HOSPITAL BOARD.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 196, 20 August 1930, Page 9

HOSPITAL BOARD.

SAVINGS BANK DONATION.

FRIENDLY SOCIETIES' FEES.

ENDEAVOUR TO ECONOMISE,

Before the ordinary business of the Auckland Hospital Board commenced yesterday afternoon the chairman, Mr. W. Wallace, referred to the death of Mr. A. E. Warnock, father of Dr. Warnock. He recalled the great work accomplished by Mr. Warnock during the 1918 epidemic, and the services he had rendered the Hospital Board on that occasion. A resolution expressing the board's sympathy with the family was carried in silence.

The Auckland Savings Bank forwarded a donation of £750 for the purchase of radium. The Auditor-General, in reference to the donation, pointed out that the Act was mandatory that the sum must be invested and the interest only used. The chairman remarked that under the circumstances the amount would be absolutely useless. It meant only a matter of £4Cr to the board. Mr. E. H. Potter suggested that the finance committee' should endeavour to have validating legislation passed so that the Hospital Board could have the principle available. This course was 'agreed to. Hospital Fees. When the fees were recently increased from 9/ to 12/, the alteration was presumed to embrace friendly societies, and the various organisations were notified accordingly. The finance committee stated it had been approached by representatives of the .societies and was quite satisfied that for the present they were assisting the board very largely from their benefit funds, particularly in keeping alive the membership of fellows unable, ■ through lack of work, to keep up their lodge payments. It was further recommended that the matter of increasing the charges should be deferred until the end of the current financial year. The Prisons Department said it could not pay more than the 9/ per day without Cabinet's authority. The committee realising the considerable difficulty experienced in the past 5n getting the Department to pay anything at all felt that old charge of 9/ should be allowed to reman for the present. Adimrnstration. The finance committee recommended that the medical suprintendent of the hospital be asked to report, generally, as to what economies could be effected in the hospital, embodying in his .report independent suggestions from the honoraries and the X-ray and physiotherapeutic departments. Further, that reports of the same nature on all matters under their control should be obtained from the medical superintendent of the infirmary, the house managers of the two institutions and engineer. The recommendations' were adopted.