HOSPITAL AND CHARITABLE AID BOARD.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 6241, 13 June 1890, Page 3

HOSPITAL AND CHARITABLE AID BOARD.

The monthly meeting of the board was held to-day. Present : Mr J. Jackson (chairman), Dr Hogg, Messrs Moore, Qumo, Barker, and Boss.

The chairman stated that there would be important business to come before the board in the shape of tenders formworks. In this connection he must —and could hardly epeak too strongly about it—say something of the public meeting the other night at which insinuations were made that plans and specifications had been suppressed. His name was mentioned but whether it was hinted that he was a party to tho suppression or not he did not know. Ho could most emphatically deny that he had ever suppressed any papers intended for tho board —most emphatically. He was informed that a sitting of the Supreme Court would be held at the end of the month, when the claim of Grace for £SOO damages would come on, and he had this morning signed an authority to Messrs Perry and Perry to act for the board. In Fitzgerald’s case a summons had been issued against Mrs Fitzgerald for the amount due for hospital treatment of her husband j it was not likely this case would come before the court. The board should to-day call for tenders for supply of drugs. Hitherto it had been customary to call for one year’s supply, but Dr Lawson recommended that tho tenders should be called for throe years, as one year did not give tenderers time to make arrangements for importing. During the month, as instructed at last meeting, Mr Ross and himself had seen about tho vesting in tho board of the land and buildings used fur tho Charitable Aid barracks Mr Baker had been down, and Mr Ross saw him. Mr Baker said he wouldrecommend thata portion but not the whole of the land should be given to the board. Mr Turnbull, however, recommended that the whole should be asked fur in the Bill and Messrs Perry and Perry had been instmeted to draft tho bill accordingly. Ho considered the whole of the ground should bo asked for as there were many old people in tho Home who could be usefully employed in gardening, to the benefit of the institution and themselves too. He would mention one case in tho barracks a widow named Upriohard was in the barracks for her third confinement since the death of hor husband. At-present the Board had children at their cost as follows boarded out 28,-1 at 4s, 2at ss, 23 at 6s. At Burnham there were 23 at a cost of 7s 6d each per week. T his was too high a figure and some steps should bo taken to approach the Government to see if they could not get tho charge reduced. There were 3 at Nelson at 7s each, and in the barracks 14 at 6s 6d. The total was 63 children. Tho number of rations given during May was 3500, to 83 families, comprising 300 souls. In the barracks there were 8 adults. The cost of charitable aid for the month was loss than tho same month last year, but there were indications that it would increase again. He wished to draw the attention of members to the fact that the local bodies wore dilatory in sending in their cortribntions, and tho effect was that the board would to-day be overdrawn £356, on which thay would have to pay 8 per cent interest, and what was worse the board could not send up for subsidies on amounts not received. He hoped the members would use their influence with local bodies to get them to pay up promptly.—lt was agreed that the board should try and get the charge at Burnham reduced.

Letters were read from Mrs Postlethwaito and the Rev. Father Tracey respecting charitable aid cases at Geraldine and Arundel, and from the Christchurch Hospital Board respecting a patient who left the Timaru Hospital and entered the Christchurch Hospital tho same day.—A police report to bo asked for in one of the above cases.

The secretary reported that the Masons had paid the expenses of tho funerals of Mrs Dodds and child.

An elderly woman who had been in receipt of 3s 6d per week,which had been discontinued, waited upon the board to ask for rations. As she has a well-to do son-in law in town, the chairman undertook to see him. It was resolved to call for tenders for a year’s ordinary supplies, and for three years’ supply of drugs, the three town members to examine the tenders. The same members were appointed a general finance committee to examine accounts each month before the ( meetings. Dr Lawson again drew attention to the “ ventilating ” windows in one of the wards as ‘ dangerous. One of them had come down on j a nurse’s head. Some one would bo killed ( some day. It was agreed that these would bo » dealt with in the new ventilation work.

Mr McLaren’s motion re hospital fees was allowed to stand over. Dr Lawson made some remarks on the bad sanitary arrangements of the town. He had had a mother and three children in the hospital from filth fever. The mother was dead, and the district had not only to pay all expenses but maintain tbe six children till they grew up, all through bad sanitation. In reply to Mr Moore the chairman stated that the windows had been repaired at the barracks and more blankets provided for the inmates for the winter.

Accounts were passed—Charitable Aid £136 17s Bd, Hospital £lßll3s Id. The foregoing was all the ordinary business. The greater part of the sitting was taken up with a discussion of the drainage and ventilation question. The chairman said there was a letter, dated Dunedin, from Mr Ross, who had nob expected lo.be present, and this might as well be read, and Mr Ross could make any further remarks if he chose. Mr Boss’s letter, after references to the vesting of the barracks (reporting what he had done in the matter) proceeded : “ I have had a long interview with Dr DeLatour over certain hospital reforms and will later report to you that gentleman’s views, which I think are worthy of respect. Eospecting the drainage and ventilation discussion, X regret that Major Moore and the new members were not more fully advertised of tho committee’s deliberations previously made in this respect, inasmuch as both myself, Dr Lovegrove, Dr Maclntyre and tho other architects gave the question considerable attention, and that being so is rby protest against any proposed new scheme being acted on precipitously and without respect to a fair hearing of the advices offered. And I contend it was and is your duty as chairman to clearly explain and lay before the the new members the advices so recommended and to which Dr Lovegrove and others gave care, time, and attention.”

A petition signed by 83 townspeople was also read.—“ Seeing that grave doubts exist in the public mind as to the efficiency of the drainage and ventilation of the Timarn Hospital, we the undersigned most respectfully suggest that before any further stops' are taken in the matter a thoroughly competent outside sanitary engineer should bo appointed to examine and report upon the whole scheme, and would suggest the name of Mr Edwin Cuthbert, M.1.U.H., sanitary engineer to the Christchurch Drainage Board, for that purpose.” The following letter from Messrs Moaeon and Marchant was next read : ~

‘‘We have tho honour to inform you that tenders will be laid before you to-day for additions to drainage and ventilation of Timaru Hospital. " In order that the board may have somo guarantee of the efficiency of the works we have designed, we make the following offer : We guarantee that the works, we have designed will put tho whole of the external and internal drainage and ventilation of the male and female wards and tho new building in a thoroughly efficient state. ■ (The fever wards are excepted). Tho work to bs done to the full satisfaction of Dr Lawson. We will make an examination of the drainage and ven tilation every two months or at any time when called upon without further cost, for a period of 6 months, following the completion of the works ; and we will at our cost make good any defect which may bo observed during that terra, with the exception of breakage or stoppage of tho drains and their connections. If the board will have a formal bond drawn up embodying the above conditions, we will sign it at any time when called upon. Ibis is an unusual course to pursue in any profession j we make the offer, however, because personal illfeeling has pervaded this

subject f.-om baginning to end, and wo desire to show our good faith by accepting full personal responsibility in conueciiou with our advice to tho board.”

Mr Boss then rose to make a verbal statement in support of his letter. Ho would disabuse his mind of all feeling and make a plain statement of tho ease, 'ihe reports of Messrs West and Duval, which were attended to by Doctors Lovegrovo, Mclntyre and himself had not been fully explained to certain of tho members. Mr Moore was not present when those reports came in, and at last meeting said be was unaware that the reports had h-on obtained. Then there wore now members Messrs Quinn and fcioclair, who in the absence of a proper explanation did not know what had boon done. These reports were reports on the ventilation of the drains only, and they stated that the work could be done for. £lO. As lie said at last meeting—himself and Dr Lovegrovo, with Dr Maclntyre and Messrs Duval and West, agreed that a very simple method of ventilation, in tho shape of shafts to to give fresh air access to the sewer, would meet all requirements, and Mr Marchant himself admitted that this would answer and would not cost more than £lO. Ho as chairman sent Air Hall-Jones the work, but when Mr Jones went up, Dr Lawson admitted that he prevented him from doing anything Dr Lawson : Dr Lawson did not. Mr Ross : At any rate you did not agree to it.

Dr Lawson: 1 and Mr Jowsoy told Mr Hall-Jones that wo did not know anything about it, that he was®going to put the shalt in the wrong place, and if the committee wished it put in they should point out the place and not throw the responsibility ou our shoulders. Mr Hall Jones said he had no instructions, that he thought ths place a foolish one, and he went away and did nothing. Mr Ross: Mr Jowsey knew whore the drain ran and ho was to point out the place. Dr Lawson: We never heard anything about it.

Mr Barker: Why did not the committee point out the place ? Mr Hoes : It was talked over at the building. Pursuing the subject generally, Mr Roes spoke of the repeated demands for additional expenditure when each in turn was declared to be all that was necessary to make tho building perfect. £4OOO was spent in additions that were to complete the hospital. Then there came a demand for a morgue. Next hot water, next a drying room, then £lO for a b'i Jt to ventilate the sewer, and now tins bad grown to over. £IOO. Ihe public were getting tired of it, and seeing tho divided opinion among architects and builders and people who understood it he was in favour of getting an outside opinion not out of disrespect to the professional men who of course always differed, but to satisfy the public mind. It would only cost five or ten guineas and the matter would then be put at rest. If Mr Marchant was right, he should not bo afraid of it.

Mr Marchant, who was in attendance, said ho would explain the whole matter in a few words.

Mr Bess objected. The other architects were nob present ; Mr Marchant had made his report, and if was allowed to “ explain,” tho others should have tho same privilege. Mr Barker said ho was of the same opinion, it was not made clear before that those other two reports were asked for and paid for by ihe board, and if one architect was to appear before the board to support his report the others should also- Ho did not know, or rather had forgotten, that tho other reports had been asked for. They should all be treated alike.

Mr Moore saw no reason for departing from the decision of the last meeting. The reason he objected to Mr Duval’s report was that he had not been asked to interfere. He learned that Mr Duval was asked. He then asked why his report had not been read, and was told it was read at a meeting at which he (Mr Moore) was not present. It appeared then that three reports had been read, and Mr Merchant's had bean taken for further consideration while the other two were put aside ; Mr Marchant was asked to report further, and the board adopted this further report. All the reports had been dealt with and he could see no reason for “ defending ” or “ explaining ” any of them. Mr Marchant said he did not want to “ defend ” his report, but to contradict Mr Ross’s misstateme.-.ts. He was asked to report ; ho did not ask the board to engage him.

The chairman put it to the vote whether Mr Merchant should be heard and it was carried by three to two. Mr Merchant said he would make his story short. Complaints were made about tho drainage when Mr Boss was chairman, and his name was mentioned as the proper person to put right what was wrong. (Here Mr Merchant went into the matter of a private quarrel with Mr Eose and was checked by the chairman). He proceeded, saying Messrs West and Duval were asked to report, and they reported that all that was necessary was to provide some ventilation for the sewer. He spoke to Mr Eoss about it saying it was unfair that he should be passed over, and it was agreed that lie should be asked to send in a report too. He did not know then that the old closets had been connected with the drains, and he told Mr Ross that all that was needed was to give air to the drains. Ho forgot how it came about, but he was then requested to make a full report on the drainage and ventilation. He sent in a report and it remained in the board’s hands for some time. Ho attended two meetings to explain what was wanted, and then was instructed to prepare plans and specifications. His opinion was that those plans should be carried out to make tho drainage and ventilation perfect. That was all he had to say. The plans were there and ho had no doubt they would 'be quite satisfactory. Mr Marchant repeated tho offer in his latter, and said he did not think he could make a more satisfactory offer lo show his lona fides. Tho objections to his work arose from matters outsida the hospital altogether. We are unable to publish the whole of the discussion to-day. The result was that Mr Ross withdrew- his motion and said he would lake other steps. Mr Quinn moved that a tender be accepted.

Mr Barker movod an I Mr Rosa seconded an amendment that no tender be accepted, but that all architects be invited to send in designs and estimates and offers to do the work.

The amendment on being put was lost, and Mr Quinn’s motion was carried, Mr Eoss dissenting. Tho two tenders received were then opened, and that A. Donn, £149 16s was accepted, the other being that of J. Craigio, £164 12s 6d. Mr Marehanl’s estimate was £l5O.