WAIPIATA SANATORIUM.

Otago Witness, Issue 3714, 19 May 1925, Page 57

WAIPIATA SANATORIUM.

MEETING OF COMMITTEE. A meeting of the Waipiata Sanatorium Committee was held on Thursday last, and attended by Mr J. Matheson (chairman), the Rev. T. W. Potts, Messrs A. Fraser, J. Ritchie, and S. Fowle. Dr M‘Cready represented the Department of Health. The Chairman moved that a message of condolence be sent to Mrs Massey sympathising wuth her in the death of her husband, the Prime Minister. It was also decided on the motion of Mr Potts, seconded by Mr Fraser, that the secretary forward to the Acting Prime Minister a letter expressive of the committee’s appreciation of the valuable services rendered vo the people of this dominion and the Empire by Mr Massey. A letter was received from the Hon. the Minister of Health, stating that he was bringing before the Cabinet the committee’s request for a further grant from the Government towards needed extensions for the accommodation of patients at the sanatorium, and in this connection it was decided to authorise the Alons. R. Scott and A. S. Malcolm to interview the Minister and personally urge favourable consideration of the committee’s request. Owing to the large waiting list of suitable patients and the impossibility of admitting all applicants to the sanatorium at the present time, and owing to the fact that more female patients are seeking admission than male, the committee decided to instruct the architect to submit separate estimates of cost for additional 16 bedg to the female pavilion, and eight extra beds in the male pavilion, with provision for better lighting in the basement with a view of utilising that space for vocational work for the patients.. The secretary was directed to write to the medical superintendent as to whether in the meantime he could not accommodate some of the female patients in temporary tent shelters. The secretary was directed to draw the attention of some of the smaller boards to the fact that bedi allotted to them had not yet been filled, and to ask that if possible arrangements be made to have these beds occupied so that as many patients as possible would have the benent of sanatorium treatment, and that the secretary and medical superintendent arrange for tho latter to pay visits, if possible, to some of tho small bourds’ districts with a view of examining any suspected early cases in these localities. On the recommendation of Mr Ritchie, it was decided to erect Uie power house plant foundations, bending for pipe line, connecting water race to storage dam, and dam outlet, by day labour under the superivsion of Mr Quartermain. Mr Ritchie to report to next meeting as to *he probable cost of the work. Tho Medical ? jperintendent (Dr Kidd) reported that there were 39 patients in the institution on the Ist May, and with the exception of four of these whose condition at present was stationary, all tho others wee either doing well or improving. Owing to the state of the. road between Waipiata and Palmerston it was agreed to cut out the medical superintendent’s visits to Oamaru and Timaru in Juno and July. Dr Kidd also submitted u report of tho work of the institution for the year ended March 31, 1925. This the committee considered wns of interest, more especially as regards tho number of early cases that had been located since the tuberculosis clinics had been established at Oamaru, Timaru, and Invercargill. The Secretary submitted a statement of tho committee’s income and expenditure, bulance sheet, statistical tnblos, and annual report for the year ended March 31, 1925, and was complimented by the committee on its interesting nature. Tho Secretary reported that ot date tho committee had a credit balance of £4012 6s lOd. Accounts totalling £5561 16s 9d. including final payments to contractor and architect, were passed for payment, and it was decided that the different boards be asked to pay up their first instalment of tho current year’s levy so that these amounts might be paid at the earliest moment. ' Mr Potts expressed gratification at the fact that the chairman had agreed to accept nomination again and election as a member of tho Southland Board so that his services might still be available for work in connection with the Waipiata Sanatorium. These sentiments were endorsed by all the

other members of committee, and the chairman briefly thanked them all for the complimentary things they had said regarding his work on the committee.