HOSPITAL MATTERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13702, 19 March 1908, Page 6

HOSPITAL MATTERS.

OPPOSITION TO NEW BILL.

A THREATENED STONEWALL.

[BY TELEGRAPH. —I'RKSS ASSOCIATION.]

Wellington, Wednesday. SoilK discussion took place at the meeting of the Wellington and Wairarapa Charitable Aid Board, to-day, with regard to the Hospital and Charitable Aid Bill which is to be submitted to Parliament. Mr. Buchanan protested against, the provisions in the Bill which affected the Wairarapa, as more local administration than at present existed was required. The Chairman said that the most objectionable portion, of the Bill was that in reference to the cutting down of the subsidies. Mr. Hogg, M.P., said that the proposal to make the hospital districts larger would be strongly objected tr by the country members ill Parliament. There always had been objections to any attempt to link the cities with the country in regard to matters of hospital maintenance, and he believed when the measure came before Parliament members representing country constituencies would sit for a fortnight before they would permit such a Bill to pas?. In view of the fact thai country hospitals had been greatly improved, and that the people were doing their best to attend to their sick and injured, he thought it would be wrong if they were compelled to come into a, general fund, and entirely merge then individuality. The Bill was also briefly discussed by the Wellington District Hospital Board, when Mr. Moore moved, "That clause 23, section 31, of the Bill, should be recommended to the forthcoming charitable aid boards' conference for deletion." This is the clause in which the Government, proposes to reduce the subsidies. The motion was carried.

Mr. Moore then suggested that the conference should be recommended to insert a new clause making provision for the inclusion of harbour boards as contributing bodies to the hospital and charitable, aid rates.

The Chairman (Mr. J. P. Duke) observed that the boards already contributed in a way. If accidents happened to the crews of ships in port, and the sufferers required hospital treatment, the shipowners were responsible. If wharf workers were treated for accident, then they, being Wellington residents, also contributed. He feared it would be "doublebanking" if rates were levied from harbour boards. Mr. P. C. Kirk thought Mr. Moore's views might be better met if legislation were introduced enabling harbour boards to collect all charges, in connection with cases of accidents arising on board ships in port or on the wharves where such cases require hospital treatment. A recommendation to the conference was framed on these lines, and ultimately adopted. THE DUNEDIN HOSPITAL. [BY TELEGRAPH.— ASSOCIATION'.] Dcnedin, Wednesday. At a meeting of the hospital trustees to-day, a communication was received from the honorary medical staff, pointing out the necessity for a second operating theatre for septic cases, and also a separate sterilising room with suitable appliances. The staff suggested that hospital aid should be available in all caees in which patients were unable to pay for suitable attendance and advice, and that those able to pay for ! these should not be entitled to receive aid. in addition to cases ordinarily dealt with in the hospital, provision should be made for consumptives, infectious cases, uncertified mental cases, acute alcoholic caees, I epileptic?, and infants under two years of ; ago. Many chronic cases, such as cancer, i heart disease, and nervous degeneration, i hitherto treated in the general hospital, would be move advantageously and economically dealt with in separate institutions on a healthier site, part of which might also be used as a convalescent Home for I persons recently discharged from the hos- ; pital. The recommendations were referred ; to a committee for report. The trustees discussed a proposal to apply to the Hospital Board for £12,000 for the incoming year's requirements, or £4000 in excess of that applied for, and granted, last year. The necessity for the extra amount is said to be partly due to the proposed abandonment of the practice . j of former years of using bequest moneys, j donations, Saturday hospital collections, etc., for general hospital purposes, and thus keeping down rates. Another cause is the increased cost of extra beds in the new wards and the employment of extra- nurses and attendants owing to the reduction of the present nurses' hours to eight hours. The matter was referred to the Finance Committee for a. report.