THE LATE HOSPITAL MEETING.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 180, 20 July 1871, Page 5

THE LATE HOSPITAL MEETING.

(To the Editor.)

Sir, — I cannot allow what was done, and attempted to be done, at the meeting of subscribers to the Hospital on Tuesday evening to pass without a few words of notice. Until I attended that meeting I was always under the impression that the duty of a chairman was to secure to each and every one a fair and impartial hearing, not to dictate to a meeting, in the absence of any rule to that effect, that the voting shall be done in a certain manner, and, in fact, that if you do not vote as he (the chairman) -wishes yo"j he -will try a3 far as possible to prevent you voting at all. Now, sir, I contend that the proceedings of the Committee were not of a nature, on Tuesday evening, to raise them in the opinion of the general public ; and however some of them may pretend to pooh-pooh such opinions, they may possibly find out one of these days that they are more dependent on the general public than they may now choose to admit. The manner of voting was something novel to me — step forward and give your name to the secretary — one of the Committee, remember. As to the ruling of the chairman, the less said about that the better. And further, the members of Committee were not the men to stand up (with one or two exceptions) before the meeting and back up the policy they had adopted in their report. Ido not believe there is a single member of that Committee who would conscientiously say that the Hospital would be attended to in the satisfactory manner it has been for years pa3t if the resident surgeon is allowed private practice. I myself would rather see him retained at his present salary, than to allow him private practice, even were he agreeable to attend to the Hospital for a nominal salary. My impression of an hospital has always been that one of the great advantages connected with it was the continual presence of the surgeon, if necessary, and in the event of an accident occurring, that there you were certain of finding efficient medical and other attendance at once. Without going into the matter any further, I would conclude with an assurance to the Committee that the general public are not in favour of private practice ; and I am quite satisfied that so long as they (the public) have a voice in the management of the Hospital as a public institution, it never will be allowed, even if it is deprived of the able services of all the talent of the district in the shape of the present Committee. — I am, &c, Axti-Humbcg. Lawrence, July 19.