SOUTH OTAGO HOSPITAL BOARD.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19532, 15 July 1925, Page 7

SOUTH OTAGO HOSPITAL BOARD.

MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meeting of the South Otago Hospital Board was held at Balclutha yesterday and was attended by the. Hon. A. S. Malcolm, M.L.C. (president), Messrs J. Gumming, H. M. Driver, H, A.. Brough, Adam King, Adam Harris, Jasper Clark, Joseph Mosley, T. D. Pearson, J. W. Fenton, and the Rev. Canon Small. MILTON HOSPITAL. The acting-Matron of the Milton Hospital reported that the water supply was now quite satisfactory. In the boiler house the water had been coming in through the concrete walls to the depth of several inches during wet weather. The report was adopted. Dr A. A. Reid reported that two males and two females had been admitted to the Milton Hospital during the month and none had been discharged. Seven patients (four males and three females) remained in the institution. During the past three days water had been leaking through in various parts of the plaster walls and he suggested that this matter should receive expert attention. The report was adopted. OWAKA HOSPITAL. The Matron of the Owaka Hospital reported that on June 1 there were two males and four females in the hospital, and during the month six males and five females had been admitted. Four males and four females had been discharged during the month and one male had died, leaving a total of three males and five females in the institution on July 1. The report was adopted. Dr J .S. Stcnhouse reported that suite the board’s last meeting the Owaka Hospital had had a fairy busy time, chiefly in dealing with accident cases. In consequence the nursing staff had been very fully employed, and night duty had been maintained continuously for three months. Sister Elliott was temporary on the staff, in place of Sis'ter Whitefiold, who was on holiday leave. During the recent easterly rains the engine room collar had been flooded several times and baling operations had been necessary before the porter had been able to attend to his engines. This had only occurred during very bad weather and was not likely to cause much trouble. He thought it would be advisable to repair the gates before any further sagging occurred. The report was Adopted. KAITANGATA HOSPITAL. , The Matron of the Kaitangata Hospital reported that no further cases had been admitted to the institution during Juno. One patient had been discharged, and there was one remaining in hospital. The report was adopted. THE NEW BALCLUTHA HOSPITAL. Messrs Mason and Wales, architects for the Balclutha Hospital, reported that during the past month three more plasterers had started work, and it was expected that the plastering work of the main building would bo completed in about four weeks’ time. The carpentry work was well advanced, and the floors in one ward would have been laid but they wished to have the pipes all tested before this work was dbne. The pipes would probably be tested during the coming week. The lining of the upper floor of the administration building was being carried out. This would have been completed only that the wrong material had been delivered at the site and this required replacing. The sashes were practically all glazed, and the painters had done the exterior work. The engineering work was well under way and the greater portion of the machinery- was in place. The writers added that they had not forwarded the certificate for the £IOCO asked for last month, but had included it in this month's certificate, which amounted to £5918. , . The letter was received and approved. HOSPITAL ANAESTHETICS. Mr Brough gave notice of motion, “That the question of amesthotics at Milton and Owaka Hospitals bo discussed by the board at its next mooting and that full correspondence on the subject lie on the table." OVERDUE LEVIES The Audit Inspector (Dunedin) wrote advising that, at the request of the Health Department, ho had been instructed by the Auditor-General to sook into the question of the charging of interest on overdue levies and to point out that under section 8 of the Hospital and Charitable Institutions Act Amendment, 1923, the charging of interest was mandatory. The Minister of Finance had fixed the rate of interest at 7 per cent. In view of the section quoted it would appear to bo necessary for the board to bo careful to make definite arrangements with contributing bodies as to the dates on which instalments of levies wore due. ' It was agreed that the chairman and the secretary should consult with the department on the matter. GENERAL. The Secretary of the Otago Hospital Board advised that the cases from South Otago in his board’s institutions were as follows: Dunedin Hospital 21, Convalescent Homo 1, Otago Benevolent Institution 4, infirmary ward 5, Wakari Hospital 3; total. 34.—The communication was received. The receipts for the month ended July 14 amounted to £5579 Us 4d and the expenditure for the same period was £5087 17s lOd,