THAMES HOSPITAL COMMITTEE.

Thames Advertiser, Volume IX, Issue 2436, 5 October 1876, Page 3

THAMES HOSPITAL COMMITTEE.

The usual monthly meeting of the Hos« pital Committee was held yesterday afternoon at the Salutation Hotel, Mary, street. There wero present—The licv V. Lush, Vice-President (in the chair), Messrs Gudgeon, Frater, Macnab, Benshaw, Bagnall, McGowan, Davies, Souter, Ahier, and Dr Kilgour.

The minutes of last meeting were read and confirmed.

Apologies wero received from the Eev J. Hill, the Bev Father Chastagnon, Messrs Mcllhone, Mulligan, McCullough, and Brown.

House Committee's Bepom.—Tho House Committee's report was read as follows —" Keport of House Committee, 4th October, 1876. To the General Committee of Management, Thames Hospital,—Your committee for the past month have the pleasure to report that during their term of office they have found everything orderly and satisfactory. Tho patients seem all satisfied with everyone connected with the hospital, and there have been no complaints. Wo have examined the current accounts for the month, which -we find correct, and have passed to the Genoral Committee for payment, as follows: Salaries, £54 lis did; and general accounts, £59 17s 7d, The front to the Mary-street front has been painted at the cost of material, the labour having been done by patients. A neiv ['gate for the cart entrance has also been made in the same way, at the cost of material only. The committee recommend that the verandah be extended round the west side of the building its entire depth, as this improvement is necessary for the protection of tho west ward from the afternoon sun, which is very oppressive and injurious to the patients occupying the beds on that side. If this can be afforded, it is very desirable that this work should be undertaken.—J. Kilooue, Chairman." On the motion of Mr Gudgeon, seconded by Mr Souter, the report was adopted.— Mr Prater asked what the probable cost of the extension of the veranhah would be—Dr Kilgour said he was not in a position to afford that information. In talking over the matter in the committee they though about £20 would cover the cost.—Messrs Frater and Macnab spoke in favour of having the work carried out, as it was much required.—Mr Bagnall thought some cheaper method of protecting the patients from the heat might be adopted.-Mr Davies moved that the House Committee for the ensuing month call for tenders, and carry out the work of erecting the verandah.—Mr Ahier seconded the motion, which was agreed to.

Tbeasubee's Bepom.—The Treasurer read his balance-sheet as follows:— Dr. To balance in hand, £8 Is Gd; balance in Bank of New Zealand, £34 ]Bs. Subscriptions and donations: Per Messrs Comers and Brown, £6 15s 6d; Mr Hicks, £617s Bd, Mr Gudgeon, £11 4s; Messrs Benshaw and Souter, £5 ss; Mr Ahier, £10 Is; the Secretary, £14 7s 3d; patients' charges, £216?; Bank of New Zealand overdraft, £34 0s Bd-£134 6s 5d Cr. By salaries' account, £60 18s; maintenance account, £36 18s; miscellaneous expenses, £1 •8s 4d; medical comforts account, £13 18a 6d; building and repairs account, £314s 3d; furniture account, 17s 61; printing and stationery account, £2 2s; commission account, £4 8s; funerals account, £2 Is 9d; auditors' fees account, £225; intoresr, 15s 4d; cash balance in hand, £5 2s 9d£134 6s sd. Liabilities: Bank of New Zealand, £34 0s 8d; salaries, £54 lis 4d; general accounts, £5917s 7d-£l4B 9s 7d. Assets: Cash, £5 2s 9d; Provincial Government, £250 ; less liabilities, £148 9s 7d-£lO6 13s 2d.—The report was adopted, on the motion of Mr Davies. -Iu reference to tho canvass of tho district, tho Treasurer said [hat when lie was furnished with the list of the collections, ho would lay a statement of the result before tho commifcteo, Ho had intended to havo that statement to-day, but he was not furnished with material.—A report from Messrs Davies and Prater as to tho result of their canvass was read.

Mouse Sttbgeon's Report.— Tlie report of tho House Surgeon was read and adopted:—"l have the honour to report, for the information of the committee, that on the 31st of August last there remained in the hospital 18 patients; that during Ihe month of September there were 11 admissions, 10 patients were discharged, one died; and on the 30th Soptomber .18 remained under treatment, while 96 out-patients received tho benelils of the hospital. Analysiug the cases in the house, there are 5 cases of rheumatism, 2 paralysis, 1 fracture, 1 encephalitis, 1 cataract, 1 hepatitis, 1 abscess, 1 bronchitis, 1 caries of bouc, 1 lumbago, 1

ulcers 01 legs, 1 sprain of arm, and 1 deprrssed fracture of skull. There have been no mining accidents admitted during the month, and tho only death was from a severe spinal injury, the'case appealing hopeless from the time of admission.— Wiuum A. Pekston."

Resignation.—A letter was read from Mr Darrow, stating that he would bo unable to fulfil the duties of a committeeman owing to his other duties, and begged, therefore, to decline tho honour which had been conferred on him.

The Hospital Fete.—Tho Secretary I read replies from the Hibernian Society, Court Prido of the North ani Court Pride of Parnell (Foresters), Loyal Waikato Lodge* Loyal Charles Bruce (Oddfellows), Protestant Alliance, and Keehabites, to his application for their co-operation in a demonstration in aid of tho hospital funds. They stated that thsy had appointed committees to act in conjunction. Tho Secretary of the Loyal Charles Bruce Lodge returned tho tickets which had been _ forwarded (tickets for admission of patients to the hospital which were forwarded in consequenco of their co-operation in the previous fete), stating that as they had not been sent previously tho lodge declined to accept them.—?ur Baguall said that a good deal of feeling was exhibited by tho various friendly societies in consequence of those tickets not having been previously forwarded, and, although the societies had appointed committees, they had not yet agreed to hold the fete, and all would depend on the report brought up by the committees appointed. The fete, he believed, would bo held, but the committee would have to use all their influence to get it for the hospital.—The Secretary explained that the president had written to each of the lodges with the tickets enclosed, explaining tho reason of tho delay which had taken place.—Dr Kilgour suggested that it any actioa was taken to reply to those letters, tho best way would bo for the committee to write to the subscribers regretting that the tickets had not been forwarded before, and thankiug them for the steps which they had already taken in respect of the hospital fete thisjear.—Mr Bagnall said that tho president had already written to tho societies.—Mr Davies thought that a letter of explanation should be sent at least to the lodge which returned the tickets, for it was evident they felt aggrieved.—Mr Bagnall thought that would bo invidious, and suggested that the matter bo let drop.— This was agreed to.

Mining- Companies' Subscriptions.— The Secretary said that this year he had sent circulars to the various mining companies soliciting contributions. Ho had received a reply from theTairua Prospectors Company, intimating that the application had been laid before the board of directors, but they did not consider themselves justified in touching tho company's funds tor this purpose. New Member.— Mr Gudgeon proposed that Mr E. T. Wildman be elected a member of the committee in place of Mr Darrow.—The motion was seconded by Mr Jlenshaw, and agreed to. The House to House Canvass.—Mr Davies suggested that tho names of those who subscribed during the recent canvass should be published. It would be satisfactory to the subscribers and the collectors, and it was only right that the contributions should be acknowledged.— Mr Macnab said it would be better to allow the matter to stand over until the lists were completed.-Mr Bagaall supported Mr Davies' views, and moved that the secretary intimate to tho collectors that all lists must be handed in by nest Saturday.—Several member, including the treasurer, thought this notice too short, and tho motion was withdrawn on the understanding that the treasurer close the lists as soon as possible. House Committee. — The following members were appointed the House Committee for the ensuing mouth: —Dr Eilgour, and Messrs Ahier, Souter, and the Kev Father Chastagnon.

Alteration of Buus.-Tlie Chairman asked that the notice of motion standing in his name might be allowed to stand over for another month. Ho would not like to deal with anything requiring the alteration of rules unless the president was present. Tho postponement was agreed to. Patients' CHABGES.-Mrßagnall again brought before the notice of the committee the subject to which he had referred at last meeting. Ho said that when canvassing for subscriptions many people spolco to him. They declared it was a hardship that they should havo to contribute to the support of the hospital while many derived the benefits of the hospital gratuitously who wero well able lo pay. Eo had known several instances himself, and he fully sympathised with the remarks, and now that they were feeling the pressure of want of means they would have to do something to increase their revenue. _ In tho Auckland hospital, when a patient was admitted he was asked to pay a month's contribution in advance, or to get some parson to guarantee payment. He proposed that the matter of increasing the revenue of the hospital from patients' charges bo referred to the House Committee to report upon at the next meeting. —Mr Gudgeon seconded the motion,Mr Frater also spoko in reference to the advisability of making a small charge on out-patients as a means of increasing the revenue, and after some further discussion Mr Bagnall's motion was adopted.