HOSPITAL AFFAIRS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 20 March 1928, Page 5

HOSPITAL AFFAIRS.

BOARD IS MONTHLY MEETING.

CONCLUDING BUSINESS,

The monthly meeting of the Hawera Hospital Board was continued jester- * f day. There were present Messrs F. Gillanders (chairman), E. J. Gifford, M. C. Crighfon, J. J. Meldon, E. A. Washer, T. A. Winks, A. L. Campbell, G. W. Tayler, and A. G. Larcomr An apology for absence was received from Mr J. S. McEav.

A complaint received from the matron concerning the time of the delivery of,- bread at the hospital and that a portion of the bread delivered on one occasion was not' fresh, formed the subject of a letter forwarded to the contractor. In tabling a copy of the letter the secretary said he understood that the contractor had recently, been indisposed. —The chairman and the- secretary were appointed to take necessary action should further cause for complaint arise. LOAN REPAYMENT. Referring to the recommendation of the meeting of representatives .of local bodies at Hawera on February 16 that the repayment of the hospital loan be extended for at least an. additional nine years, the chairman reported that with Mr Winks he was to interview the Minister at .Wellington on Wednesday, this being the earliest date on which an appointment could be arranged. In tabling correspondence with the department on the matter, the - secretary of the board pointed out that in view of increased maintenance costs and the estimates to repay £BOOO of loan overdraft in accordance with the terms of the existing agreement, it would require a levy of about 2s 9Jd in the £IOO as compared with the levy of 2® od last year.- If,.in accordance with the extension proposal, only £4OOO was repaid of the loan overdraft the levy would be about 2s 5Jd in the £IOO. A letter was received from the Eltham Borough CounJeil advising that at its meeting on March 1.2 a motion had been adopted recommending that the existing system of capital repayments be continued., INCREASED FEES RECOMMENDED

“That in the interests of ratepayers the committee recommends that hospital boards in Taranaki should consider increasing hospital fees to the actual cost per. bed, or to take such other steps as may be deemed expedient toward reducing the increasing .hospital burden oh the contributing authorities,” was a'reeoriimendatidn received from the executive of the Taranaki Local Bodies ’ Association, which iilso expressed the opinion that in view of the requirements of the Health Department in hospital efficiency the Government contribution to hospital funds should be increased. .fi 'Consideration of the question of fees was deferred until the next meeting of the board.

GEyERAL. Messrs Washer and Campbell -were appointed to affix the bo'ard’s seal to the agreement between the Hawera Fire Board, the Hawera County Council and the Hospital Board concerning fire protection measures at®the hospital. , „ ■ Messrs F. G. Coleman, It. iS. .Sage and J. W. Harding comprised a deputation from the council- of the Hawera District United Friendly Societies and gave an. explanation of the view point of the society concerning certain clauses as proposed in the renewal of the agreement between the board and the society. Four clauses of the agreement were discussed and on the withdrawal of the deputation it was decided to give' further consideration to the points “raised at the next meeting of the board. ' “'The staff members have offered to pay for it and while the extension of the privilege should not cause any great inconvenience, it would undoubtedly be a means of encouraging effic-' ic-ncy in the office work, ’ said Mr Winks in moving that the mid-day meal be-niade available in the building to the clerical staff. The motion was .seconded by Mr Campbell and was carried on a majority vote after a short discussion.