CROMWELL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2310, 9 June 1898, Page 26

CROMWELL.

June 2. — Ameeting of subscribers to the hospital and of the public generally was held in the Council Chambers on Wednesday last to discuss the action of a section of the trust in giving Dr Morris three months' notice without advancing any reason for the same. His worship the mayor (Mr K. Pretsch) occupied the chair.

The Rev. Mr Cumming, the convener of the meeting, in opening the proceedings, said that although his action in calling the meeting had been said by thß section of the trust opposed to him, in a letter to the local paper, to be imprudent, yet, as a member elected by the subscribers to , represent them on the trust, he was in the position of a parliamentary representative, who addi-essed his constituents that they might endorse or condemn his action. He stated that all he had done had been actuated by a desire to preserve his co-trustees from suffering the penalties of a writ of quo ivarranto. 'They had rejected his friendly advice, procured by himself at the expense of two legal opinions, and he believed the writs would be issued in a day or two. He explained at length his action in regard to the matter before the meeting. He mentioned in the course of his remarks that all the reports on the hospital— even those made by the section of the trust opposed to the doctor— were favourable, and that the falling off in the subscriptions was due to a gieat extent to the remis-sness of the trust itself.

Mr T. Rooney spoke in support of his action as a trustee.

Mr D. A. Jolly moved, and Mr J. ll 'George seconded, the following resolution :—" That this meeting protest against the action of a section of the hospital trust as being unjustifiable and unwarranted, besides being prejudicial to the institution ; and that a copy of this motion be sent to the trust." In speaking to the motion Mr Jolly praised Dr Morris's skill as an accoucheur, and stated that during his residence in the district he had never lost a patient through anything that could be called a fault of hia own, and that; as the hospital doctor was, owing to the sxnallness of the district the only doctor the district could afford to keep, a section of the trust wished to change the doctor without consulting the inhabitants of the district, who had a right to be appealed to. He stigmatised a letter in the press, in which the four members of the trust defied the verdict of the public, and before hearing the result of the meeting stated they would take no notice of it, as a deliberate insult to the community. The Rev. Father Hunt said that he had never been asked for a subscription to the hospital, and denied that a section of the trust had a right to sit in judgment on the doctor without oonsulting the meeting. He said that the thanks of the community were 'due to Mr Cumniing for the stand he had taken in the matter.

On being put the motion was carried by 31 to 1. Mr Warburton proposed— " That this meeting endorse Mr Oamminß's action, and commend him for calling this meeting to discuss, the question." — Carried unanimously. Mr Holden was the only member of the section of the trust at the meeting, and he took no active part in the proceedings.

Inquest.— The verdict of the inquest held on the late Mr Cameron was " Died from exposure." Weather.— The blustering weather of the past few days has changed into a hard frost, which has evidently come to stay. The bitter winds of last week have caused a number of resideuts to contract cold 3