THE HOSPITAL AND CHARI-TABLE AID BOARDS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14382, 27 November 1908, Page 3

THE HOSPITAL AND CHARITABLE AID BOARDS

MR STEVENSON'S EXPLANATION. Mr Malcolm Stevenson, whose term of office.as chairman.of the Dunedin Hospital and Charitable Aid Boards lias been marked by strenuous endeavour, during an interview with a Time.* reporter yesterday, stoutly and emphatically denied ever having cuid or done anything calculated to ?el town against country, as suggested by certain members of the Hospital Trustees. Mr Stevenson pointed out that his efforts had bcr-ti throughout directed to ob'tainirig lhe best possbilo results for both; also, that his experiences as a practical contractor bad been placed gratuitously at ths sen-ice of the ratepayers to their considerable advantage. The following correspondence! would mak? his position'clear in the matter of (own .iiid country repii'sentation At a meeting of the Taieri County Council it was moved bv Cr 'Stevenson, seconded by the chairman (Cr Miller), and carried unanimously—"That the cjerk circulariso all. local bodies, a list of', which will he furnished by Cr Stevenson, requesting them to ask the delegates appointed to exercise tho vote belonging to 'cu'cl respectively at the election of trustees for'the punedin Hospital iind Benevolent Institution 011 December 7 next, io meet at'the Charitable Aid l?onrd office, Princes Street, Dunedin, at -11 o'clock a.m. on the aforesaid date, to discuss charitable aid and Hospital., business," > 1 On November 4 Mr Stevenson wrote to the Taieri County Council as follows: — "Please find enclosed list of country local bodies which have a vote for trustees to Dunedin Hospital and Benevolent Trustees.' It might bo as well, when you send your, circular, to them asking to meet ih conference ro Hospital and charitable aid levies on December 7. at 11 a.m., in tho Empire Buildings (board's room), to point out. that all delegates so appointed must be members of the local bodies they represent, or thoy will not he able to have'a, vote for a trustee; and as I am no longer a member of your council,,if your council should eo desire, I would only bo too pleased to co-opcrato with your council's delegate; and' if you lot me know at soon as you can after your meeting on tho 27th inst., I will do my best to get a 6chemc tg put before the delegates which I think would tend to lessen the rates considerably, There aro seven other Borough Councils in and around Dunedin which I don't, think you. should raid circulars to, for their'interests' arc in the city." '

This letter was dealt with at the meeting of the Taieri County Council 011, Wednesday, when it was resolved—"That-, tho letter bs received, and tho writer thanked for same, and he be informed that the chairman has been appointed as the' council's, delegate, who will communicate with liini if/lie wishes his co-operation in tho matter."

Mr Ptovenson also wrote 011 November,.?, 3 as follows:—"As 1 represent you at present as an . hospital trustee, I would like to point out there will be an election on December 7, at tho Town Hall, Dunedin, at 2.45 p.m., and that it will be necessary that your delegate must be a' member of your council, or you will have no vote. I think all local bodies should exercise their vo'to ,in the interests of putting in men who will keep down expenditure, at the same time not depriving the patients in the hospital of the best treatment and every ,comfort it is possible to give them."

It may be here mentioned that one of the objections raised at Wediiesday'6 meeting of tho Taieri County Council to the- ap; pointment of Mr Stevenson as its representative 011 the Charitable Aid Board was thafc it had been rumoured that Mr Stevenson intended standing for the City Council, and us such would be more likely to favour the interests of the city than those of the country. "With reference' to the scheme which he proposed to lay before the Meeting of circularised delegates,. ■Mr Stevenson. said:—"l propose.'that tho Dqnedin Hospital Trustees make up a list of all necessary works. There are some works which I consider necessary. An X-ray room should be established at, a cost ;of, say, DIOOO. Provision should' be made for remodelling the. old main block, and-for converting it into an out-patients' department. I would suggest that Number I.ward, now in tho old block, and whinh is ri6\v most insanitary, be done away with, and that a new ward'be erected in the present grouncb alongside ' the 'new ' ward that is to be erected by the Government for delirium tremens cases. This ward should cost about £2000. A lecture room is badly required for nurses, and this will be Lc the old building. A sterilising room is also required. My idea i 6 that the trustees should ascertain what the whole of this money comes to, and also find out what amount, is standing to their credit from the building. accoAft, and from all other sources, and then, whatever amount thej-'ure deficient of, get this money from thi board, but spread it over, a term of years. The trustees claiming, on the boards for maintenance independently. I may say that iny reason for voting against the other trustees in the matter of a new, building for 1 outpatients alongside tho laundry," at a cost .of £2000, was that I considercd'.it 'to be 'a step in the wrong,direction. In my opinion, it would be bettor to do away with' a certain diseases ward, and to utilise the main block, (which is still a valuable building) • for an out-patients' department,- lecture room for nurses, X-ray room, dispensary, board room, ami lion, medical staff's consulting room. Thu3 for this £2000: to. be spent for an out-patient's department, outside we would_ have an up-to-date and a .sanitary ward in place of that existing at present."' Mr Stevenson concluded'by saying that he only discussed the matter.as far asthe main block was concerned, and that lie >a 6 present at no meeting where the out-patients' building was He had not had an opportunity of discussing it, and 110 had voted -jja inst it.