Hospital and Charitable Aid Board.

Otago Witness, Issue 1784, 30 January 1886, Page 19

Hospital and Charitable Aid Board.

The Committee of the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board for this district met on Wednesday afternoon. Preßent— Messrs J. Robin (chairman), P. Black (secretary), D'Arcy Haggitt, White, H. Clark, H. Gourley, Calder, J. Green, and Caffin. Mr Haqgitt intimated that he had arranged with the bank, as requested, for an overdraft of £300. GOVERNMENT SUBSIDIES. The Secretary read correspondence that had passed between him and the Hospital and Benevolent Institution authorities relative to subsidies to which they were entitled; also a letter from the Premier's office in reply to one from the Board. This stated that the Government would subsidise their monthly contributions if claims were sent in supported in each case by a statutory declaration, which was necessary for the Audit Department. The funds of the Government would not justify them in giving four months' subsidies at once in so many instances* CHRONIC PATIENTS. A letter was read from the Dunedin Hospital with reference to certain patients who were 'unfit for work but required little special attention, and would be more fitting inmates of the Benevolent Institution than the Hospital. After some discussion, the Chairman, Messis White, Caffin, and Calder were appointed a committee to meet a committee of the Benevolent Institution and visiif the patients referred to. DEFAULTING LOCAL BODIES. It was stated that of the contributing bodies to the Hospital Board, the Portobello Road Board, the North-East Valley Council, and the Roslyn Council had not paid their contributions. It was explained that in the cases of both Portobello and North-East Valley the delay was unavoidable, and the contributions would be forthcoming immediately. Mr Haggitt said he was not present at the meeting held at Roslyn, or he would certainly have entered a protest against the nttitude taken up. He thought very scant courtesy had been shown to him, and must confess that he had the greatest disgust for them. His first impulse was to resign his seat on the Board tight off, and refuse to represent them any longer, but perhaps the better course would be for him to fight it out and help to make them pay. Mr White said that in view of the attitude taken up by Roslyn a telegram had been sent to the Colonial Treasurer stating that Roslyn had refused and other contributing bodies had failed to pay, and asking him to kindly withhold subsidies to local bodies in Otago in the meantime. As it turned out, no other local bodies refused to pay, it would be easy to revoke the telegram and make it apply only to Roslyn. . It was resolved that a second telegram be despatched to the Colonial Treasurer to that | effect. At a subsequent stage the Chairman stated that Vincent County, Cromwell Borough, Tapanui Borough, Portobello Road Board, North-East Valley Borough, and Roslyn Borough had not paid their contributions to the Charitable Aid Board. Vincent, Portobello, and North-East Valley had sent apologies, but the others kad not acknowledged the Board at It was resolved that the Government should he requested to stop these contributions also out of the subsidies. THE BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION. Mr Clulee, secretary to the Benevolent Institution, waited upon the Board and explained that the Institution had sent an application to the Government on December 26 to be incorporated a separate institution, the District Board having been given 14 days' notice, and

all the requirements of the Act complied with. On the 19th of this month he sent up an account for subsidy on all amounts collected since December 1 to date, including £200 received from the District Board. In reply the Government referred him to sections 12 and 13 of the Act, and said that except in the case of incorporated institutions they could only grant subsidies to boards, and that it would be necessary for the Institution until ib was incorporated to apply to the Board for tho i llu ds required. The Institution was therefore in a dilemma. Mr Warns remarked that it was not the fault of the Institution that it was not incorporated, and that the Government should have pushed the matter on. Eventually the Chairman and secretary of the Board and the president of the Institution were pppointed a committee to interview tho Premier upon the subject. THE ]3RU(jn AUCTION. Mr Grant wrote, a.s trustee of the funds raised for the Benevolent Institution by the bruce auction held at Milton, to ask the advice of the Board as to the disposal of the money — £90. In the event of it being paid over there ■would be trouble with the subscribers, as some said they understood it was to be applied to the Benevolent Institution, while others maintained they had given to reduce the amount payable by tho district. A resolution had been passed at a recent meeting to the effect that the money was to be handed over to the local bodies towards their contribution to the Board. Mr Clark said a great many who subscribed believed the money was being raised under the new Act. Mr White thought the money had been earmarked for the Benevolent Institution, and if the subscribers objected he did not see that the local bodies could pet it. Mr Gourley held the sum was clearly raised for _ the Benevolent Institution, and was astonished that anyone could advocate diverting it from its proper channel. He moved — " That this Board is of opinion that the money having beeu raised for the Benevolent Institution it should be applied to that purpose." * Mr Green did not think there could be another opinion save on the part of a local resident. It was a pure accident that the money was not raised and paid over in time to prevent this question. Mr Clark denied the views that had been advanced, and said that he and others would not have contributed unless they had thought the amount was to go to lessen their liability to that Board. The new Act was passed before any action was taken to raise the money. Mr Gourley's motion was carried, Mr Clark alone dissenting.