HOSPITAL TRUSTEES.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 202, 20 May 1908, Page 4

HOSPITAL TRUSTEES.

YESTERDAY'S MEETING. The fortnightly riiepting t>f the Wellington. Hospital Trustees yesterday, morning was !at;tended by the.Hon. C. M. Luko (chairman), Messrs. :R. C. Kirk. G. London, J. W. M'Ewan, F. G. Bolton, W. H. Hales, G. Nash, and J. Danks. ' RECEIPTS AND EXPENDITURE. ' The fortnightly statement of' receipts .and expenditure was as follows: — ? Receipts:—Balance forward, £1313 19s. 'Bd.; ■ rents, £236,175. 9d. ; .out patients, £15 i 145.; in patients (office £143 9s. 3d., colkcitor £24. 65.), £167 15s. 3d.; contributors, 2s. (3d.; total, £1784 9s.>2d. ' ' " 1 / Expenditure:—City Council contract, £116; petty cash, £6 lis., fid.; wages, £129 7s. Bd.'; monthlv accounts, £878 18s. Id.; interest, Public Trustee, £360 4s. 4d'.; balance, £293 7s. 3d-.; total, £1784 9s. 2d. ' INCREASED COST OF MAINTENANCE. • - .The /comparative showed ,that tho monthly accounts for 'tho'pervious 'montli ■were £1009 19s. 4d., tho accounts for last month £S7S 18s. Id., and for the corresponding month of last year £750 lls;-.,ld. Mr. Boltoii" pointed'out that the'monthly accounts'showed, a great increaso oyer last year, quite out of proportion to'tho increase in tho number of patients. . V • Tho. Chairman'said the cost of supplies-was much greater than it was last year. The Trustees were paying a. good deal more for meat. There had been a particularly largo rise in tho: price /of butter, besides substantial increases in the prices of bread and milk. Ho thought that/from these causes' tho cost.: of maintenance must have increased considerably fill round, and ho proposed to'ask tho Board, at a later stage, to' go iiito tho matter, in committee. ■ ; . ' , • ■ PATIENTS. - . ..Tho total of patieilts was'returned as 262, viz. l , 204 in tho General Hospital, 35 in tho Victoria Hospital, and 23 in. tlio Seddon Hospital. Last year's corresponding" total was 275. There , were,'in. addition, 21 fever patients, against 27 last year.. LOCAL 'iNDUSTRS;',; ; Tho House Committoo' recommended:— "That'an indent for .drugs,-'as pei; list prepared by the Medical Superintendent, bo placed , with Mesrs. Burgoyno, Burbidges, and Co." i ■ .

Mr. Bolton asked whether/theso drugs could :bo jpurcliased'Hooallyi; in.' accordance \riin>a^^lpiofr-^S^*bp'bis;Ho|ioift:sbme ! timflff.ago.';'; 'HS'.y'' ... , .'fr.-v "• Tljb Mr.' Kirk -.pointed out thatHHoproposed indent was in pursuance of a two. years'., contract. Both locjvl .and oversea firm's had Wride-rcd, and the lowest tender was accepted; .^> v Ail amondment';by:Mr. Bolton, to refer tho matter'jiadlvfto the House Committee, was lost,' . but'"'ib was understood'that the whole question of supply of drugs would again como before: tho comniitteei-for review. - •: : M ? , RENEWABLE LEASES. -' If,was resolved-to accept surrenders.of. two IcaSefy and grant now leases for the remainder of.,tlio terms ou tho saiuo conditions, "save that there shall bo, in lieu of tho clause providing for an auction sale, a clause entitling the! lessee to a renewal for 14 years, at a ground rent to bo fixed by, valuation." . F[NANCE. COMMITTEE. Tho Finance ' Committeo recommended "Tbat. a ilO pe'r cent, reduction bo allowed to tho iliniou Stc-am Ship Co. on the maintcn-' ance';. account of a seaman. That February maintenance-accounts to-the amount of £59Bs.';<sd..'tea.'Written,oflt. .That other accounts to ■.tho'-anioufit. of ;£62 : ,185,/6d.-,be .written off.. That' cbecli;'gas v incti;cs.;bo- procured,, and; returns of' ooiisuniption issued' every month/in tho;.various : department.-' The report "was adopted. '-. . ' ; : yjIISCELLANEOUS. In-!regard to tho Lower Hutt fover cases, which were discussed at previous meetings, it was resolved, - on tho recommendation or the House Committeo: —"That a letter be forwarded to Mrs. Chapman, explaining the action of nurses at tho time of. her daughter's discharge." It was resolved to promote Nurse Pengelly to the position 1 , of Sister.-. ! t ■ On tho motion, of Mr. London, seconded by Jlr. Nash, and supported by, the Chairman, it was; resolved to reduco the age-limit for admission of probationers from 23 to 21, applications to bo subject to a certificate from th6 ; Medical Superintendent of -fitness for the duties. 1 : ' -