HOSPITAL AND CHARITABLE AID BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXII, Issue 178, 4 July 1900, Page 2

HOSPITAL AND CHARITABLE AID BOARD.

A special MEETiKd of the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board was held on Tuesday to consider the tenders for the new refuge for old people. Present : Messrs. Corkill (chairman), Sutton, Wilkinson, McCullum, Oliver, McDonald, Lepper, Dingle, and Smart. Before proceeding to deal with the tenders, the Chairman gave an exhaustive exposition of the financial position of the Board, in the course of which he pointed out that by the end of March, 1903, out of the ordinary income of the Board there would be sufficient to provide for £3500 towards the amount required for the new refuge. He also read a letter from the manager of the "Bank of New South Wales to the effect that the Bank would be prepared to advance £2500 at £5 per cent. Referring to a resolution recently passed at Stratford, putting forward a claim for some accommodation there for urgent cases, the Chairman said he thought it only right at that stage of the proceedings to bring forward the resolution, in order that any member who wished to move in the matter could do so.

Mr. Dingle said he' was present at the meeting at Stratford when the resolution was passed. The feeling there was that as there was already a refuge in existence, if the Board had any available funds it would be better to devote the same to providing some accommodation for urgent accident cases at Stratford. At present, owing to some of these cases being brought from 30 to 50 miles over rough roads, the sufferers were often in such au ox hausted and critical condition that they could not be sent on to New Plymouth Hospital, and the need of a proper place to put them for awhile was greatly i felt. Before he (Mr. Dingle) voted for accepting a tender involving a large outlay for the new refuge, he would require a promise that something would be done for Stratford in the direction asked for. In the near future Stratford would have grown to such dimensions that it would have a hospital of its own, as it was going ahead faster than any district in New Zealand, In the meantime, what was asked for was a very small matter, when compared with the large sum entailed by the erection of the refuge, and he thought that the ,£3OOO for the latter could be cut down to something less, especially as when the subject was first talked over the expenditure mentioned was £BOO. He considered that Stratford should be assisted by (say) £SOO, and in the interest of humanity he urged that provision be made for the treatment of urgent and painful cases on the spot. Mr. Smart said that if only a tworoomed place were provided it would be of great service. The valuation of the Borough of Stratford had increased from £125,000 to £144,000. The Stratford people reeognised that the expanse of running a hospital there was too much at present, but they wanted provision made for the treatment of urgent cases. The Chairman said that he thought the bast means of providing what was require 1 could be attained by following the lines adopted at Hawera, where, \ originally, the nursing of patients was a private venture under supervision of the Board's medical stall'. This plan had been found to answer well, and was pursued up to the time when the Uawera people raised sufficient money to induce the Qoard to build a hospital there.

Mr. Sutton said that tbree years ago the mme matter cropped up. There was then a great deal of trouble owing to its being understood that patients «hould come to New Plymouth Hospital, but now there was no hard-and-fast rule, and patients could go either to Sow Plymouth or Hawera as was the more convenient, He agreed with the Chairman's suggestion, and he thought hat the belter course to pursue f jr tho S ratford members of the Board o gitlur all possible information as to ■vliethu' the suggested arrangement •ould be carried out, and at what cost. As far as the erection of the netf refuge was concerned it had notning to do with the question of providing hospital iccoramodation at Stratford; at the same time he was confident that th« ill or members of the Board would supp >vt the Stratford members. > The Chairman inquired of Mr. Dingle whether it woul i not be possible oo get a room in a suitable and quiet position near Stratford station. He thought i£ 'that could be doiaoj the

J j.-. u wight pay a retaining fee of, say, £IQ a year. It would be a matter of no difficulty to send a uurso there promptly when occasion required. Mr. Dingle replied that the medical gentlemen of Stratford considered that one room would not suffice. He did not, however, see any difficulty in the way of carrying out the Ohairman'h suggestion. Mr. Smart considered that the Chairman's suggestion was practically I what was required to meet the case.

No direct action was taken on the matter, but it was understood that the Board would be willing to appoint a committee to make inquiries with a view to meet the wishes of the Stratford people on the lines suggested by the Chairman. TENDERS FOR THE SEW BBFUGE.

The Chairman stated that the tenders for the refuge had been advertised in Auckland and Taranaki. .Nine tenders had been sent in, the lowest for the complete structure being that, of Mr. G. Cull', .£3333, while for the reduced building Messrs. Boon Bros, were lowest at £3019. Mr. Smart pointed out several details which could be altered, such ns the thickness and height of the studs, 1 spouting, and ventilators, whereby a saving of about £250 could be effected without altering the appearance of the building. Mr. Dingle moved that Boon Bros.' tender for the reduced building be accepted. Mr. Smart socondtd the motion. I A considerable discussion ensued. Mr. McCullum moved as an amendment that Mr. Cliff's tender for the complete building be accepted. This was seconded by Mr. Lepper and carried. On being putas a substantive motion, Mr. Wilkinson moved as an amendment that a committee consisting of the Chairman and Messrs. Dingle and Smart be set up to confer with the architect and the lowest tenderer with a view to effecting certain alterations so as to reduce the expense of the contract, with full power to accept an amended tender. This amendment was seconded and carried. At the suggestion of the Chairman, it was decided that sanction be obtained for the disposal by public auction of the Henui llefuge and reserve. The Board rose.