HOSPITAL ANNUAL MEETING.

Inangahua Times, Volume II, Issue II, 7 April 1880, Page 2

HOSPITAL ANNUAL MEETING.

Tlie annual meeting of subscribers of lha above institution was held in Daw son's Hall on Monday evening last. The ! attendance wad very large, and the proceedings were very lively and entertain* ing. The County Chairman was voted to the chair, and having briefly opened the meeting, called upon the secretary to read the Committees Annual Beport and ance-sheet. J 1 s The report and balance-sheet having Jaeen read, the Chairman invited discus* sion. Mr W. Williams said that as an al* lusion had been made to him in the Beport, iti connection; with a charge he had brought forward against fhe wardstnan, he wished to make a short explanation. The charge had not been one of his (the speaker's) making. At the time the sharge was laid many complaints were made by patients, and at their request he brought the subject before the Commitmittee. Complaints were made that different treatment was meted out to different patients by the wardsman. Those having money,' of friends in town were treated well, but a man who was helpless penniless and friendless was treated very differently. Now this kind of thing he objected to, as he thought that every man entering the institution was entitled to equal consideration. He accordingly brought the matter before the Committee, for daring to do which he had incurred a good deal of odium. However, he did not care a straw for that, as what he had done was solely for the b-nefit of the public and the institution. Mr Pieshaw's friends on the Committee however, instead of entering fairly and honestly into the complaint, fossicked up all the evidence they could in favor of the wardsman, and cried him (I he speaker) f'own. On one occosion a man came to him and made several complaints about the hospital, but subsequently when the same m^n was brought into the Commitiee by Mr Connolly, he denied all he had suid. A patient named Hill on one occasion made a complaint, of the wardsmanand he (he speaker) reported it tc the CommHtee, on which occasion Connolly immediately went and told Pre shaw, before the Committee had time tc move in tho matter, and also took the trouble to go to the Enereetic to get letters from friends of Mr Preshaw. He (the speaker) denied that he had any uns friendly feeling towaids the wardsman, but when a serious complaint was made against the management of a public institution, it was the duty of somebody tc lay it before the Committee, and it was the duty of the Committee to assist in stead of baulking investigations of the kind. As it was they took the side o\ the wardsman. Then, the question o the cost of imintenance was brought up, and after going roughly into 'the matter it was found that the averaye cost, includ> ing medical comforts, was 19s or 20s pel head per annum. Taking the accounts for the six months, the cost was shown tc be 14s 4d per head for bare provisions

it adding medical comforts it was 20s. bey knew very well ibat patients did )t consume as much as a liealihy man, id as for the medical comforts, be bad quired of many of the patients, and tey distinctly declared that they bad sceived none of them, and yet they saw eels after week dozens of ale going to ie Hospital. Now if this bind of thine as allowed to go on, the Hospital could at be kept up. The institution now >st £9 a week for servants, namely £5 a eek for salaries and £4 for the keep of ie wardsroan's family. He did not think Leefton could stand that. If the people -ere satisfied with the present state of bings,— well and good. In conclusion c again disclaimed any bad feeling towards the wardsman, baying consistently upporteahim on the Committee. He the speaker) bad been one of the founlers of the Hospital, and his sole object s long as he had sat on the Committee iad been to make the institution as effiient as possible. Mr Connolly said that when an old itizen like Mr Williams stood on the >latform it was expected that he would jonfine himself to the truth, but he had ,ot done so, but as be bad not spoken rom notes, he would be excused. He 'efu^ed to believed that Mr Williams iad been influenced in his actions by notives of humanity. He did not rejollect Williams complaining about the nrardsman and his wife illtreating patients. He did bring up a complaint ibout the wardsman removing bedding from tbe Hospital during the aight»time, but upon investigation the Committee found the charge to be without foundation. He denied that he had gone to the Energetic to fish up evidence for Preshaw. He met a patient at Black's Point and inquired about the matter, when the patient undertook to write to the Committee and to get another friend to do the same. As to the question of maintenance t everything was tendered for, and given invariably to the lowest, and he believed that tbe supplies were got reasonably. As to the charges made against the management, they were not substantiated, He challenged Mr Williams to bring forward a single person whose complaint had not been carefully considered, and he defied anyone to show that the management had been extravagant. What Mr Williams had said was not truthful. Mr Cohen said that havJfi sat on the Committee %ith -Mr, Williams for two years, and thinking that the cost of mams tenance was too high, he (Mr Williams) repeatedly urged the Committee to go into the subject, and they did so, roughly and made it 20a per headi ~ A.s to the remuneration paid the wavdsman, surely they did not expect a professional man to work for the same as a man who beats a drill. He did not want to champion the wardsman, but he wanted fair play. Mr Hankin thought v that in order to get at the truth of things it would be well to have the doctor's version. Dr Monckton proceeded to mount the platform, when Mr Connolly raised the objection that none but subscribers could address tbe meeting. J Dr Monckton said he was as much a subscriber as any one in tbe room. He had been warned that an attempt would be made to shut his mouth through not being a subscriber, and to guard against it he had taken the precaution to qualify himself, so that the objection was rather out of place. He continued by saying that he did not come forward voluntarily, but by request, aud he was quite pre* pared to answer any questions. Mr Hankin: As to the question of supplies : We have beard a good deal about medical comforts, such as brandy, ales, beer, &<?. I should like to know whether Dr Monckton ordered these comforts, or whether he was ever asked to check the accounts? The doctor was certainly the proper officer to check such accounts. Dr Monckton : I may say that I have had some considerable experience in hospital matters, this being the sixth institution of the kind I have been connected with, and on coming tofteefton 1 thought it my duty to have general su pervision. I accordingly spoke about the matter and was told that Preshaw was wardsman and superintendent, and tl at I had nothing at all to do with it. I did not feel satisfied with this and therefore at. tended one of the first meetings and asked that I might be allowed to look over the accounts, but it was refused, and I was told us the reason that it was not considered desirable that I should know everything. sVom that time not a single account, not even a drug account, has been laid before me. and I have therefore been placed in tbe anomalous position of nominal head of the institution, and yet kept in perfect ignorance of the working. Mr Hankin . Then you virtually had no control whatever P • Dr Monckton; I have not been al* lowed to overlook any of the accounts. Mr Hankin— ls that customary P I)r Monckton— lt *is customary for the surgeon to supervise everything. Mr Hankin— lf alcohol were ordered by you for a patient, would you have i any means of knowing what quantity was purchased ? Dr Monckton— l simply prescribe. ' Mr Jacobsen— Did you ask to be al lowed to see tbe acoounts? Dr Monckton— l did. as stated, and was told by Mr Cohen that it was not considered desirable that I should know everything. Mr Haukin— With regard to the drugs do you consider it will ue a saving to purchase the drugs as proposed ? Dr Monckton—lf you can get the drugs retailat less than 12^ percent, on wholesale

prices, it would bea saving. Mr Gissing purchases Irs drugs wholesale and retails them at 12ij per cent, upon the «; wholesnle price. 1 eaunot see therefore tliafc it would be a saving and should have told the Committee so Lad I been asked, Mr C>nno%; What meeting was if l hat ynu were refused to see the accounts ? r Dr MODcUton ; At the second or third meeting. Mr M'Gaffin was present. Mr Connolly ; I fancy I was present at every meeting, and I deDy that you were refused. Dr Monckton ! But your denial does not alter the faefc. I mentioned that in my late hospital I was allowed to sit on the Committee ex offieio, without power to vote upon aDy matter involving the expenditure of money. I also asked for my own satisfaction if I might inspect the accounts and offer suggestions. The re* quest was received in silence by the Committee, and after the meeting was over I met Mr Cohen and asked him what decision had been come to in the matter and he informfd me that it was not considered advisable that I should know everything.