17. No alteration in or addition to the above fundamental laws shall be made, unless with the consent of two-thirds of the donors and subscribers, assembled after ten days' notice, at a general meeting called for the express purpose of considering such proposed alterations or additions.
Preliminary Difficulties.
The projectors had entered upon a work the difficulties and delays of which they had not pre-calculated, for the necessary funds could not be procured without the exercise of extreme perseverance. It was a long, plodding, hilly journey, with discouragements cropping up at every advance; but there was no looking backward. When the good work was initiated no one dreamed that more than four years would pass away before thefirststone of the building could be put down; yet so it happened. However, they plunged into the enterprise bravely, and by continuous efforts secured some funds. Every device known to modern ingenuity for "raising the wind," (except a bazaar, in some unaccountable manner overlooked) was resorted to, such as donations, subscriptions, collections, concerts, amateur theatricals et hoc genus omne; and to provide for the more pressing cases of misfortune, a small brick cottage in Little Collins Street West, was rented as a temporary hospital. In April, 1842, a sum of £300 was available, and as this sum was sufficient to claim a Government subsidy, it was resolved to commence the erection of portion of a permanent building. At a meeting of subscribers this intention was affirmed, the interim committee resigned, and another was appointed. When applied to for the grant of a site some time after, Sir George Gipps, the Governor of New South Wales, refused, an act which occasioned much surprise and indignant dissatisfaction. Though the temporary hospital was removed to more spacious and two-storied premises in Bourke Street, nearly opposite the now Saint Patrick's Hall, its accommodation was most inadequate and inconvenient, but it had to be endured as best it could. In July 1843, another application was made for a Government site, but nothing came of it. It was now ascertained that the Executive was not disposed in any case to contribute more than £500 towards the Building Fund, and in this shilly-shally, unprofitable manner, time flew by, and the end of 1844 was approaching without any perceptible progress being made, except the collection of a few hundred pounds. It was impossible that such a state of things could be suffered to continue, and so a most influential, though private, meeting was held at the residence of Dr. Palmer, of Richmond, from which emanated a remonstrance to the Governor, urging the prompt granting of a site, and demonstrating the absolute inutility of so small a sum as £500 for hospital building purposes. A Committee was appointed to make the necessary representations to the Government; and it soon became known that the Governor had agreed not only to grant a site, but also to increase the £500 to £2000. In consequence of this, an important meeting of subscribers was held at the Royal Hotel, on the 7th February, 1845, presided over by the Mayor (Mr. H. Moor), and attended by the Superintendent (Latrobe), and the Resident Judge (Jeffcott). A report was submitted from the Provisional Committee, of an encouraging nature. The Commission recommended two blocks, viz, (1) what was then known as "The Hay and Corn Market Reserve," where St. Paul's Cathedral is being erected (1888), and (2) where the Hospital was subsequently built on. Amended Rules were also presented, in which alterations to the following effect were, amongst others, suggested:— "Every benefactor of £20 and upwards to be a Life Governor, and a yearly subscriber of £2, an Annual Governor, with a right of voting at all quarterly or special meetings, and having one patient always on the books. £10 or upwards constituted a Life Subscriber, or a yearly subscription of £1 an Annual Subscriber, privileged to recommend six Out-patients every year. Honorary Life Governorships were conferrable upon the first-named executor of a will containing a £50 bequest to the Institution; a minister of religion collecting £30; or for special services on recommendation of the committee and election by a general meeting. The report was received and adopted. It was stated that the Government was ready to advance £1000 towards the building, conditional on a like amount being raised by private contribution. A subscription list was forthwith opened and a strong desire manifested for the making of a great effort to acquire the necessary funds. A sum of £265 was subscribed in the room £166 of which was to pass into the Building Fund. The meeting concluded with the nomination of a pro tem. executive, consisting of Superintendent Latrobe as President; the Resident Judge and the Mayor, VicePresidents; Captain Lonsdale and Mr. E. E. Williams, Trustees; Messrs. D. C. M'Arthur and William
