OTAGO HOSPITAL BOARD

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22213, 16 March 1934, Page 7

OTAGO HOSPITAL BOARD

COMMITTEE REPORTS The following is a summaO' of the reports of the various committees which will be presented at the monthly meeting of the Otago Hospital Board next Thursday night;— The Benevolent Committee will report having dealt with 22 cases for relief at a weekly cost of £l7 6s 6d. Casual cases for relief amounting to £465 11s 6d have been approved. Twenty-six men received 119 J days’ work at the board’s institutions at a total cost of £74 13s 9d. During the past month two persons have been admitted to, one discharged from, and 139 inmates remain in the Talboys Home.

The Hospital Committee will recommend that in reply to the letter received from the Masseurs Registration Board, the strong opinion of the Massage Council that every possible effort should be made to fulfil the conditions necessary to receive complete reciprocity with Great Britain should be endorsed. The committee will further recommend that the medical superintendent having submitted a number of suggestions for hospital improvements, a sum of £SOO be placed on the estimates for the year 1934-35 for some of the requirements which will be considered from time r o time as requisitions are submitted. In view of the applications for enrolment being purely voluntary and the fact that no graduate is promised any position and quite understands that it is a matter for herself or himself to obtain massage work, the committee has no recommendation to make in regard to the further limitation of massage classes. The committee will report that the arrangements made by Dr de Monchaux for carrying out his work during his leave of absence for nine months by the appointment of Dr Eric J. Rawnsley as his locum tenens has been approved. The Finance Committee will recommend that provision be made for £SOOO levy, with Government subsidy of a similar amount for capital expenditure in the 1934-5 estimates, and that the maintenance estimates for 1934-1933, showing a levy of £38,300 as against £30,945 0s 7d for the current year with a subsidy of £45,512 7s 9d as against a subsidy of £47,659 Is 6d for this year, be approved, the total increased levy on local authorities over the present year being £3355. The estimates are based upon 11 months’ actual expenditure with an average for the twelfth month. The committee will report that the architects have been instructed to obtain prices from the lowest tenderer for the erection of the new administration block, on the new specifications with deletions and alterations as approved. The new agreement to be entered into with the Waitaki Hospital Board for the year commencing April 1, 1934, on the cost per occupied bed basis, less allowance for fees collected, has been agreed to. From April 1 the Waitaki Hospital Board will make monthly payments to the board at the rate of £4OO per annum, subject to adjustment at the expiry of the agreement.