The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-07-31
MAY LOSE
ITS MONEY
Queens Hospital
Appropriation
Peculiar.
PROVISION AS
| TO TREATMENT
Collision Between the Charter
and the Bill Making the
Grant for Period.

The Board of Health has very deli
cate question to consider at it's meet
ing this afternoon-one which places
the Queens Hospital in very queer
situation.
The Legislature at its last session
made an appropriation for the Queens
Hospital of $4,000, to be used in the
next biennial period. This was in line
with the previous policy of the Gov
eminent in making appropriation for
the hospital similar appropriations
being made at the same time to other
one very peculiar incident in connection
with the appropriation made for the
Queens Hospital In the past the sum
of $40, 900 had always been given to the
Governor Dole recommended that the
| Legislature make the usual appropria-
ton Instead that body appropriated
| lust double the amount asked or
$40, 600.
| Attached to the bill, however. was
rider providing that no distinction
should be made as to race in the care
of patients at the hospital. The appro-
| priatior also was placed in the hands
of the Board of Health for proper pay
ment and the Board now finds itself
in rather peculiar predicament.
The Queens Hospital was founded in
l1S59 by their Majesties Kamehameha "
and his consort Emma Kaleleonalani
1.-The hospital is organized as corpora
ton and by the terms of its charter the
board of trustees is composed of ten
members elected by the society and
ten members nominated by the Gov
eminent of which the President OF the
Republic now Governor of the Terri
tory shall be the presiding officer. The
charter also provides for the estap-
fishing and putting into operation
| permanent hospital at Honolulu, with
g dispensary and all necessary furn-
ture and appurtenanceS Tor the fecep-
ton accommodation and treatment o.
lindigent sick and disabled Hawaiians,
as well as such foreigners and others
who may choose TO aNall themselves VI
the same.
Under this construction all native
Hawaiians have been cared for with
out charge while for others charge
has been made of from 81 to SO per day.
1.-The bill making the appropriation COR
the hospital by the Government pro-
lvides that no distinction shall be made
as to race; and the Queens Hospital
II NJ q e.
rious proposition.
Under the provisions of the Organic
Act the Legislature has no power 70
give a subsidy to any institution and,
under the construction likely to be
placed by the Board of Health OF the
intentions of the Legislature, the
lQueens Hospital must be placed under
the control of the Government before it
may receive the appropriation of $4,000.
i II can see no way out of the difficult
! ty at present" said Secretary Smith
of the board of trustees for the Queen S
/ HOSPITAL when his attention was called
to the matter yesterday afternoon. The
hospital has been receiving regular
stipulated amounts from the Govern
lment, generally $4,000 for each biennial
period This year when the Governor
asked fora statement of the condition
of the hospitals finances it was hand
ed to him, and he recommended that
the Legislature make the usual allow
ance l do not know why they gave
Ius $4,000 instead of the usual amount.
There was rider placed on the bill,
however, to the effect that no distinc-
ton should be made as to race. The
| appropriation was also placed in the
hands of the Board of Health. For
merly it was the custom for this money
to be placed into the hands of the Min
lister of Finance and by him paid over
quarterly directly to our treasurer.
why the change was made at this time
I do not understand.
II do not see myself how the hospital
could be placed in the hands of the
/ Government even if we wished to do
SO. The Government now has ten
members upon the Board and also the
!presfding officer. Under our charter we
are compelled to treat native Hawaii
ans free of charge and I do not see
how it can be changed. Then again we
have in our hands $4,000 in trust funds
which cannot very well be given over
to the Government except in violation
of the terms of the trust. Taken all
around it is very delicate question,
and it is to be hoped that it may be
settled without the loss of the appro-
priation to the hospital The hospital
now treats free all soldiers and sailors
and also the members of the police
force
The matter will be discussed at this
afternoons meeting of the Board OF
Health though it is hardly likely that
the matter can be definitely settled at
this time. joint meeting of the
Board of Health and the trustees of the
Queens Hospital will probably be held
at which the matter will be talked over
before final action is taken.