, 1874-10-10

why the hospital expenses are always on the in
crease is because the POlicemasterS in their ca
pacity of Chairmen of the Poor and of the Hos
pital-C Commissions are in a very difficult position.
Very often we see a man sick with an %Eincura-
BILE disease but we have no Poor and Work
House, where he could be placed; what is to
be done with him : the POlicemaster is at a loss
what to do, so he gets him put in one of the
public hospitals the physician there often OBJ
iects to it, as the man is incurable, and the hos
pital is only for durable patients. This is at
least the case with the town. hospitals and also
to a certain extent with the hospital at Rich
mond, as such individuals if of the country po-
pulatiOn can not for want of proper attendance
be kept on the Estate, although strictly they
should at all events be in the hospital for the
Estates account but this would be rather
hard on the Estate. This question had often
been mooted in the Burgher Council as well
as later; a Commission was some years ago ap-
pointed on the matter hut to very little pur-
pose, as the expenses continued to be on the
increase. The idea OF a Work House had
come forward in the Budget Committees Of the
Colonial Council for the last years and Mem
hers of The Council have favoured it certainly,
a good deal would be saved under the two
items: Poor 81 pport in ready money and Hos
pital Expenses but it is 4 doubtful ifin reality
there would he any saving by a Work House.
~ u on NOui0 y " {
benefit Otherwise if even il should cost some.
thing more, that n light not matter so much.
IT would also be afOrding a way to keep the
vagrarcy law, as now the POlicemaster can
find no work for people, when estates
refuse them aid no occupation can be
obtained 10 town if here we're such a Work
House, such people could be placed there by
the Police, and the whole matter be regulated
very simply. In Denmark there are 9 kinds
Of vi ikhouscs there are the so ca!l,d Poor
Houses, founded on l~egaCie8 etc but there
are also Work H, uses in come elton with Poor
Houses the la ter W uld besi suit US. 1t
would be out o. the way OF the Committee to
propose to the Council to take steps towards
this mater, but the Committee merely recon-
mends TO the Council TO r. quest the Pr, sidency
10 take under consid ration whether the estab-
lishmeut Of Poor Houses 10 this Island might
MT be advisable, and then infolm the Council
Of the result of those considerations. II the
Presidency agrees TO the proposal, the matter
would be closed.
The President: AS the Committee has lc-
commended to sanction the excuses Of expcu-
diture urdcr the two items in question, the
President could hGve nothing further 10 that
rctrect to add. But besides fulfilling tie pur-
peso for which it was elected, The Committee
has gone beyond that, and it proposes Il mea-
cure that even il il may in q sense be said to be
in connection with the matter; still such q
system were ii to be followed ecr orally in the
Councils business, there would be no order
in the proceedings md the whole business rules
would be disturbed. This Committee was
appointed for a special purr osc, viz, to revise
tie G, mmura al Accounts for the particular
year, ard as far as items of expenditure have
occurred leyond what was allowed, the Com
mittee has to call attention thereto ard to seek
information and propose resolutions to tie
Council ut beyond that, to make general
proposals fer reforms, does not lie within tho
action ascribed the Committee. This proposal
of the Committee about Work Houses, together
with the two Others contained 10 another Report
that will be coming Oh to-day, form the third
proposal from the Committee on general reforms
IN the administrative branches and the Presi-
dent must leave it to the Chairman to decide
whether they can be discussed now, or not.
Only one remark he would make in reference
10 the report when it is there said that incur
able patients are admitted and kept at the
hospitals, he would state that he knows that
at least until the last few years, no such
patients were admitted there, and up to now
they have never been admitted at Pctersfarm,
the Landphysician, under whose charge both
hospitals were, holding strictly to this rule