Covenanted Subscriptions SIR.—In the Spectator of January 19th Janus refers
to a letter that has been received from the Ministry of Health by those who had made covenants to subscribe funds to assist the maintenance of the voluntary hospitals before the Public Health Act of 1946. These covenants were made with the governing bodies of the hospital, for use by them for pur- poses of which they approved. Such covenants were not made with the hospital. but with the governing body for the hospital. The position is analogous to a covenant made by an individual with a church. If the church changes its character and becomes, let us say. Roman Catholic instead of Protestant, any covenant made to support it as a Protestant church comes to an end. The administration of a voluntary hospital has
come under the control of an authority much more different from that formerly governing it than is a Protestant church from a Roman Catholic, and the liability to continue subscribing to it has therefore ceased.—Yours very truly, E. W. MARCHANT. 20 Ifirthill Road. Liverpool, 18.
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