CHARITABLE AID BOARD.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 10267, 9 February 1899, Page 3

CHARITABLE AID BOARD.

+ The ordinary meeting of the Charitable Aid Board was held yesterday. Present — Mr Board (Chairman), Mrs Black, Messrs Wallace, Manhire, Murray, Acton-Adams, j White, Dunlop, Prudhoe,*E. Feldwick, C. i J. Harper, Westenra, J. T. Smith, and the Mayor of Ashburton. The Chairman said:—The suspension of payment of contribution to the Samaritan J Home, soon brought about the recognition of I the rights of the local bodies' representa--1 tives, who have since taken their seats on the Board of Trustees; and that being so, I authorised the resumption of the monthly* instalments, which action I trust this Board will approve. The return of medical supplies has been amplified in the direction I asked for last month. I have obtained anI other valuation of the property of the estate j of the late Mr Tibbies, one fourth of which the Board is entitled to under his will, in trust for the Queen's Jubilee Memorial Home. The difference between the two valuations is £45, and it is for the -oard to consider whether it will accept a certain sum of j money as its fourth share of the estate, or j require the entire property to be realised by i sa-le by auction. The Board should promptly j determine what course is to be adopted with i regard to its claims on recipients of charitable aid who are or may become holders of certificates for old age pensions. Whether such pensioners propose to surrender their certificates to the Board in consideration of their being permitted to remain inmates of the Board's institutions, or of their continuinT to receive out-door relief, has yet to be ascertained; but in the event of their electing to retain such certificates, instructions should be issued to the Board's officers. The law evidently contemplated the application by the Board for a, Magistrate's warrant for the transfer of payment from such pensioners as are supported o,ut of charitable aid funds, to the governing body of the institution affording relief; but it is a condition that the pension certificate shall accompany such a-Milication, and therefore the Board is under the necessity of requiring inmates of the homes, or aged out-door recipients, to hand over their certificates. The Board should also consider the propriety of requiring all inmates of the home 3 who are legally qualiiied to receive old age pensions to prefer their claims for the same. A letter is to hand from the Children's Aid Society relative to the issue of rations to recipients from the Board's store. The action of the Chairman in renewing the payment of the subsidy to the Samaritan Home was approved. The supplementary return of medical supplies asked for was aid on the table. ' It stated that for the first period of two years December list, 189 a, to November 3OtJi, 1894:—Medical officers—To 31st March 1894, Dr. Stewart (16 months), and subsequently Dr. Murdoch (8 months). Total number of cases, 273, of which 16 were supplied with 40 bottles of stimulants, viz., 22 by Dr. Stewart, value £5 4s 6d, and 18 by Dr. Murdoch, value £4 lls; total value £9 15s 6d. Tho total cost of medical relief wa* £287 4s ,6d, add proportion "of doctor's salary £300; total £587 4s 6d. Average cost per medical case, £2 3s Oid. For the second neriod of two years, December Ist 1894, to November 30th, 1896:—Medical officers—To 15th September, 1896, Dr. Murdoch months), and subsequently Dr. Clayton (2£ months). Total number of cases, 303, of which 34 were supplied with 137 battles of stimulants, viz.. 93 by Dr. Murdoch, value £22 6s 6d, and 44 by Dr. Clayton, value £8 12s 6d : total value, £30 lys. Total cost of medical relief £548 18s 7, aud proportion of doctors' salary £300; total £848 18s 7d. Average cost per medic.il case, £2 16s 0J d. For the third ueriod of two years, December Ist, 1896, to" November 30th, 1898: —Medical officer—Dr. Clayton (two years). Total number of cases, 246, of which 72 were supplied with bottles of stimulants, value £70 139 ia. Total cost of medical relief £548 18s 7d, and proportion of doctor's salary £300; total £846 19s 4d. Average cost .per medical case, £3 8s 10|d. Mr Dunlop moved "That a copy of the return be forwarded to Dr. Clayton, drawing his attention to the expenditure." * Mr Westenra seconded the motion. Mr J. T. Smith wished to know if there had been anything to warrant the very great increase of stimulants. It seemed to him to be inexplicable. The tendency of the Board had been during the earlier period to discourage the granting of stimulants indiscriminately to charitable aid patients. No member of the Board would like to tie the hands of the medical officer or interfere with him >n the discharge of his duties, but it seemed to him that the Charitable Aid Committee should look carefully" into the matter. Mr Friedlander said that there had been an increase of patients during the past four years, and necessarily there had been an increase in the amount of stimulants. The figures showed four bottles and one-third per head for the last period, which showed that there had not been a great increase. It was true that the cost per medical case had increased. In. reply to Mr Acton-Adams, the Secretary said that the total cost per medical case included farinaceous foods, beef tea, &c. The Chairman said that the reason lie had moved for the return as a private member was because he found that seventy-two persons were receiving spirituous liquors under Dr. Clayton. , Mr Wallace said that when Dr. Clayton was medical officer to a Friendly Society in Rangiora he did not prescribe any spirituous liquors. That was perhaps because he had to provide all medicines, including alcoholic stimulants. In reply to Mr Harper, the secretary stated that spirituous liquors prescribed by the medical officer were supplied from the Board's stores, and were given in bottles marked off in ounces. The medical officer prescribed a certain number of ounces, which were given direct to the recipient, a receipt being taken so as to check the amount supplied. The motion was then put and agreed to. The report of Mr C. J. Marshall on the house proj-eny, a portion of which was left to the Board by the late Mr Tibbies, was ioad, valuing the -whole property at £380, of which tie Board was to be the recipient of one-fourth of the value. A letter was read from Mr McEwen, the executor of the estate, offering to take the property at the valuation of Mr Bell, paying over to the Board one-fourth of the sum in satisfaction of the bequest. It was resolved that Mr McEwen be informed that the Board will accept £90 net in satisfaction of its claim on the estate. With reference to the question of the Old Age Pensions granted to charitable aid recipients, Mr C. J. Harper moved—"That all inmates of the various institutions of the Board who are or may be entitled to the Old Age Pension, be informed that they must, as a condition of their remaining in the institutions, or continuing to receive relief, hand over their pension certificates to the secretary." Hβ pointed out that it would also be necessary, as spoken of by the chairman, to go further, and insist upon the inmates of their institutions who were entitled to do so, applying for the old age pensions. Mr Prudhoe seconded the motion. Mr Smith thought that the resolnticn would not apply to out-door recipients, because the Charitable Aid Committee, in dealing with these, would ascertain as to what, funds, if any, they had. The inm&tes of the instituticce were, however, on a different

footing altogether, as they were snpposed to give up everything they possessed as a first condition of getting into the institutions. Mr Westenra thought that there must bo some documentary evidence of the receipt { by the recipients, both of outside relief and those of indoor relief, before the Board. The Chairman pointed out that as the pensions came out of the Consolidated Revenue, it was only fair that the local rates should < be saved as much as possible by making ', those who were entitled to do so apply to receive the pension from the Consolidated ' Revenue. The motion was then put and agreed to. ; On the motion of Mr Harper, it was re- ■ solved—That all inmates of the institutions 1 under the Board, or recipients who are legally J entited to old age pensions, oe requested to claim, the some. : Mr Harper, on beh\lf of the Twigger \ Estate Committee, brought up a rough plan ' of subdivision, and asked for an extension of j time, till next meeting, to make a linal report. | This was granted. I A letter was read from the Children's Aid j' Society,- with, reference to children being j ' sent for supplies granted to recipients by the i , Charitable Aid Board, pointing out that ; children accompanied the parent's, which it j ( was considered was an undesirable practice. , On the motion of the Cliairman, the matter was referred to the Cnoritable Aid Committee, to report to the Board. Mr Wallace wished to ask a question. How was the legal advisers of the Board np- i pointed? Could thoy be dismissed ait plea- ; sure of the Board, or were they appointed : for a term ? The Chairman said that the legal advisers ; were appointed by the Board, and held office during the pleasure of the Board. The Beard werct into committee on the subject, and after Mr Wallace had intimated • that he would give noticejaf motion, the ; Board resumed and adjourned.