HOSPITAL BOARD

Otago Witness, Issue 3444, 16 March 1920, Page 6

HOSPITAL BOARD

ANNUAL COUNTRY TOUR.. Members of the Ocago Hospital and Charitable Aid Board set out on the 9th on their annual visit oi. inspection to the country hospitals under the control of the board. An early start was made, and the two cars left town before seven o'clock, containing Mr W. E .S. Knight (chairman of the board), Mrs J. K.Maefie, Messrs Larnach, J. Scurr, W. Downes, P. Y. Wales (architect), Dr Falconer (medical superintendent), and Mr J. Jacobs (secretary). A halt was made at Henley for breakfast, and Lawrence was reached just before 11 o'clock. The weather was ideal for the run, and at Waihola a fine view was obtained of Captain Dickson travelling north in his aeroplane The appearance of the crops in the Tokomairiro district created much favourable comment. - At the Tuapeka Hospital - the visitors were met by Messrs J. K. Simpson (chairman of the local committee), P. M'lnerney, John Edie, B. Winn (members of committee), and J. J. Woods {secretary). Dr Sutherland and the matron (Miss Drew) were also in attendance to show the visitors over the institution. Details of equipment were discussed, and plans for meeting the urgent need for a maternity _ ward in the district were thoroughly considered. The members of the local committee present eventually agreed to recommend the board to pull down the old square brick building, at present unused, at the back of the hospital and to erect in its place an up-to-date four-bed maternity ward with suitable accommodation for a maternity nurse. Attention was also drawn to the need for an isolation ward for infectious diseases, but it was agreed that this matter was less urgent than the other, and that the need could be met in the meantime without the erection of a new building. Everything about the institution was found in excellent order.