HOSPITAL AND CHARITABLE AID.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 8131, 15 January 1895, Page 3

HOSPITAL AND CHARITABLE AID.

The monthly meeting of the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board was held today. Present Messrs J. Jackson (chairman), Moore, Hill, White, Hardie, Coltman and Gillingham.

The chairman said there was not much to report. There was a large demand for charitable aid, the chief increase being from families left without bread winners. The finances were not in a satisfactory condition. The overdraft now was £361 10s lid. The accounts to be paid £3BO would raise the overdraft to £742. The board had only arranged for an overdraft of £SOO so that this amount would be considerably exceeded. Two of the local bodies had not sent in their contributions, amountipg to £2BO 4s 2d. If these were paid the board could apply to the Government for the subsidy. They ought not to have to pay interest on such a sum, when the interest had to bp drawn from the charitable aid funds. He would ask the secretary to remind the local bodies of their duty. There were three patients in the hospital who had exceeded the limit of stay, having been in 112, 83, and 69 days. One patient who bad been a long time in the hospital died this week. Dr McGregor, the Inspector, paid a surprise visit to the hospital, arriving at 7.30, in the morning, was at the barracks just after 8, and he left Timaru at noon, before he (the Chairman) knew that Dr McGregor had been here. Dr McGregor expressed himself satisfied with what he saw.

The secretary stated that besides the two local bodies mentioned by the chairman, the Levels district had still to pay. Correspondence read as follows: From McKinnon and sons, solicitors, Aberdeen, asking the name of the Board’s officer authorised to receive and give discharge for moneys, a Mrs Beattie having left the'hospital a legacy of £SO. A good many years ago a young man named William Hew Beattie, who had been a captain in the Madras Cavalry, but had to leave the service, went to New Zealand, fell into bad health, and got refuge in his distress in the Timaru Hospital. In gratitude for the kindness and attention shown her son Mrs Beattie bequeathed a legacy of £SO to the hospital, free of government charges.—A reply had been sent that the draft could be sent to the Chairman. —The Chairman remarked that it was gratifying to find that the services of the hospital had been so much appreciated. Mr Moore said such appreciation came more frequently from foreign quarters than from home. An ex-patient who had been pressed for payment of an account of £l2 odd, offered a promissory note at four months, as he was going Home to get money, and on his return would pay the claim. —The offer was accepted. Mr Hill produced a letter written to him by Mr J. B. Hooper, Auckland, against whom the Board have a claim for £27 11s 3d for hospital services to his father. He asserted that lie had to write to Mr Hill because he got no replies to letters to the Board.

The secretary denied this, and showed from his letter book that he had sent letters and telegrams. The Board had had no letters to reply to. Hooper had written to the chairman and to himself privately, mixing up private matters. He wrote to ask if the letter he received himself was a private one or not, and Hooper replied that it was private. The chairman explained his connection with Hooper’s private affairs, to show that Hooper certainly had nothing to complain Of on that score. Hooper’s letter to Mr Hill stated that he had taken legal advice, which was to the effect that his circumstances being what they are, the board could not compel him to pay for his father.—The board having placed the matter in the hands of their solicitors, decided, after considerable discussion, to allow the proceedings to go on. The returns of patients treated during December was presented,—under treatment on December Ist, 21, received during the month 17, total treated 38 ; discharged (one by death) 20 ; remaining on 31st, 18 ; out patients treated, 17. The chairman suggested that the question of the hospital charge might be considered, and reduced from 4s to 3s per day, and Mr Hill gave notice to move in this direction at' next meeting. Charitable aid cases were then taken.

T. Green, who was promised half fare Home for himself, wife, and adopted child if he could raise the other half, waited on the board to state that by a hard struggle he had raised his half. He read a letter from his wife’s brother at Home promising to look after them if they got Home. —The board to carry out the arrangement made. A widow in receipt of aid waited on the board to ask for further assistance. She was left with six children, of whom two have been sent to Burnham. She asked that the rest—aged 12, 7,5, and 3 years—be sent there, so that she would be able to go to service. She could not pay any rent nor buy clothing, nor go to work without leaving the children running about the streets. If she could get the children away she might be able to contribute something towards their cost. At present she receives ration orders to 26s 8d per month and coal. The applicant having retired, her case was discussed at length. It was pointed out that boarding out would be cheaper than Burnham, to say nothing of its superiority on other grounds,—Mr Hill thought it would be better to increase the allowance, and allow the woman to keep her own children ; it would cost less than boarding out.—Mr Coltman referred to similar cases in his district wherein smaller allowances were made, and he was opposed to increasing the allowance, when the state of the finances indicated a need for paring down rather than increases. Several suggestions were made, and finally it was decided not to increase the present allowance, nor to do anything so long as the woman’s circumstances remain as at present, it being understood that charitable people are supplying the family with clothing. A countiy resident, who owes the hospital £B9, waited on the Board to ask for a concession. He had a wife and ten children to keep from a small farm of 20 acies, which belonged to some of the children under a trust. If theßoard would let him off with £lO he would try to pay that after harvest.—lt Avas decided to make inquiries to verify the applicant’s statements as to his property, for report to the next meeting. Mr Jowsey stated that he had behaved badly in a bargain he made to supply some potatoes in part payment, making promises,and breaking them. The applicant explained that the children’s trustees forbade him to bring in the potatoes, because he Ayould need them for the support of his children. The chairman mentioned a case, recently arisen in Tiraaru, wherein a widower died leaving five children, and a small cottage Avhich he left by will to his eldest boy, who is 14 years of age, and is employed at 10s a week. Tavo of the children had been or Avere to be adopted, leaving two to come into the hands of the Board, as there Avere no relatives in the colony. The property was said to be a small one, not worth fighting for if any claim could be made upon it. —-The matter was left to the chairman and secretary to deal Avitli,

The chairman reported the cese of a single woman of 25 who has recently returned from Wellington with an infant. This was the fourth she had brought to him. Two had been adopted,one boarded out, and now there was another. She came down to her mother, at Geraldine, and he sent her back, with a note requesting Mr White to look into the case. -Mr White said that MrsOrbell had interested herself in the case. The mother (herself in receipt of charitable aid) turned the girl out of doors, but took her in again on hearing that the Board were going to do something.—The secretary stated that the case was not one for this board at all, as the girl had been away from the district for a year and a half to two years, in Nelson most of the tfme,— On this it was decided to refer the girl to the board at Wellington, where she came from.

J. Menzies, an inmate of the barracks, suffering from paralysis of the lower limbs through an accident, asked the board to send him to Rotorua, where, he was advised, the treatment was likely to benefit him. —Not entertained.

A number of other cases of charitable aid were dealt with on correspondence. The secretary’s report on the charitable aid cases was taken district by district, and a few alterations in allowances ordered. The Temuka portion was held over, owing to the absence of the local member. In one case in the Rangitata district, a mother in charge of her chilchildren is to be warned that if she does not keep them cleaner the allowance will be stopped. An anonymous letter challenging the fairness of an allowance made at Waimate,was replied to by Mr Ooltman, who denied the assertions made. In view of the state of the finances a resolution was passed authorising the increase of the overdraft from £SOO to £750 if necessary. Hospital accounts £l9l 3s 3d and Charitable Aid accounts £lB9 Hs 6dwere passed for payment. An item in the former, £5 2s for Berated waters for three months was considered excessive, and the medical staff’s attention is to be drawn to it.

Mr Hill gave notice to move at next meeting to rescind a resolution fixing the hospital charge at 4s per day, and that the change in future be 3s per day.