alono had to consider, had only been laid on the table that day. and lie protested against tho discussion of any portion of it at the present stage. Sir. .Harris seconded Sir. Bollard's amendment. Sir. Bagnall again protested against tho delay of urgent matters. The Board had been blamed, and rightly so, for allowing matters to drift. Mr. Garland: There has been no drift. It was a matter of funds. Mr. Baguall: SI alters have been before the Board time after time, and nothing has been done. Sir. Bollard: Would you be surprised to hear that the honorary staff at one time recommended the abolition of the old lift? ■ Mr. Bagnall said he would not be surprised to hear anything. His feelings were entirely on the side of the patients. Tho Board had delayed doing various things, first because the Commission was going to sit, secondly because the report of the Commission bad not been, received, and now further delay Mas urged until Dr. Collins' case had been disposed of. The matter of. alterations to the buildings had nothing to do with Dr. Collins. Sir. Bollard's amendment was lost on tho casting vote of the Chairman, those voting for it being: Messrs. Bollard. Harris, (Jarland, Davis, and Casey, and against it. Messrs. SlcT.eod, Bioomfield, Baguall, Brown, and Bruce. TWO MEMBERS LEAVE THE ROOM. The Chairman having declared the motion for adjournment lost, Mr. Bollard said, " Well, 1 ask leave to retire ; I strongly protest." Mr. Harris: And I will retire also. I am not here to discuss a matter that I do not understand. 1 do not feci that I can discuss the matter or vote conscientiously. If the members of the Board have not sufficient courtesy to grant an adjournment they must take the responsibility. Mr. Lollard and Mr. Harris then left the room, and Sir. Mel.cod's motion was put and carried in their absence. THE HOSPITAL BUILDINGS. Mr. Bagnall then moved, "That the Hospital Committee report on the best means of carrying out the recommendations of the Commission with regard to a lift, extra lavatory and bathroom accommodation, and the sanitary arrangements of the buildings." He expressed regret that Sir. Bollard and Mr. Harris had taken the view of the matter they iiad. All he wanted was that there should be lie- delay, and lie did not expect that the Hospital Committee would be able to report in less than three weeks. Mr. Bruce seconded SL'r. Bagnall's motion, which was carried. HOSPITAL FEES. Mr. Davis moved, "That the question of fees lie referred "to the Finance Committee." The. Chairman seconded, and said he quite disagreed with the conclusions the Commissioners had arrived at regarding fees. It was not a fact, as stated in the report, that 20 per cent, of those admitted to the hospital are well-to-do people, and it was not a tact that only 7 per cent, of the total number admitted make any payment to the Board. Sir. Davis: Where did they get those figures from? The Chairman said the figures were given in evidence, and he was surprised that the Board's solicitor did not take steps to get them contradicted. During the year ended March 31, ISO2, there were 1824 patients in the hospital, 213 of them paid full fees, 501 part fees, 722 paid nothing, 170 came from other districts, and were paid for. 41 came from siiips, and 165 had paid part, and accounts not yet written off. The returns showed that the Auckland Hospital bad collected more per head per day than any other large hospital in the colony. SOME SHARP WORDS. Sir. Garland said the Commissioners were quite wrong in their facts about the fees. .Judge Ward went out of his way, while the Commission was sitting, to give him (Mr. Garland) a very hard knock. Judge Wind did not know whether lie was a rich man or a poor man. lie was not a, rich man. lie paid his fees, hut .Judge Ward mad-' it ap- j pear that he (Mr. Garland) had no right to go to the hospital, and that lie ought to have gone to a private hospital. As a ratepayer he had a perfect right to go to the hospital; he would insist on going again if the necessity arose, and he would give the Board full fees and no more, and if they took him to Court, and sued him for what they considered was due, he would light the matter with the last shilling he possessed. The Commissioners stated the patients should pay according to their means, and the sum lixed by the Board was 4s 8d petday, or according to their means. The Board paid nothing for the services of the honorary stall", and they could not charge the patients for those services. Mr. Bioomfield: You got special attention. Mr. Garland said he got no attention more than his case required. Mr. Bioomfield: 1 think it a pity you have raised this question. If you go there again and pay Is On a day I shall have great pleasure in having you sued. Mr. Garland : And you will be defeated ; the. law is quite clear. Sir. Bioomfield: You are defending yourself. You have been pretty freely condemned, and you had better sit down. Mr. Garland: I shan't sit down for you. I think Sir. Bloomiield's remarks are very undignified and ungentlenianly, and I am entitled to the protection of the chair. Mr. Bloomfield : You are presuming too much on the generosity of the Board in raising that question. The Chairman: I think as Sir. Garland's case is not referred to in the Commission's report lie had better leave it alone. Mr. Garland: I will bow to your ruling, but I say Judge Ward was well informed, j and must have been informed by my per- ] sonal enemies. lam quite satisfied he went out of his way to say what ho said to me, knowing that, as I was in the witness-box, I could not answer him, and 1 am answering him now. THE RICH. AND TIIE POOR. Sir. Bruce said ho had been five years on the Fees Committee, and he knew that every precaution was taken by that committee to arrive at the ability of every patient to pay, and he had never known a rich man 1 to bo in the hospital. The poor had never been, harassed by the committee, for when they satisfied the committee of their inability to pay the fees were wiped out. Mr. Casey said he thought ratepayers should have the privilege of going to the hospital, but he did not think £1 8s a week was enough to charge. He thought they should have a charge of £2 10s, and another charge of £4 4s. and admit any man, charging the higher fee to those who were ableto pav it. The Chairman, as an evidence that the poor had not been harassed, quoted the report of the Fees Committee for a-mouth, showing that of a total of £747 incurred £670 was written oft. Tho motion to refer the matter of fees to the Fees Commitee was carried, and on Mr. iJagnall's motion it was decided to defer consideration of the remainder of the report until after the decision of the Supreme j Court in Dr. Collins' case,. '