HOSPITAL BOARD'S WORK.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19415, 25 August 1926, Page 12

HOSPITAL BOARD'S WORK.

RELIEF EXPENDITURE. THE RODNEY- INSTITUTION. The Auckland Hospital Board met last evening",/'the Chairman, Mr. W. Wallace, presiding. The Relief' Committee reported that in July 292 new applications for relief were considered and the cases of "229 others were revised. Unemployment was responsible for 309 applications, desertion for 44, sickness for 85, old age for 35, widowhood for 18, imprisonment for 7 and insufficient means for 22. The cause in one -case was undetermined. - The cost of the relief granted was £2204. The medical superintendent, ,Dr. C. E. Maguire, reported that at.the. beginning of July there were 475 patients in the hospital, 687 had been admitted during the month, 54 had died and 625 had been discharged, leaving 483 patients in the institution at, the beginning of August. Eighty-four patients, including 13 cases in the T.B. huts, had been in hospital for a period of o>yer two months. During July, 514 operations were performed. Dr. L. tj. Whettef, of Matakana, wrote stating he was surprised to note in the press that a committee signing itself the "Rodney Hospital Committee ' had applied for transfer of that district to the Whangarei hospital district. As far • as, he could, make out this committee was composed' of a few people in and around Wark worth, either self-appointed or appointed at a "scratch" meeting hastily convened some time ago. The committee in no way expressed the public feeling in Rodney. If a hospital committee were necessary it would be better if it were appointed on a democratic basis with one or two members from each riding in the county. As he judged it, there was no wish in Rodney for transfer to Whangarei. The chairman, said he did not think any members of the board would deplore Rodney going over to Whangarei provided "the, board was repaid all the money it had spent there.* The letter "was received. J .