CAPITAL ESTIMATES

Manawatu Standard, Volume LV, Issue 91, 15 March 1935, Page 9

CAPITAL ESTIMATES

FRAMED BY HOSPITAL BOARD. NEW EQUIPMENT AUTHORISED. Capital estimates totalling £9588 for the coming year were approved by the Palmerston North Hospital Board, at a special meeting held yesterday, when there was an all-day sitting. “Apart from* the items listed in the capital estimates,” reported the man-aging-secretary (Mr A. J. Phillipps), “it is .necessary to provide £3758 to meet sinking fund ihstnlments and £9OO to meet one delientnre due this year. The total thus to he raised by levy and subsidy this year is £9BBB, less £3OO brought forward from 193435, i.e., some £9588, of which £4794 would require to be levied on local bodies and £4794 as Government subsidy.” Estimates were adopted as follow: Commitments for uncompleted works from 1934-35.—Padded cell, £200; milk room, £100; total, £3OO. Commitments by resolution of the board.—Equipment of chronic wards at Awapnni, £500; equipment of administrative block, £SOO ; equipment of nurses’ cottage at Awapuni, £350; additional X-ray plant, £1000; additional lockers and furnishings, £250; total £2OOO. New items.—Laying out of grounds and loading round administration block, £200; two additional food conveyors, £110; slicing machine and weighing machine for store, £120; motor mower, £BS; electro-surgical apparatus, £120; dish sterilisers for ward - kitchens. £80; equipment for diet kitchen, £9O; new cars for district nurses at Palmerston North and Feilding, £400; additional room at engineer's cottage, £75; repairs to wooden block, £350; renovations to No 4 ward, £200; contingencies, £300; total, £5230. Reports on new items appearing in the capital estimates were submitted as follow: Laying out grounds around administration block and loading.—This item provides for the formation of a driveway to the front of the administration block and for loading around the administration block to the patients’ entrance. It will be necessary to construct a new road and paths which will later be permanently surfaced. The provision of £2OO would also enable the lawns to be relaid and some steps to 1 be taken to establish new flower beds I in the vicinity of the entrance. By | comparison, a similar amount was spent, on the grounds at the maternity homo when the latter was established. Two additional food conveyers.—The present food conveyers are inadequate for the present requirements of the institution. They were constructed to serve wards not containing more than 25 patients. It'is proposed to purchase two new food conveyers of a more modern type at an approximate cost of £55 each. These would ho used for the wards which, have the largest numbers. None of the existing food conveyers would be scrapped, as we are short of food conveyers for transport of food to the outlying buildings. Slicing machines and weighing machine for store.—We have not a satisfactory weighing machine for the store counter for weighing weights up to 201 b. As the weighing of foodstuffs on receipt is particularly important, a more .satisfactory machine than the one in the store is necessary. The new machine will be used, for example, for weighing bread and for most of the routine issues. It will be realised that our issue system from the store, on which our costing for every institution depends, requires accurate and careful weighing. A suitable type of machine will cost about £2O to £25. At present the only slicing machine which we have available lias been in use for a number of years. It is a small hand operated machine cutting bacon for a total community of about 400. The proposal is to purchase an electrically operated slicing machine similar to those in most grocers’ shops. This machine will also he used for bread for the Hospital and the nurses’ home. Motor mower.—This is a proposal to purchase a new motor mowing machine tor the grounds. The old machine has been in use for over nine years and is still capable of doing a portion of the work. The area of lawns at the Hospital has been practically doubled in the past few years, and it is recommended that a more modern type of motor mowing machine be purchased. The work of cutting the 11 acres of grass occupies the full time of one man except when the growth is very slow. Electric surgical apparatus. —This item is placed tentatively on the estimates. Dish sterilisers for ward kitchens.— The proposal is to instal two dish sterilisers (steam heated) at the two wards where they are most urgently needed . Dish sterilisers are in common use in the larger wards of many other hospitals. 9uey reduce crockery breakages in addition to furnishing a much better means of quick and efficient sterilising. Equipment tor diet kitchen. —This amount is being provided to enable definite improvements to be undertaken in the dietary department of the Hospital. It has been the custom and this has gradually come into force over ft period, for special diets for patients to be prepared in the kitchens of each ward and at times as many as seven gas rings are in use cooking special diets. With the establishment of a special kitchen the eost of fuel will be considerably reduced, but apart altogether from this, the service to the patients will be greatly improved. The necessary equipment includes fittings, cupboards, cooking utensils and a delivery waggon together with the liecess iry trays, etc. New cars for district nurses, Palmerston North and Feilding.-—This amount is placed oil the estimates in view of the fact that the special committee which is reporting on district nursing has already decided to recommend new cars for the district nurses in Palmerston North and Feilding. The proposed amount of £4OO allows for cars worth about £250 to £2BO each to be purchased, the present vehicles to be traded ill. Those members who have had the opportunity of seeing these cars agree that replacement is necessary. Additional room at engineer’s cottage.— It is recommended that a further bedroom be added to the cottage occupied by tlm engineer. This will mean a little structural alteration. Contingencies. —This £3OO is only tentative. It will probably bo necessary to consider the purchase of additional instruments and possibly Dr. J. H. North (medical superintendent) could submit a report on this matter at an early date. In any case about | £2OO lor miscellaneous capital requirements is generally required.