OMARU HOSPITAL TRUSTEES.

North Otago Times, Volume CV, Issue 13935, 18 July 1917, Page 2

OMARU HOSPITAL TRUSTEES.

' MOXTIH.Y MIiKTIS'J. The monthly ■ niocting-of the .Oamaru Hospital Trilatees was .held Inst evening,. The chairman, Mr .f,- D. -Giant, presided; . aild : there- , were ■ present: Messrs ; 'A". Hamilton, AV. Straelinri, W. AV. Dawson, J. T. Oakden, H. Grenfell, L. ]?. Haines; and I\ W. Humphries. '• The following correspondence was dealt with:— A letter was read from the seeretnry of the South Canterbury Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, ' informing the board that the;lnspector-General's letter re charge made to patients in Government institutions had been received—Received, '

In forwarding a qheque for £Blos Gil,. Alex. Duncan, of Ka)inrangi Point lighthouse, added a note of thanks to the staff of the hospital for their attention to his wife and child.—Received, The Town Clerk of Oamarti wrote stating that the council thanked the board for the permission to lay a water main through the hospital reserve, and also accepted the conditions laid down. —Received. The lion, secretary of the North Otago Patriotic Fund wrote drawing the board's attention to the necessity for 'special arrangements between the trustees and his executive in reference to fees charged to soldiers. It was stated that there would be patients in the hospital dependent upon soldiers, and as the fees in many caseo would have to be provided from the patriotic fund, the e:;l.eeutive trusted that consideration would

be given to the soldiers' claims. A further letter was received stating ihftt the fund was assisting a soldier m liia liabilities in connection with the above matter. It was decided that the question of charges be dealt with by the; chairman. The Inspector-General of Hospitals again wrote drawing the attention of ■the hoard to the desirability of instituting a weehly maintenance fee uniform throughout the Dominion for patients treated in their institution, such uniformity being especially necessary where a hospital board charges a maintenance fee on account of a patient from'another district. The department had decided to charge every board who is liable for the payment for persons in the department's institutions the. sum of 30s per iveek, and requested the board to adopt the suggestion of charging 80s per week to the department and other boards. 1 I The letter wa3 received, and after some discussion it was decided to await further information from other boards in the matter.

The lledic.il Superintendent reported that for the month twenty-live patients (twenty males and five females) hail been admitted, twenty-four patients (fifteen males and nine females) had been discharged, and there remained twenty-four patients in Ihc hospital. The matron acknowledged with thanks the following gifts: Toys—Messrs J. P. Cox, G, 11. Deal ("Unique"), and Grenfell and Sons ("Little Dust Pan"); seed potatoes, lir J, Isdale;" and Mr A, Kennedy, on? truck of mangols. The visiting committee (Messrs Hamilton and Dawsoii)' reported that everything at the hospital wan in good order, There were twenty-four patients in the fever ward. Xo complaints had U'cu made, all patients being well fliwd with the treatment received. The gate at entrance of the yard, not b'ing convenient for the ambulance brougham, could be put right by altering the position of a post on, the north side about four feet further back. The trustees thanked the donors of gifts. 'Mr McNeil had returned to work, and it, was hoped lie would be able to cpntimie his occupation, as lie had been found the best man they had had for the position for some time.

The renort was adopted; the matter of the gate to be attended to.

It was decided to instruct the secretary to write to the Borough Council asking them to put screenings down on (ho road leading up to the hospital from Cross street.

It was resolved that one of the paddocks in the hospital grounds be ploughed, and later sown down in oats for this season, . Probationary Nurse Daisy Crawslmw wa3 appointed as a permanent nurse on the hospital staff. . Accounts amounting to £2ll 9s fld were'passed for payment,