HOSPITAL BOARD.

Grey River Argus, 26 May 1922, Page 7

HOSPITAL BOARD.

MONTHLY MEETING. The Grey River Hospital Board mot yesterday. Present; Alcssrs J. Hannan. (Chairman) A. Robinson. F. Williams, •J> Gfeahey, J. Irvine, Revs Cut tie and Fa rnell. Apologies were received from Alcssrs Parfitt and Skoglund. ELECTION OF CH ALRAI A N\ The Chairman said, untikc other local bodies the Hospital Board's Chairman was elec.l'cd at a bi-ennial moding ami remained in ofiice lor two years. This inocting was that on which a new Chairman was lo be elected. In vacating tiie Chair. |he wisherd to thank members of the i Board for the courtesy and support accorded him during tho year. The work of the incoming ('hairman would be comparatively easy, as the introduction of the Committee system had relieved the Chairman of a great • jal of’ work. Air Irvine moved that Air Hannan be re-elected Chairman. Mr Robinson seconded the resolution which was carried. In thanking the Board for his reelection. Mr Hannan .-aid he was pleased to rc-occupy the Chair as there was one important matter which had been before the Board for some lime — that of the erection of the Old People':Home. He hoped that before the expiration of the present Chairman as term of office that the new home would be completed. MATTERS FOR THE MINISTER. Alatters to be placed L-efore the Minister of Public "Works (Hon ('. ,T. Parr) on the occasion of his visit on Monday were discussed. The Chairman said the hotter of the Old People’s Home wo ihe m important. to be conside-e.l. Rev Cuttle said there had been no finality arrived as to which site' Hi i homo was to be placed oi He sugg'i’sted sending delegat< ; s to the meeting of local body repre.se t’a 1 i\us io be hel i to-night. The Chairman sa ; I l,e -,in 'eiMeod that the Board intended to auhere lo the original site. Air Greairey: We havo /> nii'c’idi tl five sites to be looked into. Rev Cuttle: Wo have o>t v sHed any of them. Air Robinson: I undr’i . >1 ihe ir.em bors have made up their nrrnis to stick to the original site. The Chairman sai-1 the Bo n d did not wish to consider any alternative sit" until the original one was turned down. Rev Cuttie: We have already iieen turned down on several occu ,(•:.••. Air Irvine said it wood be ridiculous I to have a site in the country at which old ]'.eople would be asked to attend to gardening and to milk cows. Tho Chairman: Well, then, we arc not ! prepared to recommend any Yit:\ i Messrs Parfitt and and Farm 11 were apointed to represent the Board at tonight’s meeting. Air Williams said one of the first things the Board should find out was as to whether the Aliu'si< r w:;s coming with the intention of spending money dr whether he xxas ju.-: pa.-ing tho time away. Jf 1: • ha 1 money i:> spend on urgent works there were »‘veral things which coiihi be placed before him. One of the mo/i ’iecc:--a\y was the erection of a nurses•’ home, as the accommodation -it preso’E was :n--adequate. There were 2' nue.-es at tee Hospital and a home for them was needed. However it was of no use placing these matters before, the A’inister if ho did not have any money to spend. They may just as well save ’.heir timeHe moved that this be one of the matters to be placed before the Minister. Seconded by Air Irvine and carrid. ( Rev Farnell suggested that the matter of tho hospital water . supply b-e | brought before the Minister, but the Chairman said this was a matter lor the Board. Tho Chairman said it would also be advisable to broach the subject of reproposing an am-endment in the Hospital’s Act to provide that maintenance fees bo collected by the Board from . near relatives of patients who cannot ' ]>ay —providing the relatives arc in a I position to pay. j This matter will be placed before the l Minister. / Rev’ (.’utile referred to the proposed establishment of a sanatorium, in Central Otago and said it would not be- of any use to this Board as patients wnild occupy three days travelling there. It would be as well to bring the matter before Air Parr. It was decided to hold a special meeting of the Board at 7.30 a.m. on Alonday , prior to meeting the Alin'isler. AIATERNITY NCRSE. The Kaiata Ratepayers forwarded a resolution protesting against the removal of the St. Helen’s district nurse from the district. Air Irvine said the people had advocated the establishment of Rewa> and now were not patronising it. Mr AVilliams: Then we will have to close it up. Rev. Cuttle: J would not hesitate to do that if in 12 months it was not proving sueccsstu 1. Air Williams said the fact that the people patronised outside homes and unregistered homes showed that thev lid not appreciate the establishment of Re wa. The left er was received and no action was taken. A member suggested that tho Minist*er be asked to have all unregistered iiomcs registered. It was stated that there was apparently only one unregistered home in this district.

G ENER AL. The Nelson Hospital Board wrote ob-1 jecting to having ‘.o sha r ■ in the co>f ' of the proposed sanitorium in Central, Otago, as this institute would practie-I ally debar patients from Ihe northern portions of the island from participat-l ing in the benefits. Tho Director General of Health Dr. Valentine notified that a conference; was to be held in Ibis connection at Tiniaru on Alay 31. I The Secretary sta’.vd that tho West-1 port and Hokitika Boards had derided! to agree with the Nelson Board's attitude. and it xvas expected that tht‘' fnangahua Board would lake the same stand. I Rev (Tit'.le .- iid the idea was ini- | practicable. He moved that represen'• a-i lion be made to the Government pointing out that the scheme was beyond, all reason from the point of vis w of this Board. Seconded l»y Air Gyounev ami carried. A communication refering to the payment of obi ago pensioners wa- rrfcrr<‘d fo the Finance Commit‘ ee. The Chair-1 man stated that the whole question ot ( outstanding fees required inv('stigat i"ii • by the various Hospital Boards and representation l>o made to tiro Depart-I meat. The North Canterbury Jlosj.ital Board wrote asking support to a pro-j posal that senile dementia eases b” treated in institutions other than hos-1 pitah- or gaols.—Rcecivcd. « (