SOUTH OTAGO HOSPITAL BOARD

Otago Witness, Issue 3513, 12 July 1921, Page 22

SOUTH OTAGO HOSPITAL BOARD

The South Otago Hospital Board met in the CTutha County Chambers on Friday, there being pr< unt Messrs A. North (chairman), A. Rennie, J. iiuthsrford, H. Sims-on, IT. M. Driver, J. Clark, W. A. Blair, J. Mosley, and A. S. Malcolm, M.T\, and the secretary (Mr XV. Roy). CONDOLENCE. Before proceeding to business the Chairniai: moved a veto of sympathj'’ with Captain Ruiherford in ihe loss of his vvi fe, the motion being carried by members standing in silence. i he Cnn irm-an said that since last meeting tkey had appeared be lore the cv-mmission in regard ,o the apportionment of assets and liabilities connected with tne original Otago Board. They had practically left the statement of their case to Mr Malcoipj. whom he wished to compliment on tho very able manner in which he had conducted the argument for South Otago. Mr J. Mosley also spoke, referring to the vast amount oi’ work Mr Malcolm had put mto it. lie had proved himself a thoroughly capable and loyal man to the interests of Sou:h Otago. Ho considered that it was unfortunate that .so much side talk had taken place during the hearing on the part of the Otago representatives. On the motion of Mr Simson, seconded by Mr Rennie, it was -decided to record a motion in the minutes appreciative of the very able manner in which Mr Malcolm had conducted the case for South Otago. Mr Malcolm briefly returned thanks. Hie Chair man said that at a meeting of tho Finance Committee held earlier Mr J. Mosley had been appointed chairman of that committee. FINANCE. Tlie Finance Committee submitted a statement of receipts and expenditure for the month as follows: ‘ Receipts.— Public Health Department (advance of subsidy), £IOOO. Expenditure.—Salaries, £29 6.5; office expenses, £1 9s Gd; -advertising and printing, £4. 11s 2d; drugs, etc., £5 5s 2d; miscellaneous, 7s 6d; patients Dunedin Hospital, £232 19s Gel; outdoor relief, £42; stores, etc., £2l* —total, £236 18s lOd. The statement was approved and the accounts passed for payment. The Secretary reported that 18 patients had been admitted to Dunedin Hospital for the period June 10 to July 4; five to Kaiiangata Hospital, one J>o Tapaiuii Hospital, and one to Au okl an d Hospital. D. 1. Ile 111 mg’, agent Standard Fire Insurance Company, wrote stating that the insurance on Ka it an gat a Hospital was being continued as requested.—Received. Dr N alintine, Director-general of Health, wrote replying that the department recoinmended tho proposed alterations to the Kai-tangat-a Hospital for the following rear- ns: (1) That it was given to understand that the | main ward was rarely fully occupied, consequently better use could be made of the available space if the ward were so divided up as to be usable by both sexes rather than by one sex as a-t present; (2) that it was of opinion that the needs of Kaitangata in maternity facilities was not sufficiently adequate. In this it was supported by the opinion of tlie resident doctor. Consequently arid because of the policy that cottage hospitals should wherever possible provide for maternity cases, it recommended a maternity block to provide for four to six cases. —it was resolved that a medical officer of the department be invited to visit the district and inspect the approved sites in Balclutha and Milton, and .also visit tho Rail an gat a Hospital. ICenip th ome, Prosser, and Co., Dunedin, wrote with reference to the supply of drugs to the board and the discount that they were willing fo allow.—Received. On tlie motion of Mr Malcolm, seconded by Mr Rennie, it was decided to write to tlie Health Department making inquiries as to the source of supply and cost of drugs. The Chairman said that the- approval of the CTutha County Council had been secured lor the installation of a telephone in Mrs M‘ Donald’s office, and he moved that, in order to avoid confusion of accounts, Ihe board install 0. telephone for Mrs McDonald as the Balclutlia secretary of the board. — Seconded by Mr Rennie and carried. James Wood, Bishops, wrote with, reference to a charge of 12s per day for threedays 111 April which was made by the Otago Board for maintenance of his child. For other days lie was charged ss. He desired t-o know what was tire maintenance charge made by the Sonfh Otago Board.—To be informed that the board’s charges were the same as the current rates of the Otago Board. Secret ary, Department of Health, wrote re 1 tho agreement with the Otago Board regarding treatment of patients and concerning* the desire of the S.O. Board that clause G be altered to read: ‘‘Until such time as me S.O. Hospital Board . has its building erected," that the department was unable- to ! make the alteration without the sanction of tlie Otago Beard, and the secretary of the j Otago Board had emphasised that the- agree- ! men! was only tentative, pending apportionment of assets and liabilities. He regretted that the department could do nothing at f present in the matter.—Received. The Chairman stated that it was under- j stood at the time that in the event of the Otago Board not continuing the agreement, ! tho South Otago Board would make its own j a it a ngements. E. Kiilick, secret arv, Department oi Health, Wellington, wrote s‘a : ng that tlie .or hud a p;; roved of t I .-card's esti:nnU-s. He ' had fih-> approved o. the board e - •bh Ti mg ; a building fund of £3669. An advance oi £IOOO was also rcconiiner: led.—Received. ! Dr W/Jie, Director of Hospital, w.uo forwarding price list oi' hospital i-.nnitu:' .at ■ present at the Defence Mel • al Sb-rcs. Wei- : n, which wnc w for dispo ah—Received. Dr W. II Reekie (Tvailangatu i wrote sHR - ing that lie had occasion to send into Dunedin Hospital in a hurry an .acute case of double pneumonia, as, under existing arrangements and the necessity for having* , extra nursing assistance, tho patient could not lie xatisiacloHly nursed, at* Kaitangata. As similar cases would certainly recur in the 110 desired the board’s <. ; • Rou for later pan"dance.--J t was decided to approve of Dr liC-ekie’s action, and thank him for his interest. Dr Valin!ine wroto with reference to the delation of the words "charitable aid” from the tide of hospital boards and th- rug -csial W< If ■ ( nniit tee" be <sub.it it 11 Led, and the expression “granting of relief or financial assistance” be substifutid for the granting* of charitable aid. The words * pecuniary relief" might lie used io <!sfferentiatc between medica I and <>th--r relief. The term “Social V' ifare mini iI ow liad already boen adopted by some bo a ids

Tho Chairman: Arc- we going to call e spado an agricultural implement or simp!} a spade? Mr Rennie moved that they advance witl. the times, and as poverty was no crime the*? adopt tlie new term.—Mr Blair seconded. Mr J. Mosley moved an amendment foi retaining the name charitable aid.—Mr Cum mmg s:c.mded. , 0n - tlio being put it was declared carried. H l ' A C; repirtrxl on llio interviow viJi the committer- of tlie St. Jcim A-I-lice Asvicia on. Very r <wl work, v.tis ,te..u by these, peopl •. «iio: ■ influetrea in a cominn nit y had » rove • verv v? -u ble J- v ’.n- nienl- v,. i.-. remark:l - /"'A ™-■ '• i that It Igv goo: Bun:; to In vo b ncl or, of t! St J nr Ainhu!.-: •. A o; lion in Soul?, Dtifi-o. Ho mnverl—" •( !„■ the s-cretm-y cm nmnicaro \ytth the D A- ■ . ' regard to tho ronnation of bran !; o jn ]>.,i : ciu'iui, Ivaitancata. Hilton. Ovaka. mui otP'r P; c: 8 m .. s< u ;fi. and that the In art mlnaate its wmmyn ss to render any assistw, • gfigc:- l< g by Mr Rennie and carried ;g K-.t - Hi.c, dirtiort telegraph engineer v.-cte null regard to an application for conH KVFATAA 11 T om ,l! <- Kaitangata to Balclutha that the KaitanSata ar,c - n> - --- h ? also tho hernial doctor vaa connected with_ the Balclutlia doctors at and, in av.uiticn, had a private wire to Kaitangata Hospital. As the existing service thrtTF 1 A°k a 1 cor r n, J' 11; ’ies, he fegret-:e<l Received f her smvlce cvM llut be granted. The appointment of a district nurse at J-uutopa. for which two applications were received was left ir the hands of w-e cli-fir-nran and secretary with power to f t iMirso Paseve, lately matron of Timanr Hospifa, was appo-mted district nurse, io be stationed at Clinton. It was resolved that the Hosnifal Committee draw up regulations for the employniicnt of district nuraos. A largo number of offers of sites were received, and the matter was dealt with in committee. On the motion of Messrs Gumming and Duver, a Hospital Committee was appointed, consisting of the chairman of the beard and Messrs Simson, Rennie, and Rutherford, the board Lrigor was appointed solicitor to Nurse Clements, matron of the KaitangataHospital, reported for the month of June that seven patients had been admitted to the ™ Tl 1 bein = diphtheria cases. Tliere had also bean seven outdoor patients treated.—The rejiort was received.