HOSPITAL TRUSTEES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2811, 26 August 1908, Page 12

HOSPITAL TRUSTEES.

The usual meeting of the Hospital Trustees was held on the- 19th instant. Those present were : — Messrs S. Solomon, K.C. (chairman), E. A. Tapper, J. Louden, H. A. teCreh, J. Mill, J. Brown, M.. Stevenson T. Mackenzie, and Dr Batchelor. CORRESPONDENCE. A letter was received from a resident at ICaka Point, in which he refuted the charge made by an anonymous writer in the press recently regarding his treatment in the Hospital. "Far from being in solitary confinement," he wrote, " I have b&en. allowed far more visitors than ever I ex- [ pected," and have received every care and j attention, and have no cause of complaint. i — Received. Another letter was read from a -father who thanked the Hospital authorities" for the care and attention- given to his Little girl, and forwarded a donation of £1 to mark his appreciation of her treatment. — Received. i The Director of the Dental Hospital (Dr H. P. Pickorill) wrote pointing out that the Dental Hospital was rapidly cominjf to fulfil the function of the Dental Department of the General Hospital, and that although the Dental Hospital undertook a considerable amount of treatment for poorer patients without fee, yet it received no support from public funds. He suggested that patients sent from the General } Hospital to thp Dental Hospital for treat1 ment should have ihe bare cost of their ' treatment defrayed from some fund, such 1 as the Dempsey Fund. He further suggested also that such patients as came direct to the Dental Hospital and were impecunious, .should receive aid from the fund ; further, that Dental Hospital patients should be allowed, on payment of the usual charges, to get their prescriptions dispensed at the General Hospital. — Referred to House Committee. i REPORTS. The House Committee recommended that a Sa-lyation Army commander and> sister be permitted to visit members of their body according to by-laws 82 to 87 ; that children sent to the Hospital for treatment from orphanages should be treated free of charge. It was decided that 1.30 p.m. be fixed for the discharge of patients who are well enough to leave the Hospital. The listers of wards to notify the secretary as soon as orders have been given for discharge, and to ascertain from patients whether they havo money or other valuables deposited in the safe. — Adopted. I The Finance Committee recommended , that application be made to the Hospital Board for £750, contribution for August, and ihat accounts for July, amounting to £1554 2s 5d be passed for payment. The bank balances were reported as follows : — (Joneral account, £297 8s lOd ; building account, £2055 15s 6d ; Campbell interest account, £758 6s 3d: laboratory account, £777 10* 3d : Hospital Saturday account, 5954 3« 6d. The au-clil-or. it was reported, had completed his audit to end of Last financial vd-iv — Adopted. f I he Resident Vcdical Officer's report pointed out that the accommodation in the

male ward was overcrowded, one patient having to be placed on a mattress on. the floor for three nights. — The- Chairman pointed out thai this overcrowding had. occurred notwithstanding the large additions recently made to the Hospital. Four patients had been transferred ti> the Benevolent Home, but the trustees were unable' to provide accommodation for three others. — Adopted. The Matron's report recommended that the engagement with nurses be for four years, but that they be allowed to sit for examination at the end of the third year; that a sister be appointed to take charge of Nurses' Home; that a night sister be advertised for at £72 per annum. Misses Widdowson, Sparrow, Roy, and Thomson were appointed probationers.— Adopted. GENERAL. The Chairman, referring to a letter that had been before the Finance Committee from the seoretary of the Engine*drivers' Industrial Union" of Workers (Mr Haynes) re the wages paid by the trustees to their engine-driver, said he and Mr Ixrndon had disouesed the question with Mr Haynes', who had pointed out that the boiler, according to the act, should always be in charge of a certificated engineer, and that -majgiee should be paid acoordinjJt to ±h& award, single tray, instead of double, being allowed for work done ori Sundays and 1 holidays. The hospital engine, the Chairman pointed out, was worked 24 hours every day, but the award only allowed engineers to work eight hours per day ; therefore they would have to employ three engineers, instead of one (with assistants) as at present. Consequently their- expenses would be increased in future, and they wene liable <for atrout £160 back wages. That was the statute law ; and there was no getting away from their liability. — After some discussion the letter ' from Mr. Haynea was received, and it waa decided to pay the back wages and conform to the award. The following donations were acknowledged with thanks from Messrs Donald, T3mith and Smith, Crolley, Shadwell (magazines and papers), J: Graham* (crutches), Wingatui brickworks (£5 6s),Fritz Jansen (£6). A notice of motion moved by Mr Solomon, providing for the employment of female cooks instead of male, and that fche supervision of the kitchen and cookery be transferred to the matron, was carried, the by-laws relating to such matters to be altered.