Waiapu Hospital Board

Gisborne Times, Volume LXVII, Issue 10566, 20 April 1928, Page 3

Waiapu Hospital Board

monthly meeting. (Snooial to Times.) ‘TGEOMARU BAY, April 16. v The following members were present at the -meeting of the Waiapu Hospital Board, held at To Puia on Monday: Messrs AY. Oates (chairman), H. H. Fairlio, O. H. AlcOracken. Al, Hyland, J. Reedy, A. AV. Kirk, A. B. AVilliams and F,. J. Williams. _ The Director-General of Healtfi wrote, enquiring if the Board approved of certain assets, valued at £3975 being vested in the Matakaoa Board. —The chairman explained that this was merely a formal matter and the proposed transfer was agreed to. The Health - Department forwarded a copy of a recent enactment which provides that,’ in special circumstances (e.g. where land is owned; by indigent Natives) Native lands may be exempted from rates, where it is found that rates are uncollectable, and the rateable valuation of the district reduced accordingly—lt was pointed out that this would have the effect - of Increasing (die Government subsidy in a district where the enactment was applied.—The letter was received.

The Director-General advised that the Board’s application for an overdraft of £SOO was approved by the Minister of Health.

The dispute between the Waiapu and Cook Hospital Boards regarding a claim by the latter for £6OO, covering lees of AVaiapu patients in Cook Hospital was. the • subject of a*" report from the Department's inspecting accountant, who had investigated the matter oil behalf of the Alinister. Of the total claim of £6OO, only £l3O was in dispute. The result of the investigation was that the greater part of the disputed claim was found to he for patients who had been admitted to Cook Hosoital as urgent eases, and for which the AVaiapu Board was, therefore, Table. Certain portions of the Cook Board’s claims were ruled out, leaving a balance due of £578, for which the meeting resolved to accept resoonsibility. The inspecting accountant also reported on his inspection of the Board’s accounts and hooks, from which it appeared that the records ost by* fire last year had been reconstructed as far as was possible. The custodian of the Alemorial (Old People’s) Home. Gisborne, reported on action taken in attempting to procure the pension for two inmates from the AVaiapu District. In both cases there had been difficulty in procuring birth certificates to prove the ages of the applicants md no pension could yet be had. The secretary of the Cook Board, : n reply to an enquiry, furnished information showing how clothing was provided for inmates of the Old Peonle’s Home. He stated that most of the clothes were given by residents and only occasionally wa# ft necessary for the Board to. purchase anything in that. line.—Tt was resolved to i ‘nvite gifts from Coast people of clothes of a suitable kind for the benefit of the inmates. Hie Sergeant of Police, Tokomaru Bay, requested payment of the sum if £3. being the cost of conveying *n indigent native jrom Ruatoria to ;he hospital.—The secretary stated the Board was liable under the Act and payment was authorised accordingly.

Air J. R,. Kirk, solicitor, wrote, lemanding a refund of a contractor’s leposit on certain works done at the •ospitril last year.—The letter was ■’eeeived.

The usual reports from the officers n charge of the Board’s three institutions were read ,a-*d VlooGd. Admissions to Te Puia Hospital for the months of February and March lumbered 30, number discharged 31, deaths 2. leaving 9 patients in hosnitl at 31st Alarr-h. The total number of patients admitted for the year iust closed was 18, an increase of 10 over the previous year’s number. Hie .chairman reported that good progress was being made with the building works at the hospital. An architect from the Health Department had been ui» to inspect- the job during the- month. The Board’s estimates for the. ensiling year were considered and approved. The secretary stated that. : n almost every item the expenditure for the year had been below the, amount estimated, with the result that a substantial sum was in hand for the opening of the year. In spite of the 2-5 per cent, increase in patients’ treated during the year, the hospital maintenance, account was no higher than the previous year. The estimated maintenance expenditure was to be some £3OO higher for. the ensuing year, but. owing to the saving on last year's estimates, the leyv in the County Council would still be below the amount levied last ■'ear. In the. capital expenditure, the new buildings at the' hospital accounted for nearly all of the estimated outlay of £3660. most of which was to be provided hv voluntary contributions and subsidy thereon. Dr. T, IT. Valintine, Director-Gen-eral of Health, with his private secretary, Air AVynne, visited Te Puia Hospital on Alonday. After inspecting the hospital and attending a meeting of the Board, they left for Napier.