HOSPITAL TRUSTEES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 7876, 19 May 1887, Page 4

HOSPITAL TRUSTEES.

The usual monthly meeting of the Hospital Trustees was k held yesterday afternoon in the hospital. Present—Messrs H. Houghton (chairman), Wm. Isaac, J. Robin, H. Clark, Jas. Green and Dr Hislop. The minutes of previous meeting were read and confirmed, and reports from the House Committee, secretary, and house surgeon were read and adopted. The secretary's report showed a total credit balance after paying all liabilities of £43 9s. Some discussion arose from the report of Mr Wales (architect to the hospital) that some of the wards needed renovating in the way of painting the ceiling, which contained cracks and fissures which were liable to retain germs of disease, and also that the floors should be planed and beeswaxed. This, it was considered, would be but the beginning to do similarly to all the nine wards, which would mean an expenditure of about £1000, so it was resolved to postpone the matter. Dr Roberts, in a letter, complained of the existing visiting rules, and laid down certain rules which he urged the trustees to consider. It appears that the , visitors are admitted by twos to each patient, and there are. often, as many as 15, and sometimes 20, persons waiting for these two to return their tickets, and it is this that keeps the warders running up and down the stairs notifying the two at the bedside that there are others waiting to gain admittance, while the warders themselves are on this account unable to attend to their duties. Dr Roberts would limit the number to two visitors two days a week, and these visitors to be the relatives or nearest friends of the patient only, for the majority of visitors came, not with any real desire of seeing the patient, but were prompted by a morbid . feeling of curiosity. After a long discussion the matter was allowed to stand over.

The president and secretary of the Port Chalmers Seamen's Union, on behalf of the union, presented themselves to the trustees fox tho purpose of ascertaining if the

trustees would agree to accept an annua donation from the union of £50 and at the same time allow all seamen who may be sick on shore to be admitted into the hospital with the ordinary privileges—the said £50 to go towards defraying expenses. After a little consideration the terms were accepted. The first donation would be paid to-day.