GREY HOSPITAL BOARD

Grey River Argus, 24 April 1931, Page 6

GREY HOSPITAL BOARD

Monthly Meeting The monthly meeting of the Grey Hospital Board was held last evening. I’rcsent: Alcssrs J. W. Hannan (chairman), F. L. Turley, J. Mulcare, R. AlcITaggart, R. Barrowman. G. R. Harker, and J Brislane. The Inaugahua Hospital Board wrote staling that they were discontinuing the'r laboratory grant of £25, and that in future they would pay for each specimen sent for analysis.—The letter was received. —The Chairman said that if Jmingahua desired to adopt this procedure, they could not compel them to do otherwise.

The Buller Hospital Board wrote regarding the admission of patients to the Buller Hospital, staling that they would not be responsible for patients from the Grey district unless a certificate was received from the Aledical Superintend-

The Health Department forwarded es timates for 1931-32 and advised of sal ary cut. —Both these matters were con sidered in committee.

The Napier Hospital Board wrote proffering thanks for the donation of £35 from the staff.

| The Valuation Department wrote forwarding valuation of local bodies, contributing to the Grey Board, which are as follows, their proportion of the total rateable value in the Hospital district being shown in parentheses:— Greymouth Borough Council £913,151 (45.24 per cent); Grey County Council (excluding Cobden Town District) £676, |42<> (35.73 per cent); Brunner Borough ICouneil £117.097 (6.19 per cent); Runanga Borough Council £53,756 (2.84 .‘per cent); Cobden Town Board District £132,589 (7.0(1 per cent); Total £1,893,020.

The Chairman said the detailed estimates had yet to go to Wellington to be approved by the Health Department, and they might be altered before they came back; in the meantime there would be no public announcement. The general maintenance and upkeep of the. Hospital d,bwn £2,500 compared with last year .and it was hoped they be able to keep down to it. Ho hoped also to keep down the number of those patients who could pay but would not, and that unless they d'd pay they would be compelled to go elsewhere. Making a saving of £2500 on maintenance, the Board recognised that it was absolutely necessary to keep ! down the expenditure. They would have to have a ward for children. They needl'd a settled location fur them, instead of having them scattered all over jthe place as at present, such as in the Icoriidor, between other pati *nts’ beds, ■ and sometimes two of them in one bed. The estimate by the Health Dei partment for a Child rim ’s Ward was £4OOO. If put in hand, it would b" finished by the end of the year. Tin* Health Department intended to provide £2600 of the £4OOO for this ward this year, .and the remainder th? following year. Of the amount, the Health Department would have to find £lOOO and the local bodies £lOOO. He read the return showing the representation on and contributions by local authorities for the year ending March 31st. 1932, v.hich showed the levy hist year to be.

£10,918/.!8/7, in comparison to £lO,BOl .16/6 this year, a decrease of £ll7/2//! as follows:— Grey mouth Borough Counc’i: This year £5210/16/- (last year £5.562/2/0); Gr n y County Council: This year £3,859/10/- '(last year £4237/12/8); Cobden Town Board: This year £678 11/9 (last year £756/2//6); Runanga Bmough Council: This year £306/15/5 (lastycar £316/15/-); Brunner Borough Council: This year £668/12/7 (last year £153/19/2). The Brunner Borough levy had been increased from 1 per cent to six per i cent by reason of the revaluation there. The Chairman continued that the Health Department had given instructions to make a cut in wages so that increases in salary asked by the office staff could not be given. All they could do was to advise the Board was making no cuts, and that the salaries would remain as they were at present. It was decided to review the position in six months’ time. The Chairman stated that the present meeting of the Board was the last on** of the year. The Borough representatives would stand for re-election. He wished to thank the Borough members now retiring, as well as all other members, for their co-operation and good work for the Hospital during the year. He was pleased to sec the pen pie of the town thought a position on the Hospital Board was such a one that called for so many aspirants. He was surprised and disappointed that Mr Br shine, one of their oldest members, was not seeking re-election. He had been one of the best members of the Board, and it took some time to got into the working of the Hospital. J'<»r this reason he was sorry to see the Board losing such a valuable member. He moved a hearty vote of appreciation of Mr Brislane’s services. He expressed the wish that the present three Borough members would be rein rued to the Board. Mr Carter said Mr Brisbane had been a valuable member indeed. He had a thorough grip of the at fairs ot the Board. He hoped that Mr Brislane’s retirement from public, life would be a happy and peaceful one. Mr Mulcare endorsed these remarks. He said that of all local bodies, the Hospital Board should be the last one on which any person would be expected to try to get a seat, lie paid a tribute to the fine work of the town members of the Board. Very few people realised 1 the work the town members had to do. He hoped that they would all be reelected ami. if the ratepayers in Greymouth had any sense they should reelect them. lie was sorry to see Mr Brisbane retiring and wished him good luck. Mr Brislane extended his thanks for the kind expressions of goodwill. lie had put in a pleasant, time with members on the Board. As far as his retirement was concerned, he felt he was getting to an age that he should retire from an active interest in local bodies. It would be in the interest of the Board and himself for him to retire and allow younger people to come forward. The Matron of Rewa Hospital reported as follows: — Admitted since March 19th, 22 patients; discharged 15 patients; Births 20; remaining in, patients 9; infants 7. A vote of thanks was passed to Messrs Hunter and party for the donation of a truck of coal to the Hospital. The Matron, Grey Hospital, submitted her report as from 12th March as follows: — Sister Austen has been on sick leave since 16th April and Nurse Cotter since 18th February. Nurse M. O’Connell resumed duty on 15th March after sick leave, and Pro. Wilson was off from 20th March to 30th March. Probationers Dy as and Roche commenc-

ed duty on 7th April and 20th April respectively. Nurse K. McClurg has decided to give up training. Miss M. Johnson has commenced duty as the T.B. Welfare Nurse. Miss N. Morrish has had sick leave from 21st April. T have to acknowledge with thanks the following gifts to the Hospital: Trout from Mr Meldrum: Flowers from Misses Wilson and Craig, and Mesdanies Matthews, McGuire. Moss and Woods (Kumara) (several times), Mr Burrows, and also from the Presbyterian Harvest Festival. Books an J magazines from Mesdanies Knight, Butterworth. Meldrum and Nott. Ohl linen received from Mesdanies Roberts and Davis and is much appreciated. The Visiting Committee’s recommendation that 12 Hospital beds be provided was adopted. The Chairman said there were at present 79 beds in I the Hospital, and the average number I of patients was 104. Stretchers often had to be used, and they should get beds to meet their requirements even by degrees. The House Manager was authorised to procure six bedroom chairs for the nurses’ quarters, and to procure electric globes, garden hose, and an electric heater for the operating theatre. For the month of March the number lof specimens examined at the laboraitory totalled 304, of a value of £166 *l2/-. The number of specimens examinled for the year was 2374, of a total value of £1273/3/6. The acting Medical Superintendent, ,Dr. Swift’s report for the month end ing March 31st, which was as follows, was read and adopted:— Patients in

Hospital at beginning of month: Hospital— Males 63, females 40; Old People’s Home, Males 33, females 8; pat ients admitted during month: Hospital: Males 52. females 44; Old People’s Home: males 2; patients discharged dur’ng month: Hospital: Males 58, females 45; Ohl People’s Home: Males 2; p.itients died during month: Hospital: males 4, females 1; Old People’s Home, males 1; patients remaining in at end of month: Hospital: males 53, females 38; Old People’s Home: males 32. femal’s 8.