WAIPIATA SANATORIUM

Evening Star, Issue 20346, 30 November 1929, Page 24

WAIPIATA SANATORIUM

MEETING OF COMMITTEE The W;upiata Sanatorhun Committee met ou Tuesday, there 1 eing present Messrs J. Matheson ' Tinirman), W. Bryant, E. Macdonald, IT. Grenfell, J. Clark, J. Ritchie, P. Aitken, and Dr P. S. Maclean, representing the Department of Health. ' Dr T. H. A. Valentino wrote advising that Dr M'Lean, medical superintendent of Pukeora Sanatorium, Hawke’s Bay, would bo visiting the Waipiata institution, and asked the committee and its medical su t erintemlent to give him all the' facilities and information ho desired, which would bo of value in connection with the forthcoming conference of North Island boards, and the proposal that the latter should take over the Pukeora and Ctaki Sana aria. Received, the request to he complied with, and instructions given to the committee’s medical superintendent accordingly. The Palmerston North Hospital Board wrote for information and suggestions with regal’d to the proposed amalgamation of North Island boards. The secretary’s letter in forwarding full details as to the working of the Waipiata scheme was approved. The Maniototo Hospital Board forwarded a resolution witli regard to patients suffering from T.B. from other hospital districts taking up their residence in the Maniototo district, and suggested that the other boards . associated- in the Waipiata Sanatorium scheme should assume responsibility for the class of patient mentioned lor a period of at least two years after the patients had taken nji residence in the Maniototo district. —The letter received, i d after Air Aitken, on behalf of the Maniototo Board, stressed the importance of the question so far as his board was concerned, the secretary was directed to inform the Maniototo Board that the matter was reallv one for individual hospital boards, and not for the Waipiata. Committee. It should be brought up before the Hospi tal Boards’ AssociaE-n, with a view to obtaining its co-operation in the matter of an amendment of the Hospitals Act, so far as the residential qualifications of persons suffering from 1.8. were concerned. The South British Insurance Company in submitting a renewal of the committee’s workers’ compensation policy, suggested that jis the committee's medical staff end not come within tho scope of the "Workers Compensation Act, the committee might consider taking oxvfc personal accident policies on tbe two officers concerned. After the secretary had read correspondence and legal opinions as to the non-liability for accidental injuries, to certain classes of employees of hospital boards, it was decided in the meantime to take o-t personal accident policies in the name of the committee on Drs A. Kidd and P. E. Starr. The Maniototo County Council forwarded its formal consent to the granting of a water power license to the committee for generating electric current, and the secretary stated that lie was in communication with the Otago Power Board and the Public Woiks Department regarding the issue and term of this proposed license. —Received. Medical Superintendent s Report.— Dr A. Kidd reported that eleven patients had been admitted to the sanatorium during October, and seven discharged, while 115 remained on November 1. All of these, uith the. exception of eighteen whose condition was reported as being satisfactory, were doing well or improving. Ho reported on his visit to the different centres, where he had examined a large number of patients, ;nul veconinieudGu as suitable for treatment three patients from Oamarn, four from Timarn, one from Ashburton, one from South Otago, and six from Southland.—The report was adopted and requisitions of a forma) nature, were granted. 'Che matron was authorised to spend tho usual amount on Christmas cheer for the patients and staff at the institution. ' - ~ In connection with Dr Kidd s visits to the northern centres, Messrs Ritchie and Grenfell referred to the short time at Dr Kidd’s disposal to sec patients at Oamarn Hospital on his way to Timarn and Ash burton, and it was considered that ior Dr Kidd to do justice to himself and the, patients concerned the time occupied on t ~s northern visit should, be extended.— The committee unanimously decided that this was a matter which should be left entirely to Dr Kidd’s own discretion and judgment, and that ho should he advised accordingly. The Secretary reported that tho following boards had patients in the institution South Canterbury 55. Southland 29, Ashburton 14, Waitaki 15, South Otago 13, Wallace G. Maniototo 2, Vincent 2, Waipiata Committee 1, a total of 117. Of that number one patient had been in for more than two years, fifteen for more than one year, and 101 for less than one rear. Since the previous meeting nine patients had been discharged belonging to the South Canterbury, Southland, Ashburton, and Waitaki districts, seven of these with the disease arrested, one improved, and one condition unchanged. The secretary also submitted a waiting list of twenty-nine patients who had been examined and recommended for treatment by Dr Kidd

from the following districts South Canterbury 8, Southland 9, Waitaki (5, Ashburton 1, South Otago 1, and Wallace 4.

The Farm Manager (Mr B. Ritchie) forwarded the monthly report of the number of cows m-'lking, the quantity of milk supplied, the stock on the farm, and the quantity of meat supplied to the sanatorium. Ho also submitted an inventory and valuation of all the, stock, _ farm implements, and equipment which he had taken over on October I.—The report was received. Mr P. Aitken, on behalf of the Farm Committee, reported fully on a number of matters which were requiring attention in connection with the farm work, purchase of stock, bacon curing, etc. —The report was received. , The Secretary was directed to ask the Maniototo County Council to carry out some gravelling on the top portion of the Waipiata-Hamilton’s road, the committee being willing to assist with its own motor lorry when the county lorry was in the locality. • The Treasurer (Mr T. Pryde) submitted a statement of the committee’s receipts and payments for the period ended November 22. with bank balances on the different accounts to date. It showed that for eight months of the financial year the committee’s actual maintenance receipts were £39 7s 7d less than the estimates, while the expenditure was £1,591 less than what was estimated for the period. There was also a large credit on the capital account which, however, would all be required before the close of the financial year to meet payments on the present building programme at the institution.—The statement was adopted .

The Architect reported on the progress of the work of rebuilding the laundry, boiler house, and linen store, assistant medical . officer’s house, and new septic tank and drainage. The report was received, and the action of the chairman and secretary in making two progress payments totalling £3OO to the contractor was approved. The matter of • glazing a portion of the front veranda in the assistant medical officer’s house for use as a sleeping porch was left in the hands of the chairman, secretary, and architect, with 1 power to act. The Secretary reported that during the month Mr J. W. Wood, laundry engineer of the Ashburton Hospital, had visited the sanatorium, and in conjunction with the architect and himself had gone fully into the committee’s machinery requirements. He rec*. amended that all the old plant that had been through the laundry lire should be sent to the rolling mills as scrap, it being worthless, and that tenders be invited at once for the supply bf electrically-driven washing machine, hydro extractor, and four-roller steam mangle and ironing machine, while other equipment could ho procured in the dominion and fitted up later on.—The report was adopted, and the secretary directed to invite tenders for the machines mentioned, to close in three weeks’ time, the dealing with same to be left in the hands of the chairman and secretary, with power to act.