WAIPIATA SANATORIUM

Southland Times, Issue 22729, 4 November 1935, Page 3

WAIPIATA SANATORIUM

MEETING OF COMMITTEE. The Waipiata Sanatorium Committee met in Dunedin on Tuesday, October 29, 1935, there being present Messrs E. Macdonald (chairman), W. Bryant, J. Rodman, H. A. Brough, J. G. Johnston, J. Ritchie, T. A. Lowis and Inspector Craighead representing the Department of Health. The Director-General of Health wrote approving of the committee’s arrangements for granting Dr Kidd (Medical Superintendent of the Institution) leave of absence next year to enable him to visit Great Britain and the Continent for the purpose of investigating the latest methods of tuberculosis treatment and practices in overseas institutions, which knowledge would be of special benefit to the Sanatorium Committee in the future. Received. The Medical Superintendent reported that on October 1 there were 53 males and 66 females in the institution, a total of 119. The secretary reported that at date of meeting the following boards had patients in the institution: South Canterbury 29, Southland 48, Ashburton 11, Waitaki 13, South Otago 6, Wallace 5, Vincent 7, Maniototo 4, a total of 123. Of that number 35 had been under treatment for more than twelve months. Since the previous meeting 8 patients from 4 hospital districts had been discharged, 6 with the disease arrested, 1 much improved and the other transferred to another institution. He submitted a waiting list of 15 males and 2 females, the majority of whom were residents of the Southland district. As arrangements had been made for the immediate admission of the two females there were actually 15 males awaiting admission, some of whom had been waiting for some months. Miss M. Shepherd, who had been matron of the Waipiata Sanatorium

since May, 1932, tendered her resignation, and asked to be relieved from duty on November 30. Her resignation was accepted with regret and the request to terminate her engagement at the end of November acceded to, the committee expressing the hope that her future career would be a successful one. C. M. Ellis, engineer, furnished his half-yearly report on the running of the hydro-electric plant, and made certain minor recommendations regarding stoppage of leaks in the supply pipes and renewing the spear head spindles of the turbine, which were noted and left in the hands of the secretary to make further inquiries regarding cost and report. The treasurer (T. Pryde) submitted his half-yearly report on the committee’s finances, which showed an improvement on the position some three months ago, but it would still be necessary to have a small overdraft for maintenance expenditure, and a resolution authorizing this to be arranged was adopted. The Controller and Auditor-General returned the committee’s accounts and balance-sheet for the year ended March 31, 1935, duly certified as correct. —Adopted. The secretary to have same, together with the secretary’s report, printed as in previous years.