WAIPIATA SANATORIUM

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22719, 4 November 1935, Page 7

WAIPIATA SANATORIUM

MEETING OF COMMITTEE The Waipiata Sanatorium Committee met in Dunedin on Tuesday last, there being present Messrs E. Macdonald (chairman), W. Bryant, J. Rodman, H. A. Brough, J. G. Johnston, J. Ritchie, T. A Lowis, and Inspector Craighead representing the Department of Health. The director-general of health wrote approving of the committee’s arrangements for granting Dr Kidd (medical superintendent of the institution) leave of absence next year to enable him to visit Great Britain and the Continent for the purpose of investigating the latest methods of/tuberculosis treatment, and practices in overseas institutions, which knowledge would be of special benefit to the Sanatorium Committee in the future. —Received. The medical superintendent reported that on October 1 there were 53 males and 60 females in the institution, a total of 119. He submitted a progress report on the condition of these patients showing that, with the exception of 16. the others were all doing well or im proving. 'He reported on his visits to the different centres, and recommended patients as suitable for treatment from the following districts: —Southland 4, Waitaki 2, South Canterbury, Ashburton, and Wallace 1 each. —Received. The secretary reported that at date of meeting the following boards had patients in the institution; —South Canterbury 29, Southland 48, Ashburton 11, Waitaki 13, South Otago 0, Wallace 5, Vincent 7, Maniototo 4—a total of 123. Of that number 35 had been under treatment for more than 12 months. Since the previous meeting eight patients from four hospital districts had been discharged, six with the disease arrested, one much improved, and the other transferred to another institution. He submitted a waiting list of 15 males and two females, the majority of whom wore residents of the Southland district. As arrangements had been made for the immediate admission of the two females there were actually 15 males awaiting admission, some of whom had been waiting for some months. —Received. Miss M. Shepherd, who had been matron of the Waipiata Sanataorimn since May, 1932, tendered her resignation, and asked to be relieved from duty on Novembei 30. Her resignation was accepted with regret, and the request to terminate her. engagement at the end of November acceded to, the committee expressing the hope that her future career would be a successful one. To fill the vacancy the secretary was directed to invite applications to be dealt with at the November meeting. The farm manager submitted his usual report and return of milk and meat supplied to the institution and farm during September, the secretary stating that he had received MO 9s 9d for farm sales, —Received. Mr Lowis, on behalf of the Farm Committee, reported on the working for the farm, stating that 35 acres of new ground had been ploughed for turnips, and 38 acres was being cultivated for other crops. The work in connection with the leak in the storage dam had now been completed, and at present there was plenti of water available for irrigation as well as for electric power and general domestic purposes. He stated that the supply of bullocks for slaughtering purposes was almost finished, and the Farm Committee was authorised to purchase another dozen of two-and-a-half to three-year-old animals for fattening.—Received. Mr C. M. Ellis, engineer, furnished his half-yearly report on the running of the hydro-electric plant, and made certain minor recommendations regarding stoppage of leaks in the supply pipes and renewing the spearhead spindles of the turbine, which were noted and left in the hands of the secretary to make further inquiries regarding the cost. The treasurer (Mr T. Pryde) submitted his half-yearly report on the committee’s finances, which showed an improvement on the position some three months ago, but it would still be necessarily to have a small overdraft for maintenance expenditure.—-A resolution authorising this to be arranged was adopted. The audit inspector, Invercargill, wrote with reference to the signing of the committee’s cheque, and the latter was received, the request to be complied with. —For the purpose of meeting emergency expenditure between meetings, the treasurer was directed to open an imprest account of £IOO at Invercargill, to be operated on by himself and the accountant. It was decided to pay a bonus to Mr E. A. Grant, the accountant of the South land Hospital Board, who had satisfactorily filled the position of acting secretary and treasurer during the time Mr Pryde was off through ill-health. Accounts and salaries totalling £llOs 6s 3d were passed for payment.