THE HOSPITAL INQUIRY

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5282, 12 June 1895, Page 2

THE HOSPITAL INQUIRY

TUKSDAT, JUNB 11. Mr Stringer appeared for the Hospital and Charitable Aid Department, Mr Loughrey for the Hospital Board, Mr Maude for the matron of the hospital, Mr Joynt (with him Mr Hunt) for the united bodies, and Mr Caygill for the Progressive Liberal Association.

Afternoon Sitting,

Mary Ewart, called by Mr Caygill, deposed that she was the Bister in charge cf No. 5 ward, and had been eight years at the hospital. The food for patients was Bometimea good, and sometimes gave ground for considerable complaint— within the last twelve months; sometimes it was

not nicely cooked, and sometimes it was not good. As a rule, however, the food was good. There were not enough vege-* tables. In the women's ward they always had plenty of food. The "coup waa good. The food generally had been better, and the supply ol vegetables and the cooking, since "Tongariro's " letter. The fish even now was not always the best. It was often coarße, and sometimes on a Monday it was tainted. For about two months there had been no eggs in the puddings. When she was in No. 4 ward she had attended female operations. The matron had administered ether or chloroform when no other surgeon but the House Surgeon was pre&ent. Miss Steel had once administered chloroform or ether on an emergency. Witness had not seen the order about attending service. The doctor had asked her to tell the convalescent patients to attend the service. She thought it was in the form of ac order, but was not accompanied by any throat about passes. She did not know whether any inquiry had been made about the religion of applicants as probationers. Since Miss Maude had come the probationers taken on had all been members of the Church of England, except one. She could not remember how many had been taken on as probationers. She wbb not referring to their being continued on as nurses. They did not become probationers till after three months' trial. When on trial they were called probationers before they realty became so. She knew that the girls had been ordered to attend operations. It was not the custom for the young girls to go in to tbem till about two years ago. She remembered Probationer Pope beiug blamed for sitting in the matron'a presence. The doctor reproved the probationer for it very severely. She had been sitting in the pantry off duty and out of uniform. The matron came . in to speak to witness, who went to get some information for her. The matron talked with witness for some time, and the doctor came in. The matron did not say anything, but the doctor spoke in rather a croBS tone, and asked how dare Mies Pope Bit in the presence of the matron. Witness knew Probationer Harper, who was a member of the Church of England. Witness had reported her twice for what witness thought neglect of a patient, a helpless one, who had undergone an operation the day 1 before, and the probationer had not attended to her during the night to keep her clean. Witness reported her to the matron, and she was taken away from the ward. The probationer once burnt a patient with a hot-water bottle. Witness reported her, and she was reproved for it. Witness did not think that Probationer Harper was related to any member of the Board. Witness had known cases in which rabbit had been given to patients for whom chicken had been ordered, when it ' was said that

chicken was not to be had. There was

alwayß time between the ordering of the diet and the meals for chicken to be procured. _ Jtabbifc was often given instead of chicken, until they complained to the matron, when it was remedied. Sometimes the milk was a little short, when much extra milk -was not ordered. The matron went round the wards in the morning and, witness believed, after eight at night. Witneaa was on duty from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., with three hoars off one day, and two the next, and one whole afternoon in the week. On Sundays she had the morning or afternoon alternately off. Those were the day nurses' hours. The night nursea' time was from eight at night to seven in the morning. At night there was a nurse in each ward, and two probationers be* tweenj three wards. The night nuraes got no time off. Sisters were never night nurses. Sometimes probationers were. Since the inquiry began witness had been spoken to by a member of tho Progressive Liberal Association about it, but by no one in the hospital. To Mr Loughrey : There was a good large vegetable garden attached to the hospital. She had not seen it for more than a year. It used -to be wiell stored with vegetables. Within the last week the nurses had had eggs in the puddings. The patients got eggs when ordered for them. She would be surprised to learn that the weekly consumption of eggs in the hospital was forty dozen. j To Mr Maude ; The matron crate round when the food was served in the women's ward, and when complaints were made she said she would take a note of them. About four months ago there was nothing but mutton on the nurses' table for several weeks. A menu card need to be put up. Miss Pope was sitting on a chair, when the doctor reproved her for sitting in -the presence of the matron. To Dr Hurray-Aynsley : Witness had never seen the House Surgeon drunk or smoking in the wards. When doctors ordered chicken it waa not expected till the next day. • To the Commissioner : When chicken was ordered on one day, rabbit would sometimes come on the next. To Mr Stringer: There was no ill-feel-ing between the old and young nurses, and witness did not know that the old ones discussed the effect of the younger ones coming in on their position. A nurse or a patient mighb speak outside about what had happened in it, but she had not known of anything like disloyalty to the hospital in that direction. Nurse Cameron was a permanent night nurse in No. 6 ward. It was the regular practice for a nurse to bs attached to a particular ward. She understood that the power of dismissing a nurse lay with the Board. It did not lay with the matron, and she thought it waa better that it should rest with the Board. To Mr Joynt : She never knew of any combination or conspiracy among the older nurses to thwart the management of the hospital. None of the nurses wanted other nurses to throw any difficulties in the way of the administration of the hospital. Mr Joynt read an extract from Dr Macgregor's report, to the effect tbat the elder members of the staff and certain ! others had used their influence to causa a cabal to paralyse the authority of the . House Surgeon and matron. He asked the witness if that was true. The witness replied that she knew nothing of it, and did not think ie was true. She had been much surprised to see the statement. To Mr Caygill : From the Bize of the vegetable garden there should be plenty of vegetables. It had formerly been the practice for the sistera not to be removed from their wards. She had been six years and a half in one ward. Recently, however, the sisters were sometimes removed from their wards.

At 4.15 p.m. the inquiry adjourned to 10.30 a.m. next day.

THIS DAY,

The sitting of the Commission of Inquiry into the administration of the Christchurch Hospital was resumed at 10.30 a.m. Counsel appeared as already stated. The Commissioner said he supposed it was intended to produce the Hospital books showing the burials. Mr Loughrey said it was. Mr Joynt aeked that Mr Miller might be ordered to bring a list of all burials. The Commissioner said he took it for granted' that Mr Miller would produce such information. He would refer to it in his evidence.

Dr Giles naid that he would like to have a liefe of burials during 1892, with the amounts paid by the relatives, so that they could be compared with the entries in Mr Scrimshaw's books.

Mr Miller said that his books would not '

show the etpecditure on any but pauper funerals. The other funerals were arranged between the undertaker and the friends. The Commissioner said that he wanted a lisb of all caseß in which money had passed through Mr Miller's hands for burials. Mr Miller aaid that he would provide that. The following evidence was taken :— John O'Oarroll, called by Mr Joynt, deposed that be was a storekeeper at Hawarden. The late Ellen Kennelly wav his niece. She died about June 5, 1894, and came to live with witnesa in November, 1893. She was in very good health, but not extra strong. She became ill about fourteen days before ber death. Dr Fitzhenry preecnbed for her, but as she did not improve witness took her on June 4 to the hospital, where he arrived about 8 p.m. On the way down he had a telephone message sent from Sefton to ask the hospital authoritieb to have a bed prepared. The House Surgeon admitted having received the message. When witness arrived he saw Dr MurrayAynsley, who asked what was the matter with the patient. Witness said he did not know. The doctor then asked if he had a doctor's order, and witness said he had not. The doctor said that he had telephoned to Sefton that he could not admit the patient, but witness had not got the message, as he had come on in the train. Witaees offered to pay, and the doctor said, " TMb place is for the poor." Witness said he understood that it was a public institution for everybody, but the doctor said that people who could pay mußt go elsewhere, and that there were plenty of nursing homes; he might have mentioned Rowan's Home, and told witness he had better get a doctor's certificate. Witness replied that he was twenty-five miles from a doctor, and explained that he was ia a difficult position. He asked the doctor to see her, but be would not. Took the girl to Sowan's Nursinß Home. Dr De Renzi, whom he fetched on the advice of the cabman, saw her that night. Next morning witness saw a member of the Hospital Board, Mr C. M. Gray, who said he did not like intruding in the matter, but witness pressed him, and through him got permission to bring the girl the following day to the hospital. Dr Murray -Aynsley had said, on the night of the 4th, that he was full up and had no beds.

To the Commissioner : The girl ba<* not spent twenty-four hours in bed at home. Bhe lay back on cushions in the railway carriage, which had reverting seats, and went in a cab to the hospital. To Mr Joynt : The girl had been treated as one of witness's family, and had done house work. To t>r Murtay-Aynsley : The House Bnrgeoa asked what was the matter with the girl, and witness aaid she was seriously ill. The doctor then asked if she had fever, and witness replied that she might, for all he knew. Dr Fitzhenry came to Waikari once a week, and wan not passing witneßb'a plaoe every day. Knew that Dr Fitzhenry was attending Mr, Lance, and had to go past witness's to get there. Dr Fiizhenry had said that he would like to pee the girl again, if she was not improving, in a week's time. The week had not elapaed when witness took her to the Hospital. Witness did not send again for Dr Fitzhenry because the doctor was twenty miles away, and might be absent from Auiberley when his message got there. Besides, he thought that she would do better in the Hospital. Romembered Dr Murray- Aynsley spying that he would ring up Mra Bowan'e, but witness 'did not. know, whether he did so, as he (witness) never left the cab, Ib the doctor would have known had be been s6ber. The doctor went away for a while, and oame .back. Witness did not know where Mrd Rowan's was, bat the cabman did, and therefore he went there. The girl did very little work, and was well looked after at Ha warden. DrMurray-Aynßley asked if the evidence taken at the inquest 'on the girl could be put in. Mr Joynt objected, as it was impossible to cross-examine the witnesses on it, as they were not present. The Commissioner asked Dr MurrayAynsley what was his object in asking for the depositions. Dr Murray-Aynsley said he wished to show the condition of the girl's body. . The Commissioner said that the only thing Dr Murray- Ay naley had to meet was the allegation that he had refuaed to adnfit the girl and had not looked at her, and he did not see that the girl's condition had any bearing on it. Witneaß (to Dr Murray-Aynsley) : The House Surgeon said that witness oould get r. vector when he got to the Home. Tii i Commissioner said that Mr O'Carroll made a remark which he had no right to, unless he had reason. He had said that Dr Murray-Aynsley would have known he had not left the cab, if he (tbe doctor) had been sober. The witness said that his reason for saying what he had was that the doctor's manner was peculiar, and witness was very much annoyed. James Pearson, called by Mr Joynt, deposed that he was a baker, and had been injured in the switchback accident on Oct. 6, 1891, and had been taken to the hospital the same evening. He remained thirteen weekß in there, and had ! been treated by Drs Murray-Ayiißiey and Stewart. His leg was broken at the shin. He had splints and an extension weight pat on. The first three weeks witness was treated for a broken leg, and then Dr Stewart fonnd that hia thigh had been broken, and witness underwent an operation for it. Witness was to have got up on the Mpnday after a certain Thursday, and Dr Stewart laid the lega out and found that one thigh was shorter than the other. Witnens was in bed for five weeks after the operation, and then a plaster bandage was put on. Dr Murray* Aynsley, witness believed, examined him when he waß admitted, and set the fracture of theehin. To Dr Murray- Ayneley : Dr Stewart looked at the leg during the firot three weeks, and changed the splints three times. He could more his leg a little, and felt no pain in the thigh. The leg was muoh bruised and smaller. There was no alteration in its shape. The thigh was now all right, but the leg was crooked. He was sponged every day by Nurses Hyde and A* alethorpe. Several other cases from the switchback accident were admitted ab the same time. To Mr Joynt : Witness w&b admitted on the Saturday, and Dr Stewart changed the Eplints on the Monday. Dr Stewart only examined the part whioh had been treated by Dr Murray-Aynsley, and witness made no suggestion which would have caused him to do so. Dr Stewart first found. that the thigh was broken. To Mr Loughrey: The food was good sometimes, but sometimes it waß sect back because it was not cooked. The attention of the nurses was good. He never saw the doctor drunk or smoking. To Dr Murray-Ayneley : The leg was put up in back and side splints, and Dr Stewart took the side Bplints off. Katherine Pye, called by Mr Caygill, deposed that her late husband had been in the hospital about six weeks, and left about Saturday, May 2 or 3, this year. His heart and lungs had been affected by influenza. When he came out no intimation was given to her of hia coining out. When he got home he was very weak in body and his mind was affected. He told her that he had taken a coach to Lonaigan's, and had taken a tram to Bennett's corner. She lived at Linwood. He got home soon after 4 p.m. WitnoßS had to call in Dr Ovenden late on the Monday night, and again on the Tuesday. Her husband had no fresh complaint then, and he died on the following Saturday. To Dr Murray-Aynsley : Witness came three times a week to see her husband, who made no complaint, and said he waß perfectly comfortable in the hospital. The week before he came out he came home with a pass, and went back to the hospital. Then he was very weak, and his mind was clear. Her house was close to the tramway line. Mrs Folly Pankhuret, called by Mr Joynt, deposed that she lived at Burwood, and went to the hospital on April 23 last, before 3 p.m., with erysipelas in her head and face. She came outjon May 6. When

she was admitted, Nurse Beveridge pat her to bed in No. 2 ward, and the was noc seen by a medical man that day. Next morning Dia Murray- Ayneley and Deamer attended to her. Dr Deamer oame once or twice after that, and also Dr Campbell* who was acting for Dr Murray-Aynsley. When she first went in the nurse put ointment on her face, and then washed it off and put on a lotion j she was very kind to witneßa. After she had been in for about ten days, Dr Murray-Aynsley aaked her if she had a home. He spoke in such a rough fashion that she thought she had better say "No," and did so. Then he said, "We want your bed." Witness said, "Do you want me to go away t" He made no reply, but went and talked to Nurse Medlam, who soon after came and aaid that if she got up when the place was closed she would get used to it. Witness was too weak to walk. When tbe doctor told her that ha wanfod her bed, he did not ask how Bhe felt. Nurse Medlam said that he had said that if ahe wbb up oq Sunday she was to go on Monday. The nurse eaid, " It isn't me that wants you to go." On the evening before the doctor spoke to her, he saw her with a mask on her face, and asked who she was. He had not then, or on the days just before, asked how she was. She got up about ten on the Sunday and sat by the fire all day. Her mother came to Bee her on the Sunday, and witneßs told her that she was going out. Oa tho Mondny her mother brought a cab, to which Nurse Mulcock assisted witness to walk. Witnet-.a oould not walk without ass stance. The plaster was on witness's face whoa the doctor toll her he wanted her bed. She had fish in the hospital ; it was not properly Berved ; and one day was bad and one day it was not properly, cooked. Several times the scales were left on the fish, which was boiled. Witness told the matron after the second time, and also j about the cabbage, which emelled v«ry | Blrong, and was not properly boiled. Once she had fried eel, which was ulmout raw on one side. Witneßß had been engaged as cook once. The soup was very thio, and not nourishing. The rice' was cooked enough, but had too much water in it. After she complained to the matron the fish did not improve at all, and they had carrots instead of cabbage for three days. The next cabbage we 8 rather better cooked. She had not been told why she was wanted to leave tb» hospital, except that the bed. was wanted. Dr Campbell came to her bed every day. He saw her on the morning of the Friday when Dr Murray-Aynsley said ho wanted her bed. Tee markß of the disease were plainly visible on her forehead fora week after. she left the hospital. To Dr Murray-Aynßley : The ward was full at the time she left, except that one bed was empty in the corner. To Mr Maude : Sho complained to the m \tton izf tbo morning, and the matron said that sho thought the coppers wanted re-lming. Witness said that she did not thmk the coppers wanted re-Jioing to boil cabbage. It would not be difficult to cook for one hundred and fifty people if i no had help and the appliances to do so. Mrs Mary Kinnenmontb, oalled by Mr Caygill, deposed that she lived at Addington. On Monday evening, March 26, she took her boy, aged eight yearß, to the hospital. He had fallen on some stones. Sh« Baw Mr Brown, who reduced a dislocation of the wrist and eyringed the arm higher up, where there was a wound. The boy was put to bed, and Dr M array- Ay asley came and looked at him. Ho felt tho boj's mm, and slid it was broken just above the wrist. Witness atked if it was not broken above the. elbow, and he' said, "Noj its cracked there and broken here." The bey was in the hospital tor seven days before he got up, and his arm was put up in one splint on the forearm. After the boy got up he remained them seven days more. He then went out, and went as pn outpatient for about ten days. He went la »gain on April 18, and witness went with liitn and saw Brown, who said that he did cot think the arm would have to be broken .gain. She waited abpntthe corridor from 8 to 11.30 a.m. for the doctor, who twisted the arm in some way, and the boy began to cry. The doctor afterwards told her i that be had had to break the arm again, <>r it would be useless. The arm was put; up in epliuts ngain, and the boy oame out on May 6. His arm would never be right. To Mr Loughrey: She bad no difficulty in obtaining admission for the boy, and did not know whether or not there were other out-patients waiting when Bhe was. Mrs Willis had asked her if she would answer any questions at the inquiry. To Dr Murray -Aynsloy : Dr Nedwlll /md the House Surgeon told her that they could make a good arm of it, but that they would run a risk of spoiling the elbowjoint. The boy had been pat under chloroform, and she objected to that, as he might have died under it. The boy was present, and at the request of Dr Murray- Aynsley moved his arm up and down aud sideways fairly freely. The witness said that the arm waß still often painful and Bwollen. James Patterson, called by Mr Oaygill, deposed that he lived at New Brighton. He waa in the hospital in the last week in July last year for operations. He was in No. 6 ward, and was well treated by Nurse's Medlam, Henry, Cameron, and, hethought, Nurse Joyoe, who were all very kind and attentive. The food was not very good, and wag badly cooked. He took os little as he oould, and his wifd brought htm the most part of his from home. The fieh was not very gopd, the mutton wan bad, and badly cooked, and the potatoes were served up cold with skins on them, ao that aiok people could not eat them. There was a very little cabbage, and he was not sure if there were other vegetables. The puddings were very bad, and the soup was sometimes good and sometimes poor. He had had thirty-two years' experience as a hotel* keeper. To Mr Loughrey : He was four weeks in the hospital, and came to Mr Caygill to volunteer his evidence, on account of an advertisement. He oame because some of the nursßß had been badly treated. He could apeak very well indeed of the doctor, and never saw him drunk or smoking. To Mr Maude : Witneßß never com* plained to the matron, who generally came round at meal timee, and on one occasion ordered the food to be sent back because it was badly cooked. To Dr Murray-Aynsley: He did not know if his wifn smuggled the food in ; she got it in. She brought eggs, batter and beef tea boiled to a jelly arid put in a bottle. The nurses did not know of it. Arthur Henry, called by Mr Caygill, deposed that he lived at Russell's Flat. In April, 18&4, he took his step-mother to the hospital for an operation. She had a cancer on her breast. He stayed in town aud visited her almost daily. She was a week in the hospital. No operation waa performed on her. She altered her mind about it. Witness saw Dr Murray-Aynßley the day she was coming out, and told him he was going to take her away. The doctor said the best thing witness could do was to go to the rope-makers, get a rope and hang her. Witness did not take this laughingly. Witness was glad to get her away when he found out how things were. That day week she was dead. To Dr Murray-Aynsley: They had no more conversation then, and the House Surgeon said, when she was admitted, that if the operation were to be done at all it must be done at onooj that every day's delay would increase the pain. Witness asked Dr Stewart to examine her, and told him that he did not think she was Btrong enough to go through the opera* tion. She was under Dr Stewart in the hospital. To Mr Loughrey : Witness had not seen anyone about giving evidence. After hiß stepmother came out witness took her to Ly ttelton and put her under Dr Guthrie. To Mr Caygitt : There was no >- ferenoe bo the agony caused by delay when he spoke to the House Surgeon about taking baking her away. To Dr Murray-Aynsley : The Houbg Surgeon did not say, " You might as srell as go to a ropemakee'e aud get a rope »nd hang ber as take her out." Ho ueed ;ho words witness had first repeated. William Luddy, called by Mr Caygill, leposed that ho lived at Lakeside. Hejame to the Hospital in the latter end of

January, 1894, by himself. He saw a doctor, who gave him an order. Witness gave the order to Dx Murray-Aynsley, who told him to wait. "Witness waited for an honr, when the do- tor asked him what wbb the matter, and he said he did not know, except rheumatics. Witness said he had been working in the water. The House Surgeon gave him a bottle of medicine. Witness asked the doctor to admit him aa a patient, and he said he could not, as ho was chokefu). Eight days after witness saw Dr De Eenzi, who had given him the order, and who gave him a note to Mr Gray, who .. went to the hospital with witness. Dr Murray-Aynsley, who had never examined witness, said he would not admit witness, as he ought to go to the Old Men's Home, and was incnsabte. To Dr Murray- Aynsley : The House Surgeon asked him where the pain was. Witness put his hand on his nip. The doctor did not feel his knee. To Mr Caygill : Drs Do R«nz>\ Mickle and Ovenden had examined him by strip- ! ping him. To Dr Murray-Aynaley : Dr Hunt did not ccc him. To Mr Lougbrey: No one had spoken to him about coming to the inquiry to give evidence, and he would not have come had ho not got a subpceaa. Hsnry Scrimshaw, recalled, produced his books. Ho said that the case of Smyth's funeral was the only one in 1892 in whioh be had, aB far aa he cnuld trace, received money through Mr Miller, for burying a hospital patient wbosa friends were able to pay. He had entered the words about the Secretary's commission a fortnight or three weeks ago, when he . knew he was to give evidence before the Commission. I' was just a memorandum he had made beside the entry. The Commissioner said that Mr Scrimshaw had better attend when Mr Miller gave his evidence. Mr Loughrey suggested that the Comnv'snoD should keep the boaks. Mr Joyn' objected, saying that the witness bad not concealed tho alteration, bnfc had frankly admitted having made a memorandum recently, and it was unreasonable to impound a tradesman's books in use. The Commissioner said there was no reason for impounding the books.

The witness said that he had been thinking about the receipts put in, and had noticed that they were marked "duplicate." He had not made out the accounts in duplicate.

Mr Loughrey astced if he oonid crossexamine Mr Bcrimshaw after Mr Millei'a evidence.

Tbe Commissioner said that he could. Mr Scrimshaw would probably bo required to attend again.

Aftbbnoon Sitting. John Howard, called by Mr Joynt, deposed that he took Mr O'Carroll and Ellen Kennedy t > the Hospital, and thnn to Mrs Rowan's Home iv his oab. He leard Dr Murray-Aynßley tell Mr O'CarToll that he had telegraphed that he would ■not have room for the youog lady. He thought that Mr O'Carroll said he was on his way down in the train when he received the telegram. Witness waß ' not Bare Mr O'Carroll said this. The doctor said he had only two beds empty for emargenoy cases. He asked what waa ■wrong with the girl, and O'Carroll anid, *• I doa't know ; you had better look at her." The doctor did not look at her, and said, if Bhe had the fever, ahe could go to the fever ward. The doctor mentioned Mrs Rowan's Home to Mr O'Carroll. The girl looked very ill, and waß helpless. She did not speak, and was not tikeh out of the cab at the hospital. The only reason the doctor gave for not taking her in was that the hospital was full. Mr O'Carroll pressed tho doctor all he could. The doctor only aßked Mr O'Carroll what ws^a wrong , with her. He spoke very roughly to Mr O'CarrolL Witness would not like to Bpeak the same as he did. Mr O'Carroll got out of the cab to speak to the doctor, and the conversation took place alongdide the cab. Mrs Margaret Graham, called by Mr Caygill, deposed that she lived at Southbridge. In October last her daughter, twenty-four years old, went to the hospital to have an eye removed. Dr Manning performed the operation on the following day. Witness visited her for nine days after the operation, and Dr Manning then said she w&b getting on very well. He said there would be no bad effects, and that Bhe would probably be able to come out the following week. She did not come out till the Tuesday week after that. Witness had letters from her, and from those expected her to come out the week after. She took a bad cold and cough, and was treated for that. Finding she was getting woree, she xsomplained to Dr Murray-Aynsley about painn in her legs. He made light of it, daying they were growing pains. Mr Loughrey objected that this waß not direot evidence. . ,' Mr Caygill said that the girl was dead, and what was now Btated wag from her •letters. The Commissioner did not see how he ■could take the evidence, which was merely hearsay. Mr Joynt submitted that in this case the should not be bound by the strict rules of evidence. Unless there was ■omething outside to show that the evidence was not reliable, it should be admitted for what it was woith. In this inquiry it waa not the same as if a pereon was being tried for a crime. In the Courtß the Magistrate had a very wide discretion «s to taking evidence, and in many cases an appeal wsb not allowed on the ground of evidence not within the strict rules having been taken. K the striot rules of evidence were adhered to, many matters which it waa desirable Bhould come oub could not be brought out. ■■„,,. , ». The Commissioner said he had no doubt that this evidence was not admissible. He could not draw the distinction made by Mr Joynt between this case and that of a person on trial for a crime. Here an officer of a publio institution was accused df having improperly discharged bis duty. He could not judge of the value of the evidence without cross-examining the witness who gave it. Mr Caygill asked if the daughter's letters could be put in. „,.., The Commissioner said that the same role applied to them as to the evidence. Witnesß continued: Witness did not hear that her daughter was coming out. Witness was brought to her about midnight to a neighbour's house, and found her very ill and in great pain. Next morning Dr Gossettsaw the girl and would not allow her to be removed to her own home. She waa there a fortnight, Buffering dreadfully, and witness never left her. The house was three miles from her own home, and when all hope was gone, the doctor consented to her being removed. After Bhe got home ahe lived for eleven weekß, tout did not in any way recover from the illness. She died on Feb. 1 last. To the Commissioner: The girl went into the hospital on Oot 3. Her last letter to witness waa on Oot. 25, and she came Out on NOT. 1. In it ahe said she expected to be out noon, and witness got no intimation that she was coming out till she heard she was in Sonthbridge.

Elizabeth Medlam, called by Mr Joynt, deposed that she waa change nurse of No. 2, the children's ward. She had been at the hospital twenty-three yeara, and had been change nnrse for a good many years. She had attended at operations for many years. She had been two months in No. 2, and for all the reßb of her time had been in No. 6, the accident ward. Of later years ahe had attended operations on males and females. Some o« thoße on males were of a delicate nature. During the last eighteen months the yonng. nuwea and probationers had attended and assisted at such operations, and held the limbs of the patients. The operations were aometimei performed by the Houee Surgeon and sometimes by the medical staff. Prior to eighteen months ago the joung nurses did not attend delicate operations. For many years witness was the only nurse ■who attended operations on males. She did not think the girls could get any good from attending delicate operations. The practice had been stopped on the appearance of " Tongariro's " letter, and had not ,-been resumed. She had not seen the

order about patients attending church, but had heard that it had been issued when sh9 wna away on her holiday. All tbat ehe knew about tho question of probationers being aeked as to their religion was from hearsay— from what the probationers had said.. The matron and doctor appointed the probationers. A patient in No. 6 who waa talking when the Btaff were in, was ordered by the Houeo Surgeon to be put on bread and water. Be was not Ulking particularly loud, and the doctor told him to t-top. He would not. Two little boya were ordered to be put on bread and water for bird-nesting. She never knew any other instance of patients beiag put on bread and water. She knew nothing about water being squirted into children's faces. Pati-nts very often complained about the quality of the food and the cooking. The cooking had bee a very bad for Borne months. Tiie complaints were well founded as to the fish, which was often very bad from coarseness, and was stale. Conger eel and other coarse fish was supplied. It was often much underdone. For the last eighteen montha the mutton had been fairly good in quality, but iwas not always woll cooked. Lately the food and cooking had been better for a month or so, and the same with the nurses' food, which before that wan several times so badly conked that it had to be sent ont. That was ohiefly the meat. The fish and vegetables were eometimes badly cooked. The nureea had complained on several occasions to the matron. When they complained it used to be altered for two or three days, and then got bad a^ain. The matron came round to see the patients' food. Witness did not remember seeing any member of the Housn Coiami tee present at meal times. The doctor and matron went round the wards every morning and evening. Some time ago the nurses had chiefly mutton every day for Beveral weeks. Frequently cold beef, j which had been cut at another table, was i supplied to the nurses. She did not re-

member a boy being kept at No 6 ward for a couple of weeks with no food but milk, and then being . told to get up aad go about his business. She thought such a case WBs in when sbo was

' way on her holiday. Stimulants were now available for the use of patients at

night, butthey used not to be. She had

only heard lately about the matron having a bottle of brandy for us* at night. Formerly they often uaed to go to Mr

Miller's house for stimulants at night.

Stimulants were seldom wanted at eight in the accident ward, but were frequently in No. 5, where there was so much

sickneis. Witness was one of the

mus s under order 3 of dismiisil. She had had n oofficial intimation j but her I name and others were mentioned in the j paper, in the report of the Board. When she asked the doctor why be had changed her to So. 2 he said it was according to orders— that Dr Macgregor and Mrs Neill had recommended if. She had never done anything to throw difficulties in the way of the administration of the hospital, and was not aware of any combination having been formed to do so.