HOSPITAL INVESTIGATION COMMISSION.

Thames Star, Volume VI, Issue 1806, 16 October 1874, Page 2

HOSPITAL INVESTIGATION COMMISSION.

llie Commissioners (enquiring into the alleged mismanagement of the Thames Hospital sat again to-day at the Warden's Office, arid several witnesses were examined. Shortly- after noon the labours of the commission being concluded '^- h© further, evidence, being tenderedr—the commission was virtually closed. We are imformed-that a number' of witnesses who were-to. have, given evidence in! •upport of the charge against the Hospital have absented themselves owing: to the position taken by Mr. PWer> Miss Milgrew was expected from Auckland today to give,evidence, but it is reported that if the enquiry .had been kept open, she .would have been.adyised to withhold her evidence v The following is a copy of a letter sent to the Commissioners this _morning by_Mrj Power:-—

Gentlemen-,—^-1 have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of yesterday, and beg to say that what I asked from the Commissioa at the rcommencement of the enquiry wasi: tnat I should have some pnepresemV who could not only take nples, but use them in questioning.'witnesses. ; This offer of a clerk (which you now make) does not meet the difficulty^ aB it would be Very awkward for me to, tell $he; Qlerk what I wanted him to take down, and then take *the;ndte¥ffom him arid use them; lifesides, the case ha» advanced so far now that even though you. were now to grant all I wished, it would not avail. I'didnotask the presence 6f a lawyier, but simply of onewho'could do Sjusticetto' mjr case, as jl^jcould not do ; jt,for myself, as Dr. Lethbridge was idbihg for himself. I specially felt the -•unfairness of th« position in which I was placed wtiilt Mr. Aitken was being' examined; I may also be permitted to say that had I knowathat th« evidence.of the witnesses was not to be taken on oath, I would not have attended yesterday at Mhl In justice;: toj myielf, therefore, I must decline to come back to an enquiry so c6nducted.~l am, Gentlemen, Xours respectfull/,

MAtTEICE P.OWEB.

The following . correspondence has passed between the Commisaioners and Mr. Wm. Jtowe, President Thames Hospital :— W-.Rowe, Esq.

Dear Sib, —We feel somewhat disappointed that none 6f the members of the Hospital Committee have farored us with their presence while engaged in .this enquiry connected with their institution. The Committee are clearly deeply interested in' the matter, and ought to see how the enquiry is being conducted. We propose to sit again tc-morrqw, when wo nope the chairman and some other members of the Hospital Committee will make it convenient to be present.— Yours very respectfully, R. B. Lusk, P.A. T. M. Phuson, : t - Provincial Surgeon. October 15, 1874. To T. M. Philson and R. B. Lusk, Esqs. Gentiemest, —I have the honor to ac knowledge, the receipt of your letter of date the'lsth,' expressing your surprise that none of the members of the Jufrpital Committeehave favored you with thllf presence .while engaged in the enquiry at present being, conducted by you. In reply I have to say that the Committee thought it better not to. interfere in anyway with the enquiry now going on, but had the Commissioners expressed a desire on their arrival here that either thei President or 6ther members:,of the Committee should. be present, '1 have n6 doubi bitfc arrangements would" have been made to that effect. Ido nbpthink, however, that eithej President or\nij?jb? berg of the" Cpmniittee ppuld havb beeii 5 induced to attend! the; enquiry as passive spectators only; and at the stage of -the eiqtiiry at which your letter reached me 1 think their presence would have resulted in no good, y unless they had (first) the' privilege of cross - examining the various witnesses called; and, secondly, that after they had read the jeSvidGfcce

given yesterday, the power to recall and re-examine any or all of the witnesses if thought necessary. This I stated verbally to you this morning before the enquiry commenced, and I feel satisfied that the Committee would not have been justified in taking any action when thoso rrivileges were denied. I am, Gentlemen, Yours obediently, W-Rowe. Grahamstown, Oct. 16th 1874.