HOSPITAL AND CHARITABLE AID BOARD.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 3359, 14 January 1879, Page 4

HOSPITAL AND CHARITABLE AID BOARD.

A meeting o£ this Board was held at four •o'clock yesterday afternoon, at the Hospital ; present — Mr J. Thomson (chairman), the Mayors of Chrißtchurch, Sydenham, and Jjyttelton. The Rev — Gillies (Timavu) wrote recommending an application from Mr W. M'Kinnon to have his children admitted into the Orphanage, also enclosing the usual form. It was decided to forward tho paper to Mr JjcCren, the Board's officer at Timaru, for his report. Mr W. Knight, of Ashburton, waited on the Board to havo four of his children, ranging f vom 5 years to 1 year and 10 months, taken into tho Orphanage. His wife had recently died, and ho would be willing to pay the oxpenso of their maintenance as far as Ilia means would permit. His weekly incomo all the year round averaged about £2 10s weekly. It was his wish, if he could manage it, lo leave Ashbiu'ton and get work in Christchurch. As Mr Knight was anxious to get back to Aslibutton by the afternoon train the Chairman promised that a form would be sent up to him, which ho could fill up and return, whon the application would be duly considered. The Ho?"jo Surgeon reported thut there had been 17 admissions into tho Hospital during the week. Two of those were cases of typhoid fever — one a late arrival by the Hydaspes, and tho other a servant from Papanui. Mr Chilton stated that ho had refused seven applications for admission since the last meetiug of the Board. The Houso Steward reported that 14 patients had been discharged during the past week. There bad been no deaths. A letter was read from Dr Oruthrie, surgeon to fcho Hospital cottage at Akaroa, in roply, .asking for more definite instructions as to what the Board require in tho report of patients under his charge. The Secretary was instructed to inform Dr (xuthrie that the Board merely required a uliort report of the cases received by him, which had hitherto beun forwarded by the Hospital keeper, with a notification of the patients' ability to pay tho charges incurred. The Chairman mentioned one case in the Aktiou Hospital. It was tbut of a woman who had been 19 weeks in tho Hospital, whero i\w charges incurred amounted to £20, £15 of which was i'ov brandy drunk by her. Ho (tlie Chairman) was going to Akaroa in a week or co, and would take thut opportunity of vUiting tho Hospital while there. A general opinion was expressed that it was undent somo cases were admitted into that Hospital, which should have boon attended to at the private residences of the patients. It was decided thut the Chairman should write ft letter to Dr Guthrio before the L-cxt meeting, convoying the Board's wishes with respect to receiving patients into tho Akaroa Hospital. The Secretary repoited that the receipts al the Orphanage during tho lust quarter amounted to £62 10s. Mr Hellish had also forwarded a cheque for £15, boiug portion of contributions received towards the Burnhaui treat. It was resolved that a letter of thanks be forwarded to Mr Mellish. An application from Mrs Lee for a little girl in the Orphanage was acceded to, as a most favourable report had been received. An application from Mr T. Poole for two i>oy» out of the Orphanage, was referred to the chairman and secretary. An application i'rMii Temuka for a girl was declined, as it was thought advisable for tho present thut the elder girls should remain in tho institution to learn domestic work. Tho secretary reported that there were now -58 boys in tho Orphanage and 39 girls. The number of empty beds in tho institution was —boys 23, girls 28. After considering a number of applications for charitable aid the Board adjourned. THE CANTERBURY LAND FUND. ♦ We have been requested to publish the following circular, which has been addressed lo the Canterbury Road Boards : — " Christchurch, Now Zealand, "Dec. 20, 1878. "Sir, — I am requested by the Committee appointed by several County Councils and Road Boards, for tho purpose of obtaining payment of tho portion of tho Canterbury land fund due to them, but which was withliold by the Colonial Government, to inform you that their work has been brought to a conclusion, and to request your co-operation in tho payment of tho expenses incurred. "As directed by the general meeting of tho representatives of the abovo-inentioned bodies, the Committee after having obtained the best legal advico within their roaoh, had iccOurso to legal proceedings with a view of compelling the Government to pay over the money which they wrongfully held back. U'hcso proceedings were frustrated by tho position assumed by the Government, that even if their conduct were illegal, the Supremo Court had no authority to compel them to carry out the law. Tho Committee have no doubt that if the Government had not sheltered themselves behind this not very creditable defence, their conduct would have boen declared illegal, and tho whole sum impounded by them would have been recovered. "Legal proceedings haying failed for tho above reason, the Committee prepared and forwarded to tho Houso of Representatives, during tho late session of Parliament, a petition setting out fully the facts of tho case and praying the House to causo justice to bo done. "In the courso of the session tho claims of the local bodies whose revenues had been impounded, were frequently and urgently pressed upon tho attention of Government and of Parliament by the Canterbury and some of the Otago membors j und eventually a compromise was arrived at by which, out of the sum of £225,000 so detained, £155,000 was agreed to bo paid. Of this amount JU55,000 has already boen remitted, and the balance is to bo paid in tho courso of two or three weeks. " Although this partial success was not immediately tho result of the legal proccdings taken by the Committee, they are assured by tho members to whose exertions thoy are so much indebted, that those proceedings contributed very materially to this result, by bringing the whole circumstances of the case prominently under public notico, and also by allowing tho determination of the local bodies whoso funds had been misappropriated to leave no Btono unturned by which this wrong could be remedied. "The Committee feel assured, therefore, that tho expenses incurred by them will be readily shared by all parties interested, the greater number of whom have indeed already signified their willingness to do so. The sum total of these expenses, including the Goveroment costs, is £276 5s 7d, being about three shillings and sixpences per cent upon tho amount recovered. " I shall fool much obliged if you will lay this letter beforo your Board and inform mo, as aoon as you conveniently can, whether thoy aro willing to contribute in proportion to the amount recovered for them. " As soon as tho number of Boards willing to do so has been ascertained, and the exact emu payable by each can consequently be -deterininod, I will forward you a list of such jsiims, and request a remittance of the amount duo from you. "The committee has learnt with regret Iliat the circular issued by them inviting the co- operation of County Councils and Road Boards has failed to reach some of those bodies ; if this has happened in your case ike committee trust you will attribute it to a pure accident, and not to any intentional omission on their part. " I have tho honour, &c, 11 J. L. Wilson, "Chairman of the Committee."