HOSPITAL STORES

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 103, 3 May 1935, Page 12

HOSPITAL STORES

LIQUOR MISSING

(By Telegraph.)

(Special to the 'Evening Post.")

DUNEDIN, May 2. In a public address, Mr. F. Jones, M.P., a member of the Hospital Board, referred to an alleged loss of stores at the Public Hospital/stating that investigations had revealed- that the greatest loss had been in respect to spirituous liquors! • -

Today Mr. Knight, chairman of the board, said it was true that some brandy had gone missing, but "the source of the trouble had been rectified and. the whole system had been tightened up. There was no suggestion as to how the liquor had gone missing, arid no proof was available. It was not for the board to say that the supply of liquor to the hospital should be cut down, and any recommendation should come from the medical men.'-' -

Dr. Newlands, member of the board, stated that there had been a tendency to cut down the supply of alcoholic liquor at the hospitals. However, there had been no drastic changes in Dunedin during the last few years. A big drop was noticeable in comparison with twenty, years ago. Whisky had not been specifically cut out, but there might have been no need to put in a Requisition:"to: add. to the existing stock.'--'i.-...'/■••::'.■ -.-<.'::'/ '.;..;':■'■'■ ■ • ■ -

The "medical - superiritendent was quite satisfied that the alcohol, used was abnormal quantity for the hospital.- -.Years, ago proper records had not been kept. Discrepancies had been noticed two years ago, and since then ttliere had been nothing wrong with rthe records. He was satisfied that what was being used was not excessive. ■■-.■.■.'-.