SOUTH OTAGO HOSPITAL.

Otago Witness, Issue 3831, 16 August 1927, Page 36

SOUTH OTAGO HOSPITAL.

MONTHLY BOARD MEETING. The monthly meeting of the South Otago Hospital Board was held on Tuesday, and was attended by Messrs Jasper Clark (in the chair). 11. A. Brough, G. H. Thomson, J. W. Fenton, T. D. Pearson. J. Christie. W. S. Thomson, Joseph Mosley, and 11. M. Driver. CORRESPONDENCE.

The Postmaster, Balclutha, wrote advising that the board's application to have its telephone connection converted into a two-party line could be granted subject only to the subscribers’ full individual rates on each connection being paid. —Mr Pearson said he did not thing the Telegraph Department was treating subscribers as fairly as it should. He would like to see the matter pushed further, and -would move in this direction. —Mr Christie seconded. —Mr Fenton said he would not encourage the board's office being connected with any party line. It was a sorry business if a business institution had to adopt such a procedure to save £2 or £3.—Mr Fenton’s remarks were supported by the other members of the board, and at the chairman’s suggestion Mr Pearson agreed to withdraw his motion. —The letter was received. The Secretary of the New Zealand Hospital Boards’ Association forwarded a copy of a resolution passed at the recent Hospital Boards’ Conference, which urged that the Government bring down legislation which would empower hospital boards to have prior claim on accident compensation allowed to single men and married men without dependents, who had incurred hospital charges, and asked for the board’s support in the resolution. — The Secretary said he considered it would be a good idea if legislation empowering insurance companies to pay direct to the hospital boards flie fees of men without dependents, who were entitled to compensation. —It was agreed to support the resolution.

The Director-general of Health (Dr T. H. A. Valintine) advised that the necessary working plans and specifications for the proposed infectious diseases block at the base hospital were in the course of preparation.—Received. The Director-general of Health wrote stating that a complaint had been received from Miss Tosh that drainage from the hospital was running over a section owned by her mother, and asked i there were any grounds for the complaint. —The Secretary said the drain had now been extended, and that the water was no longer discharging on Mrs Tosh’s land. He had written to the department inti'rr.ating this. —The secretary's action was approved. Notification of the Minister’s approval of the board's authorisation of the overdraft for £3OOO being continued was re ceived from the Director-general of Health. —Received. Particulars were received from the Director-general of Health, of an alleged Imperial pensioner who had been seeking admission to various hospitals on the grounds that he was a captain in the Gordon Highlanders. The writer pointed out that, although the applicant called himself King, his real name was supposed tn be George Kincaid, and stated that the Pensions Department had no information which would enable them to decide whether he was eligible for treatment or not. —Received. LOCAL BODY LOANS.

A circular letter was received from the Director-gener 1 of Health explaining that before money could be borrowed for capital purposes the consent of the Minister of Health and the Local Government Loans’ Board was required.—Mr Fenton said he was surprised that the local bodies of tho Dominion had not

risen to the issue and taken a stand against the Local Bodies’ Loans Board. It appeared to him that this board knew more about a district than its local authority. It was disgraceful that the peopl- had to go to the Loans Board, cap in hand, to beg for money when there was a Minister who should be able to attend to the matter. —Mr Mosley said the whole trouble was that, nowadays, there' did not appear to be a Minister who could take a firm stand. —The letter was received. MEDICAL SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.

The medical superintendent ]Dr A. C. Biggs) submitted the following report for the month of July: — At the base hospital, 40 patients were admitted, 36 were discharged, and 28 patients remained in hospital on August 1. There were two deaths.

At Milton, eight patients were admitted, five were discharged, and 11 remained in hospital on August 1. There were no deaths. At Owaka, 10 patients were admitted, 12 wore discharged, and seven remained in hospital on August 1. There was one death. At Kaitangata, five patients were admitted, five were discharged, and three remained in hospital on August 1. There were no deaths. In addition, 11 outpatients were under treatment. The report was adopted. FINANCE. Accounts amounting to £5007 9s 7d were passed for payment. The balance sheet showed that the credit balance at July 1 was £2376 5s lid. Receipts for the month were £2220 16s 9d, and expenditure £5007 9s 7d, there thus being a debit balance at date of £4lO 6s lid. —The balance sheet was adopted.