WAIPIATA SANATORIUM.

Otago Witness, Issue 3869, 8 May 1928, Page 61

WAIPIATA SANATORIUM.

MEETING OF COMMITTEE. The Waipiata Sanatorium Committee met in Dunedin on Tuesday evening last, there being present Messrs J. Matheson (chairman), E. Macdonald, W. Bryant. A. Fraser, J. Clark, E. Morgan, and J. Horrell. Dr Maclean represented the Department of Health. Leave of absence absence as representative of the AshburW. Watt, Mr Bryant acting in the latter’s was granted to Messrs J. Ritchie and F. The secretary, Mr T. Pryde, reported ton Hospital Board. .The Medical Superintendent (Dr A. Kidd) reported that on April 1 there were 37 males and 43 females in the institution, all of whom, with the Exception of 11 whose condition at present was stationary, were doing well or improving. He submitted the result of his visits to Timaru, Ashburton, Milton, Balclutha, and Invercargill. —The report was adopted, and the secretary was directed to ask for a confidential report on some patients whose stay in the institution had been over 18 months. On the recommendation of Matron VX ilson, certain increases in salary to members of the nursing and domestic staff were granted. The secretary (Mr T. Pryde) reported on the furnishing of the new shelters for female patients now nearing completion by the Love Construction Company. He also submitted a report showing at the date of the meeting the different hospital boards had patients in the Sanatorium as follows: —South Canterbury 21, Southland 25, Ashburton 12, Waitaki eight, South Otago six, Wallace three, Maniototo two, Vincent three Sanatorium Committee one, and one private patient, a total of 81. Of these six had been in the Sanatorium for more than 18 months, eight for more than 12 months, and 67 for less than 12 months. He advised that since the previous meeting 12 patients had been discharged, nine with the disease arrested, two with the disease quiescent, and one much improved. He submitted a waiting list of 82 patients who had been examined by the Medican Superintendent and recommended as suitable for treatment, from the following districts:-—South Canterbury 34, Southland 34, Ashburton four, Waitaki three, South Otago four, Maniototo three.

The secretary reported that m view of this large waiting list, of whom 64 were females, the chairman (Mr Matheson) and he had interviewed the Minister of Health at Gore the previous day with a view of obtaining departmental consent to the erection of additional wooden shelters to the ends of the present building now being erected by the Love Construction Company for female patients. The Minister informed the deputation he was setting up a committee of expert physicians to report on the administration and treatment of patients in the diffferent Dominion sanatoria, and asked that all estimated capital expenditure for the ensuing year be held up until after this commission had reported to him. and. while the amount involved in building the extra shelters asked for was not large, he suggested that the committee stay its hand in the meantime.

To expedite matters, however, the deputation urged that the Minister might give permission for the Wamiata Committee to interview the Public Works Department with a view of vetting a de.mite t-riee from the contractors for the ext-a shelters and on the understanding that tins was in no way an assurance from the department that the request would be granted, the Minister agreed to this course, promising that he would, on his return to Wellington, interview the Director-general of Health.- and advise.— The action of the chairman and e ere tar jin interviewing the Minister was approved. and further action with regard to the erection of the building”, if departmental permission were granted, left in their hands for attention. The Director-general of Health wrote ■asking that certain items in the committee’s estimates be held over until after the proposed commission had "eported to the Minister.—Received. The Chairman reported as to the amount collected for this purpose, and advised that as a result ot a request made to the Minister of Health a grant ot £2O had been prom’sed towards the purchase. The Secretary read correspondence H>nt had nassed between himself and the Department of Health regarding tne con tract for boiler and laundry machinery, and his action in asking for details o the tenders received b" the Public Works Department for the installation of the plant was approved, and further action, if necessary before next meeting, was left in the hands of the chairman and secretarv.

Mr E. Morgan, on behalf of the Farm Committee, reported on what had been done at ‘•he farm since last meeting. Certain fencing between the sanatorium property and adjoining owners was left in the hand’, of the Farm Committee for attention. as was the erection of a suitable storage, reservoir for the domestic water sunnly of the institution. The committee was also authorised to purchase a wagon for use on the farm, while the following matters were left in tl e hands of the secretary to have inquiries made and report:—Cost of installing electric light in cowbyre and men’s hut«; electrical heating annaratus for bathrooms in n»w men’s shelters; and the position regarding the committees occupation of land held under miscellanetous license from the estate of the late J. B. Coram. Mr Morvan reported on the account from the Dunedin Engineering and Steel Company for extras on their pipe line contract. and the matter was left in the hands of the treasurer for attention. A number of quotations were received for the supply of a 30cwt motor truck, and the matter of purchasing a vehicle of British manufacture wa” left in the hands of the chairman, Mr Morgan, and secretary to have further inquiries made, and report. The Treasurer reported that at date of meeting there was a credit balance at the Bank of New Zealand, Invercargill, of £5423 17s 2d.

He also submitted a draft copy of the committee’s annual report and statistics for the year ended March 31, .1928, wherein it was noted that the average cost

per occupied bed for the past year was £135.9, as against £139.4 for 1927, and the average days’ stay per patient was 176.78, as against 208.38 the previous year. The Treasurer submitted a full report on the farm profit and loss account, and asked for the committee’s instructions on certain matters connected therewith. He was directed to send a draft copy of the farm account to the farm manager t< check the amount of live and dead stock on hand. In view of the involved book-keeping that would be required, the committee approved of the recommendation that the garden and farming operations should be treated as one in the accounts. It was decided to hold the next meeting of the committee in Dunedin on Tuesday, May 29.