HOSPITAL AND CHARITABLE AID BOARD.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CV, Issue 12430, 20 February 1901, Page 6

HOSPITAL AND CHARITABLE AID BOARD.

SOUTH CANTERBURY.

The monthly meeting of the South: Canterbury Hospital and Charitable Aid 1 ’Board ■was held at Timaru on Tuesday. ‘The Chairman made reference dp the death of Queen Victoria,- and; suggested that -some record should be placed on the minutes’-of the Board’s appreciation of the benefits enjoyed during hen Tate ‘Majesty’s long reign. The Mayor of Timaru concurred, but the suggestion was overlooked;' A discussiontook place-on the Tact that the Borough Council had re-let the piece of ground that it had handed over to the Board a<3 a site for plague hospital tents, -and which the Board had prepared for the purpose by laying down a. flooring of asphalt. The Mayor of Timaru explained that the ground was becoming an eyesore through the growth of weeds and scrub ; and the Council, supposing it was not likely to be wanted by the Board, re-let it for grazing, in order to have it made tidv. The Resident Surgeon recommended that no precautions should be relaxed, as the danger of plague appearing was as -great as ever. There were cases at the Cane, with which. Hew Zealand wais in constant communication, and cows or houses would destroy the asphalt. The Board decided to request the Council to cancel the lease, and the Board would pay the rent (£2 a year) if required. A circular was received from 'Dr Mason, asking,for a return of cases of incurables:in - the district. The Chairman said.•that,-as,'far as he was aware, there were;no cases,in the districtthat were not being attended to by friends, except two or three in the Old Men’s Home, and there they were attended to. He did not think the district needed a home for incurables. The Resident Surgeon, however, said there were two or three such cases in the hospital, and in- the past two years or so about fifteen had been -brought under his notice. It was agreed that the Resident Surgeon ahd Secretary should make inquiries and report-to next meeting. A discussion took place on the admission, to the -hospital of.persons suffering from delirium tremens, and it was stated that at Christchurch such cases had been ordered by’ magistrates to be taken to the hospital. It was decided to make representations to the Colonial Secretary and Commissioner of Police, Mating that the female - nursing staff of;the hospital was not capable of dealing with such cases, and that police attendants' ought to be provided- for'Them. The hospital returns' for ‘ January- showed that 'fifty-one cases had been admitted and seventy-five treated (fifty-one • males and twenty-four females). vAt.the end of the month there remained thirty-five in the hospital. An application for charitable.'aid fur three children at Winchester was declined, as there were several grown up brothers gnd sisters in the family. "’Accounts were passed for payment- —Timaru Hospital £219, charitable aid £196. Waimate Hospital Trustees (quarter’s payment) £226.