SOUTH OTAGO HOSPITAL BOARD.

Otago Witness, Issue 3566, 18 July 1922, Page 47

SOUTH OTAGO HOSPITAL BOARD.

HOSPITAL FOR MILTON. The monthly meeting of the South Otago Hospital Board was attended at Balclutha on Thursday by Alessrs A. North (chairman), H. AI. Driver, J. Aloslej’, A. Rennie. A. w. Blair, J. Clark, H. Simson, and J. Rutherford. COMMITTEE REPORTS. The Finance Committee’s report disclosed receipts amounting to £577 15s 2d and expenditure to £904 2s lOd, including equipment and furnishings £96 Is 6d, members’ expenses £57 8s 6d, land and buildings £56 ss, paid to Otago Hospital Board £5Bl 19s 6d. Tiro Chairman moved the adoption of the report, with a recommendation that the offer of Mr Tweedie, of Milton, for a hospital site he left for Mr Rennie to deal with.—Carried. Air Clark reported that the Charitable Aid Committee had received two new cases and had declined them both.—A member: No monev ! The Chi iirman reported on behalf of trio Kaitangata Hospital Committee that negotiations were in progress with the Plunket Society to have a nurse visit Kaitangata j once a fortnight, and he hoped they would ®o°n result in a satisfactory arrangement. Mr Clark, the secretary, and he had conferred with the Otago Board to see if they could come to some arrangement regarding the admission of patients to Dunedin Hospital, but they had been unable to agree, and had decided to refer the matter to the health authorities. Mr North mentioned later patients would be admitted this month without prejudice.—The following Kaitangata Committee was recommended:— Messrs W. A. Boylan, J. Donaldson, W. Stephenson, A. AitcMson, W. Proctor, il. Tosh.—Report adopted. CORRESPONDENCE. Nurse Clement-s, matron at Kaitangata, reported tnat she had attended nine outpatients, and had accompanied a tetanus case to the Dunedin Hospital.—Received Ihe Secretary, Balclutha Workers’ Educare° lU \ Association, applied for the use of the board room on alternate Tuesdays for an economics class. — Granted, the users to pav ter the light. Lefters were received from the Waifcaki. Wanganui, and North Canterbury Hospital Boaris supporting the South Otago Board’s resolutions proposing that Hospital Boards should be given power to borrow from the State Advances Office and that provision should be made for £ for £ subsidies on loan money for building purposes or on the interest thereon. Dr .Valintine, Director-general of Health, ? r ™ td “ a report from Inspector Cowdrey that he had inspected the motor ambulances at the I osT and Telegraph Department's garage, and that they appeared to be in lirst-class order.—lt was decided to hold the matter over m the meantime. In another letter the Director-general sugsjggeftted that a uniform weekly payment of ke fixed, with a reduction of £1 11s , *° members of Friendly {Societies and children under 12 years. In further communications Dr Valintine notified the board that in future hospital boards would not receive land agents 5 license fees, and for* waided a. copy of the report of the recent oonfeience at J ima.ru regarding the new sanatorium at W aipiata, which has been already published.—lt wag decided to fall into lino -with the department s suggestion regaidmg patients fees. The other circulars were received. —A resolution was carried later, on the motion of Air Clark, in favour of making representations to other boards to urge the Government to make the maintenance of consumptive sanatoria u national obligation The secretary of the Otaigo Hospital Board advised that his board had adopted the recommendation of the Finance Committee that the present arrangements in regard to accepting patients for treatment from the South Otago district be continued for a period of two years, as from July 1, 1922, subject to the South Otago Beard faying the sum of £ISOO per annum for the use of the board's buildings and equipment. Hie secretary also forwarded the following report showing the number of South Otago patients at present in the Otago Board’s institutions: Dunedin Hospital 12, Children’s Convalescent Home 1, Infirmary Ward 2, Benevolent Institution 5, Tapanui Hospital 1, total 21. Received. The chairman said there was nothing they could do at the moment, as the matter had been referred to the health authorities. In the meantime patients would be accepted for the month without prejudice. HOSPITAL FOR MILTON. The Clerk of the Bruce County Council wrote that he had been directed to ask the board to proceed with the erection of the cottage hopital at Milton at an early date. It. was understood lhat the hoard had decided on the site, and that it had been agreed to by the health authorities. If (his was correct the council urged ihe immediate construction of the building. Air Rennie moved that the necessary steps be taken to provide the hospital. He remarked that the letter showed how patient, he had been in not pressing the matter on them, and pointed out that with a hospital at Milton their position with the Otago Board would be much improved. Air Blair seconded the motion. It was high time they took some step 6 to provide buildings for themselves. Mr Mosley considered they should concentrate on the main hospital at Balclutha. The Chairman said it was certainly part of their original plan to provide cotta.ge hospitals at Alilton and Owaka and a central hospital at Balclutha, and he hoped they had not. altered that view. It was a question of finance how rapidly they could get on with the work unless they raised a loan. As a. proof of their earnestness the Alilton site was the first they had bought. Air ATosley said he was not antagonistic to Alilton’s claim, but he felt that they should concentrate on the main hospital. He moved an amendment accordingly. Air Rutherford seconded the amendment, The nigtion was canned, there being only the two votes for the amendment. It was agreed to use the Owaka plans (which are expected to come .to band any ! day) if they were suitable for Milton’s requirements. The Owaka plans provide for six beds, with emergency accommodation for two more patients.