GREY HOSPITAL BOARD

Greymouth Evening Star, 24 April 1931, Page 5

GREY HOSPITAL BOARD

THE YEAR’S ESTIMATES. At ths monthly meeting of the Grey Hospital Board held last evening, Mr if. W. Hannan presided, and Messrs H. G. Carter, G. R. Harker, R. A. Barrowman, R. McTaggart, J. Mulcare, J. Brislane and JU L. Turley were also

present. The Inangahua Board advised that it intended discontinuing its annual grant of £25 for -laboratory work, and would in future pay -for each specimen sent analysis. The Buller Board wrote stating that it would not he responsible for the fees incurred by patients from that district admitted to the Grey River Hospital, unless the certificate was first obtained from the Buller Board. —ln moving that the letter be received, the Chairman stated that such patients were not wanted, as the local Board had too many patients of its own.

The Chairman remarked that consideration of the. Estimates for 1931-32 had been inade in committee, and the Board had arrived hi thfe figures deemed necessary for the total levy payable by local bodies.. The detailed estimates had yet to go. to Wellington fbr.tiie approval of the Health Department and the details may be altered before coming back to the Board. For that reason, the details would not be published. Estimates for expenditure oh general maintenance had been reduced by £2,500 from last year, and it was hoped to endeavour to effect a saving, which had to be effected in some way oil account of the Government reducing the subsidies paid to Hospital Boards. One way to effect a saving oh expenditure would be to limit the number of beds to say, 90. If the number of patients exceeded this, admissions • would have to be refused, excepting in urgent and necessitous cases, and patients who could afford to pay for private treatment would have to go elsewhere. The Board, however, recognised the necessity for the hospital to be provided with a Children’s Ward. During the past year'children had been scattered all over the hospital, especially in the women’s Wards, Hannan and Petrie Wards, where children had to. be placed' on stretchers along the corridors and between the other beds, with, sometimes two children in the one bed. The Inspector of Health had recognised the urgent necessity of such a Ward, Whifch was estimated to cost £4OOO. With plans and specifications to be first drawn up, it would not be possible to have the wardready before the end of the year, even it the Department did grant it. Provision had been made out of capital expenditure for the sum of £2OOO to be set aside for a Children’s Ward, and the other £2OOO could be obtained out of next year’s estimates. Of the first £2OOO the Health Department would ’have to find £lOOO, and the local bodies th’e other £lOOO. The result of this year’s levy to be made on local bodies, entailed £lO,BOl 16/G, while last year the levy was £10,918/18/7. This sum provided for the Health Department’s sanction to a Children’s Ward, 1 but if this was not obtained, the sum would be reduced by £lOOO. Referring to the details of the levy, the Chairman stated that last year the Greymouth Borough Council sup-

plied £5,562/2/-, while this year it would be asked for £5,210/16/-. The Grey County Council's levy last year amounted to this year being £3,859/10/-; Cobden Town Bbard last yfehr Was £648/11/-, this year £756/2/6; Hunahga Borough Council £316/13/-, this year £306 15/5; Bruhfier last year £153/19/2, this year £668/12/7, the increase being the result of a. re-valuation o' Brunner Borough. Whereas Brunner had previously been levied at the rate of one per' ce’nt, this year’s levy was’ equal, to another 6 per cent, ot’ the total. The Valuation Department had submitted the following table showing the rateable capital value of each contributory local body in the Grey Hospital Board district: — Grey Borough £913,151,-being 48.24 per cent; Grey County £676,420, being--35.73 pei’ cent; Brunner Borough £117,097, being 6.9 per cent; Runanga Borough £53,763 beings2.B4 per cent; Cobden Town Board £132,589, being 7 per cent.

STAFF REPORTS. The Matron of ReWa Maternity Hospital submitted the following report for the month: —Patients admitted 22, discharged 15, births 20 infants, remaining in hospital, 9 patients, 7 infants. The Acting-Medical Superintendent submitted his report for the month ending March 31, as follows: — Patients in Hospital at beginning of month: Hospital, males 63, females 40. Old People’s Home, males 33,’ females 8; Admitted, hospital, males 52, females 44, Old People’s Home, males 2, females —; Discharged, hospital, males 58, females 45, Old People’s Home, males 2, females —; Died during month, hospital, males 4, females I,‘Old People’s Home, males 1, females —Remaining 'in at end of month, hospital, males 63, females 38, Old People’s Home, males 32, females 8., The following report, as from March 12, was submitted by the Matron: — Sister Austin has been on sick leave since April 16, -and Nurse Cotter since February 18. Nurse M. O’Connell- resumed duty on MaYch 15, after sick leave, and Nurse Wilson was off from March 20 to March 30. Probationers Lyes and Roche commenced duty on April 7 and April 20 respectively. Nurse E. McClurg has decided to give up training. Miss -M. Johnson has commenced duty as the T.B. Welfare Nurse. Domestic Staff: Miss R. Morrish has had sick leave from April 21. I have to acknowledge with thanks the following gifts to hospital.—Trout from Mr Meldrum. Flowers from Misses Wilson and Craig and Mesdames Matthews, McGuire, Moss and Woods, Kumara (several times), Mr Burrows, and also from the Presbyterian Harvest Festival. Books and magazines from . Mesdames Knight, Butterworth, Meldrum and Nott. Old linen received from Mesdames Roberts and David, and is much appreciated.

VISITING COMMITTEE. A meeting of the Visiting Committee was held yesterday, the following being present:—Messrs J. W. Hannan (Chairman), J. Brislane, G. R. Harker, and J. Mulcare. ReWa, Hospital was first visited, where the Matron’s report was received. The Committee recommended that a gas ring be installed in the kitchen (if possible a second hand one from hospital), and that the House Manager go into the question of installing heater in Operating Theatre. ( Grey River Hospital:—The Mat-

ron’s report was read and the Committee recommended that one dozen hospital beds be procured, and that the House Manager be authorised to procure' electric . globes, bedroom chairs and garden liose. The Chairman remarked that the average number of patients in the hospital was 104, but the institution had only 79 beds. From 20 to 30 stretchers were always in use. In the meantime, it Was coi'isideted advisable to procure a further one dozen beds. Hospital beds tost £6 bach. The report and recommendations were approved. The laboratory report showed that during the past month 304 specimens had been examined, the value of the work being £166/12/-. For the past year, 2374 specimens had been examined, the value of the work being £1273/3/6.

TRIBUTE TO MR J. BRISBANE.

At the conclusion of official business, the Chairman stated that as it was the last meeting of the year, before Borough representatives would go forward to the Municipal elections, he desired to thank those members now'retiring, as well as other members for their Work throughout the year. He was pleased, to think that people considered the Hospital Board as being quite an important and interesting work, for tiiere were more aspirants for representation on the Board, than there were for, any of the other local bodies. He desired

specially to refer to Mr J. Brislane, who was one of the oldest members of the Board, but who would not be seeking office again. Mr Hannan said he had been surprised and disappointed to learn that Mr Brislane was not again seeking election on this occasion, as he had been one of the most useful members, and had taken an undoubted interest in the Board’s welfare, while he also posessed such an extensive knowledge and understanding of the workings of the Hospital Board, that it was a pity he was retiring. The Chairman moved a hearty vote of appreciation to be placed on the minutes to Mr Brisbane, for the services he had rendered to the Hospital Board. He expressed the Wish that the present three members who were seeking re-election would be at the ta,ble s again at the next meeting. He was sorry that the fourth member would be absent.

Mr Carter said that Mr Brislane during his long association vvitli the Board had been a valuable member. The Board had only to look back to the times when Mr Brislane had carried out the duties of chairman, during the absence of Mr Hannan, when he had handled thoroughly the business of the institution, which had gone to show that he had a good grip of affairs. Mr Catter expressed the wish that Mi’ Brislane’s retirement from public life would be peaceful and enjoyable, and in the days to come he would enjoy good health. . Mr Mulcare also associated himself with the remarks of - the previous speakers. He said that, of all the local bodies, the Hospital Board should be tlie last oh Which any person should desire to seek to have a seat. ’ He paid a tribute, as a country member, to the town members. Few people realised the amount of work town members did in the interests of the institution, and he hoped that each of the retiring’ members wbitld be returned. If the people of Greymouth “had any sense” they wouldbe. Mr Mulcare concluded by wishing Mr Brislane good luck. ~ In reply, Mr Brislane thanked the Board for the sentiments expressed. He had been eight years a member of the Board, during which he had ptit

in some, pleasant times. He could say that he Was retiring without bearing ill-will to any member. He had always agreed with the majority, for majority ruled. His reason for retiring, was that he felt he was getting to an age when it was best that he should retire, in his oWn interests, and the interests Of the Board! He considered it wise to give way to younger men.