HOSPITAL BOARD’S ACTIVITIES

Evening Star, Issue 18255, 20 April 1923, Page 9

HOSPITAL BOARD’S ACTIVITIES

REVIEWED BY THE CHAIRMAN. A LOT DONE, AND MUCH TO DO. When the business at last night’s meeting of tho Otago Hospital Board was concluded 1 , tho Chairman (Mr W. E. *S. Knight) reviewed shortly the work of that body for the past two years, and also that in contemplation. THE SEPARATION MOVEMENT. In tho course of his speech hexaid that perhaps the most important happening during tho six years he had been chairman was the separation of the Clutha and Bruco Counties from tho Otago district and their formation as a South Otago hospital district. This movement was_ fought strenuously step by step, but with the result that all efforts were beaten by political Considerations which did not yield the result expected of it. But at least they had the consolation of the statement of the Prime Minister that, had ho known as much as he should have known, the separation would not have taken place. A little later, however, ho declined to take the opportunity of repealing the legislation which ho had forced thrdugh Parliament and later admitted as quite wrong. This, legislation and tho subsequent action of tho Minister of Public Health in compelling the board to pay a large sum as compensation to tiie new board were having a crippling effect, especially upon tho Medical School. ‘Jo his mind districts required to bo enlarged rather than diminished in order that base hospitals and all that such imply, with the latest appliances and skill, may be_ available to all and sundry, including residents in the country. Referring to the smaller districts,‘he said that some amendment was required whereby tho burden of hospital taxation might bo more evenly distributed over all through the whole dominion.

Then the question of Government subsidy had loomed large, and the department and the Government had admitted that tho present schedule in the Act had not yielded to the boards the results anticipated. A new schedule was prepared which, it -was anticipated, would give a\ more equitable adjustment, but Parliament did not deal with it. ABORTIVE CONFERENCES. Conferences of boards had been held at which various complex questions were thoroughly debated, but little or no benefit bad resulted, the recommendations of such conferences being almost entirely ignored or shelved. The Otago Board was represented at one held at Timaru which would very materially affect the Otago district. This had reference to the erection of a consumptive sanatorium _by a number of combined boards at Waipiata. The Otago Board was invited to join in the scheme, but .as this meant “scrapping” an institution at which good work had been done, without any apparent compensation, the proposal did not, appeal to the board. Another matter was the dominion pooling scheme for the treatment of consumptives, which the Otago Board brought before the conference of the four main boards, and which received the hearty support of the department, The conference left the matter in the hands of the department and the Otago Board to formulate a scheme, and it was understood that, on account of tho department having all necessary data, it would submit proposals to all boards. It was considered that by this proposal all boards would bo called upon to ‘do their share in the tuberculosis campaign, and that the scheme was one likelv to meet the position even better than" the suggested “ nationalisation.” WORK FOR THE FUTURE. Referring to some matters which would require attention in the near future, Mr Knight said that hospital accommodation had now been arranged for Roxburgh, and provision would require to be made for Palmerston. With this completed, provision would be made for almost the whole district. It had been decided not to open the main building at Wakari as a consumptive hospital for at least one year, but this would have to he provided for at a later date. Later on the board would have to face the possibility of a large expenditure in the direction of providing for infectious diseases. In the meantime, a standby in an emergency might be found at Wakari. Then there was the completion of Alexandra Ward. This should, he thought, be taken in hand, as it might be wanted at almost any time. Tho foregoing, said Mr Knight, would serve to remind the board and the general public of a few of tho many large and complex questions dealt with, and there were hundreds of others, perhaps small in comparison, which required careful and sometimes prompt decision. THANKS. Before concluding, the chairman thanked tho members for their assistance. Ho specially refered to their old friend, Mr W. T. "Talboys, who had been tho only chairman of the Benevolent Committee. Mr Talboys was carrying out similar work before the present board came into existence thirteen years ago as chairman of the Otago Benevolent Trustees, and his keenness for tho work was no less to-day than it was then. It was to be hoped that he would be long spared in health to continue his self-imposed mission. Mr Knight concluded by expressing thanks to the hon. medical staff, tho board’s staff in general, and tho Press.