NEWS OF THE DAY

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 21980, 26 March 1946, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

Fatutahi Nurse’s Cottage The Cook Hospital Board yesterdayreceived a report from its clerk of works upon plans furnished for the proposed cottage and clinic to be constructed at Patutahi. The cost of the proposed work was shown in the capital,; estimates for'the year as £3350. Purchases of Fodder The farm committee of the Cook Hospital Board reported to yesterday’s meeting a surplus of £177 on the working of the farm for February, 1946. The chairman of the committee, Mr. H. Cooper, stated that there had been substantial expenditure during March on fodder, owing to the shortage of feed in the paddocks at the farm. Nursing Trainees’ Wages In a letter to the Cook Hospital Board, received at yesterday’s meeting, the Hospital Boards Association advised that its executive would shortly discuss with the Minister of Health the application of the Minimum Wage Act to the remuneration of nursing trainees, following on the board’s recent representations. Hospital Payments The treasurer to the Cook Hospital Board, Mr. C. A. Harries, reported to yesterday’s meeting of the board that payments from current account for February amounted to £11,942, and that when all cheques were met the balance in the account would stand at £4091. In connection with financial commitments for the first quarter of the 1946-47 year, the finance committee reported .that it had applied to the Minister of Health for approval of an overdraft of £IB,OOO. This had been approved.

Lister Hospital Offer It was reported to the Cook Hospital Board at yesterday’s meeting that no reply had been received as yet to the board's offer to purchase the Lister Hospital buildings for £3600. The offer had been made some months ago, said the chairman, Mr. M. T. Trafford, and he presumed the present owner of the property did not propose to sell the buildings. The finance committee’s report referred to items of expenditure necessary to bring the buildings into line with the board’s requirements, and recommended that these items be held over. Patients in Hospital The medical superintendent at «h 3 Cook Hospital, Dr. R. J. B. Hall, reported to yesterday’s meeting of the Cook Hospital Board that 232 patients were under treatment in hospital on February 28, as against 208 at the beginning of the month. Medical staff changes were limited to the addition of Dr. L. G. Ellis as junior house surgeon, and the retirement of Dr. W. Andrews as acting house surgeon. Owing to the prevalence of measles, it had not been possible to re-open the children’s ward for visitors. Postmaster’s Interest The valuable assistance rendered by Mr. Smith, postmaster at Matawai, in the provision of nursing for people of the district was referred to by Mr. H. J F. Tombleson at yesterday s meeting of the Cook Hospital Board. He stated that Mr. Smith had acted as liaison officer, in a purely voluntary capacity, for the district ndrse who .made periodical visits to Matawai. Without; his assistance, it would not be possible for the visiting nurse to cover the -"round in the period available to her. On Mr. Tombleson’s motion, it was agreed that Mr. Smith be tendered the thanks of the board. Gifts to Institutions The ladv superintendent of the Cook Hospital, Miss J. I. Martin, reported to yesterday's meeting o.f the Cook Hospital Board that the following gifts had been received at the hospital in February: Reading matter from Mesdames M. W. Craig, Cameron and Harris, Misses Bonniface and M. Gill, Mr. W. E. Mcllwaine, and one anonymous donor. The custodian of the Cook Memorial Home, Mr. F. J. Butler, extended thanks to anonymous donors for gifts of magazines, and to the Old Folks Association for an invitation for inmates to attend its annual gathering. Chaplain's Room at Hospital An application from the Gisborne Ministers’ Association for the allocation of a chaplains' room at the hospital was received sympathetically at yesterday’s meeting of the Cook Hospital Board, and, on the motion of Mr. H. H. Barker, it was decided to comply with the request. Mr. J. H. Hall asked the board to consider whether one room could not provide facilities both for the chaplains and for a library offered by the Red Cross Society. The secretary, Mr. C. A. Harries, stated that provision was now made for a library, but that it would not prove very satisfactory to have a room shared. Members generally approved the equipment of sepalate rooms for the respective purposes. Spring- Dried Up Residents on the flanks of Hospital Hill recently were drawing water for stock from a pool fed by what everyone assumed was a really good and permanent spring. When a peiiochcal insocction of the hospital water-main was followed by repairs to several leaks however, the “spring dried up. The pipe-line after 30 years’ service had deteriorated so far that its replacement was a matter of urgency, the engineer Mr. N. IC. Brown, told the Cook Hospital Board yesterday. The cost was estimated at £595. The finance committee recommended that provision bo made in the new financial yeai s estimates for tiro work, the locommendation being accepted.