OUR HOSPITALS, ETC.

Evening Star, Issue 12900, 24 August 1906, Page 5

OUR HOSPITALS, ETC.

[Special to thb Stab.] WELLINGTON, August 24. Dr MacGregor, in his annual report on ftospitalfi and charitable aid, advocates i-lective boards to administer all hospitals within larger areas than now exist, with control of separate institutions that are unable to maintain themselves on only voluntary contributions and a Government subsidy thereon. Only separate institutions, started and niaiutained by the benevolence of subscribers, should be administered by trustees, now responsible to the Board. Satisfaction is noted that there is now a desire on the part of hospital boards and trustees to seek the advice of the department in planning the construction of new hospitals and when making alterations to old ones. The consequence is that there is now submission to the central authority; but in the past many of our hospitals were i.l planned, and defective material and workmanship imported. The tendency on the part of the nurses to wear jewellery and Lair pads is reprobated. Regarding the Otago Benevolent Institution, the Inspector-General reports that the contemplated Midwifery School will solve a difficulty that the want of suitable accommodation made it hard to deal with in the past. The great question of all has, however, still to be faced before this institution can be considered worthy of Otago. and that is the inadequate extent of the grounds for 225 inmates and the necersary staff. The old building was unsuitable from the beginning, and the newer buildings, though well designed, are much too close together, and cannot Ik extended. The nursing arrangements are also behind the