SOUTH OTAGO

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24915, 14 May 1942, Page 7

SOUTH OTAGO

SOUTH OTAGO HOSPITAL BOARD MONTHLY MEETING The monthly meeting of the South Otago Hospital Board was attended by Messrs A. T. Harris (chairman), J. W. Fenton, L. W. Potter, J. R, Copland, W. R. McKenzie, W. Sutherland, H. A, Brough, A. V. King, Adam King, D. McGregor, and R. G. Cullen. The treasurer (Mr W. Roy) reported that the receipts for the month of April were £1691 8s 9d and expenditure £3BOI 15s 6d, including Balclutha Hospital £2222 10s 7d, Milton Hospital £225 11s 2d, Owaka Hospital £339 11s, Kaitangata Hospital £96 2s 7d. The statement of balances showed a debit balance of £205 13s lid. The medical superintendent (Dr D. M. Frengley) reported for the month of April, the figures for the corresponding month last year being given in parentheses.—Balclutha Hospital: Admissions 83 (76), discharges 67 (79), remaining in 73 (63), X-ray department out-patients 38 (21), massage department out-patients 2 (13). Milton Hospital: Admissions 18, dicharges 25. remaining in 8. Owaka Hospital: Admissions 26 (8), discharges 19 (12), remaining in 20 (12). Kaitangata Hospital: Admissions 9 (6), discharges 8 (4). remaining in 4 (2). Mr U. Walker, clerk of the Bruce County Council, forwarded a resolution of his council on the subject of hospital rating. The resolution suggested that the subsidy of 6s a day should be increased, Mr McGregor said he was at the meeting of the County Council and he had asked for a capitation tax instead of the whole burden being on the land.—The letter was received.

The Director-general of Health. Wellington, advised that as yet no special subsidy had been decided upon in respect of expenditure on fittings and equipment for emergency hospitals. The matter was, however, receiving attention. —Received. Mr E. B. Lothian, secretary of the Balclutha E;P.S. executive, wrote stating that at the last meeting of the committee it had been resolved to recommend the board to have a cross displayed in a conspicuous part of the hospital ground. The committee believed that this would constitute an added protection from enemy bombing, though, of course, it had to be admitted that hospitals, in common with other buildings, ran the risk of unintentional damage.—The chairman said he had been led to believe that the board had no right to use the Red Cross sign.—lt was decided to apply to the Director-general of Health, Wellington, for instruction on the subject. At the April meeting, the chairman explained. a discussion had taken place regarding the mileage charges for the use of the board’s ambulance, and Mr D. McGregor had spoken in favour of a free ambulance. It had been left to the secretary to interview the hospital superintendent as to the practicability of giving a free ambulance service at this time. Dr Frengley’s reply had been in the negative. —Mr Fenton moved that the proposal be not proceeded with.—This was seconded by Mr L. W. Potter (Milton) and carried. BALCLUTHA Magistrate’* Court.—At the monthly sitting, before Mr H. J. Dixon, S.M., Leslie Clarke, a farm labourer, of Glenomaru, was charged with failing to report for military service at Invercargill on April 22. Major H. M. Hopper, Invercargill area officer, said the defendant was a conscientious objector whose appeal had been dismissed. He had Ignored all notices sent to him and was then gazetted as a defaulter. He had later been given a further opportunity, but had still refused to go to camp or to report in person, on the ground that he was a conscientious objector. The defendant said that as a Christian conscientious objector he objected to any form of military service. The magistrate said the defendant was not willing to go to camp in any capacity, and for that lie was liable to a term of imprisonment, but not under the present information. He would be convicted and committed to a detention camp.—Findlay M. Dow, charged with being in possession of an unlicensed wireless set. was convicted and fined 10s, with costs (10s).—Charles William Graham was charged with driving a heavy lorry without the requisite licence, and Colin Campbell Stuart, sawmiller, was charged with employing a driver with the wrong class of licence. The cases were taken together and after hearing the evidence of Traffic Inspector Wilkinson, Graham was fined 10s with costs (12s) and Stuart 5s with costs (12s). —John Hallifleld Spencer (Timaru) was charged with operating a trailer with a load extending further back than 4ft, and with not having a number plate on the trailer. He was ordered to pay costs (10s) on the first charge and fined 5s without costs on the second.— I Die following were charged on the information of the borough inspector (Mr W. Gray) with being without warrants of fitness:— Crawford King, fined 5s with costs (12s); Thomas Bartholomew, fined ss, with cost (11s); Kenneth Mclntosh, ordered to pay costs only (12s); C. F. Nightingale (Balclutha), fined 5s with costs (3s). for plaintiffs by default was given in the following civil cases:—A. B. Ritchie v. James Weir (Dlpton), claim £7 17s Id, judgment for balance of £1 Os Id, with costs (3s); McGhee Bros., Kaitangata v. R. Trainor, claim £6 14s 6d, with costs (19s).