HOSPITALS.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 18625, 25 February 1926, Page 9

HOSPITALS.

CONFERENCE OF BOARDS, OPENED AT DUNEDIN. (rSB39 ASSOC3AIIOJJ TSIRQR4M.) DUNEDIN, The Hospital Boards' Conference was opened this morning by tho Mayor, Mr H. 1,. Tapley, an address was given by the Minister for Health, the Hon. J, A. Young. The following remits irom various Hospital iJcards wore brougiit forward: — North Canterbury—"That the Government he asked to provide, a special sana tor mm tor tuberculosis patients who, owma to criminal tendencies, or liitiiy ami objeetuonaole habits, are unsuitable for admission to ordinary sanatoria, ami who yet aro a menace to the public health. It, ia desirable that they should bo coinpulsorily detained until such timo aa the. disease is arrested," —The remit was adopted. Buller —"That, while the present system obtains, only ratepayers be eligible to vote at hospital elections." — The remit was rejected. A further remit from the Buller Board, "That the present system of raising lecal body levies by means of rates be abolished, and in lieu thereof a flat rato per capita be struck on all male adults," was rejected. North Canterbury—"That the Government be still urged to amend the Hospitals Aot to onablo Hospital Boards to receive money on temporary deposit, a limit in this direction being that at no time shall the deposits in hand exceed the amount owing to the Board as levy and subsidy."—This was adopted. Warganui—"That the Government bo recommended to amend the existing regulations governing the hospital a«to piovido that returns be set out in the first and second schedules of the Government Audit Office." —This was adopted. Waihi —"That Hospital Boards charge single men (without dependents) tho actual cost of maintenance whilst in hospitals." —The remit was adopter!. Otago—"That Sub-section 6 of Section 73 of the Hospitals and Charitable Institutions Act, 1909, be amended by adding the following words; 'or any other public -or private institution where p person has been sent for any special purpose. 1 "-—The remit was adopted, South' Canterbury—''That tho Association is of the, opinion that salaries of all nurses undergoing training in tho public hospitals of the. Dominion should bo mado uniform."—-The. remit waa rejected. AsUburton—"That in view of tho fact that the Government has recognised the national aspect of treatment of tuberculosis, in that it has erected, sanatoria in tho North Island, this conference is of tjio opinion that the timo, has arrived when similar provision should be made for tho South Island." this was adopted. Hospital Staffing.

Considerable discussion was caused by Sir Lindo Ferguson, during the course of an address on hospital staffing, in which he stated that no body j of meu in the world were wore iucompotent to judge tlie capabilities of a, medical practitioner than the laymen who sat on Hospital Boards. He considered that medical meii wore tho only ones capable of doing so. Most of tho medical profession did not want honorariums but. would willingly tender their servicos to such as could not afford to pay for them. Those who could pay for hospital maintenance should be made to do so. He did not wish to eeo the profession exploited. Mr W. Wallace, of Auckland, preeident of the Conference, deeply resented the remarks which he characterised s* a grave indictment against ih» Hc*pital Boards and the British Medical Association.

Mr Horublow (Palmorston North) said the Palmerston .North Board did not appoint doctors to the staff. The appointments were mado through"- the Board of Modioli Practitioners. Sir Lindo Ferguson said he was glad to hear that Palmerston North, was so enlightened. He did not know it before, but he thought,no other Board in New Zealand did bo. This was contradicted from several quarters. ... ■' Mr E. H. Potter (Auckland): "I think, sir, you should have found that out before coming here and I, for one, strongly resent the criticism."

Minister's Address. The Minister for Health, the Hon. J. A. Young, said he felt there was no portfolio of more importance than that of Public Health. He paid a tribute to Sir Maui Pomare, andV the excellent service he had done as Minister for Health. He knew "wnething of the work of Hospital Bo*rda and of the Hospitals Act, said Mr Young, and whatever representations the Conference desired to make to him on the subject of finance or other subjects he would be pleased to listen to and give his careful consideration. The result of the exchange of thought and experience at the Conference would be very helpful to them. There was great need for maternity wards in the outer districts where hospitals were hardly needed, he said. There seemed to be a need for a maternity service by the establishment _of wards or the organisation of a nursing service to go into the homes of tbe people. (Hear, hear.) The Minister referred to the need of education on maternity matters and said that Dunedin hold th 3 record in this respect, It had the lowest infantile mortality rate of any city in the world. (Applause.) With all our advanced civilisation, proceeded Mr Young, we were getting away from some of the principles of Nature. There was a great work to be done in teaching the people the laws of health. Preventive was better than curative medicine. The more that was spent on preventive medicine, as against curative medicine, the greater the benefit to the community although a well-equipped, and well-conducted modern hospital was a cardinal need in every civilised community, and although there would always be a need for institutions for health and the treating of the sick and injured, their policy should be tbe maintenance of good health and the prevention of disease among all sections of the community. Mr Young said his aim would be to work in friendly co-operation with the Conference and Boards generally and individually, with a view to solving tbe many problems with which th«y were faced in their efforts to give service for the welfare of the people. Service to Community. Dr. McEachern, of Chicago, Assist-ant-Director of the American Colkg* of Surgeons, addressed the Conferee**. He said that no one could render greater service to the community than those who served in the control of the hospitals. It was far better to have the policy and management of a hospital decided upon by ten to fifteen man and women of good .type, than by one or two individuals. He had inspected the hospitals of Victoria, where a new system had been adopted, based in a certain way upon the New Zealand system here." Ho would give them all he could, and he woud be Scotch enough tfi take away all he could. (Laughter,) He thanked them for the welcome accorded him, and while he hoped to gam some interesting information here, be> would b©~pleased to tell them anything ho could. (Applause.) ■ - ,-A, v<sf- *& ' «"*•» , _^».