HOSPITAL AND CHARITABLE AID BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXII, Issue 181, 17 July 1900, Page 2

HOSPITAL AND CHARITABLE AID BOARD.

The Hospital and Charitable Aid Board met on Monday. Present: Messrs. Corkill (chairman), McDonald, ! McCullum, Suttoti, Lepper, Smart, Stewart, and Scott. Apologies were made for the absence of Messrs. Oliver and Dingle. Ihe Chairman stated that in conjunction with Mr. Lepper a further investigation had been made into the charges made against the caretaker, and that the facts elicited exonerated that t officer.

The Chairman reported that the committee, consisting of himself and Messrß. Dingle and Smart, appointed to consult with the Architect and lowest tenderer for contract relative to certain reductions which it was thought might be made in the cost of the new refuge had gone into the matter, when it was found that by the substitution of piles for concrete only £ls could be saved, and that the studs as provided for were not thicker than was necessary. The committee, therefore, decided to accept the contract as it was originally drawn, and it had accordingly been signed by Mr. Cliff. They had also thought it necessary to have a bond for jElOtlO in two securities. The action of the committee was confirmed, and Messrs. Corkill and Lepper were authorised to sign the contract on behalf of the Board. The Hawera House Committee reported that a suitable person had been appointed cook; also, that owing to the efforts of the ladies of Hawera the ball giv9n with the object of providing comforts at the Hawera Hospital had resulted in the handsome surplus of £6O.

A vote of thanks was passed to all' who assisted in arranging and carrvine out the ball.

Mr. Sutton was authorised to give relief up to 10s a week to the wife of a man now undergoing imprisonment. Mr. Smart reported that the Stratford Borough Council,-, at their last meeting, had passed a resolution to the effect that a committee from that Council, and also from the Stratford County Council, should meet a committee from the Board to eeo what could be done in the way of providing hospital accommodation at Stratford, and he moved that the Chairman, with Messrs. Sutton, Dingle, and the mover, represent the Board to meet the committee.

The Chairman, after redding for the information of members who were not present at tho lasi meeting th« resolution passed by the citizei s of Stratford on July 2nd, explained what took place at the Board's special meeting. He added that from what be had seen in the Stratford papers it seemtd as if nothing but a Cottage Hospital would meet the requirement?, but he certainly would not approvo of such an unnecessary expense. All thtt was necessary was the provision of a couple of room* to meet urgent cases temporarily, and not to have a staff to nurse pitients to convalescence, and he should only act on tho committee on tliose lines.

Mr? Lepper seconded Mr. Smart'i mo'i'm.

Mr. Suttcn concurred with tho Chairman, and s tit to i that ho would go no further than agreeing to the proposed subsidy of £lO. The motiou was 1 lion carried. The Chairnnn report! d that tenders hud boon received for erecting a now chimney at tho hospital, (he estimate for which was .£2sHooker £l7 5,and Wallath ,£26 10^.—Tho tender of Mr. Hooker was accepted. Mi s Charlotte Crowhurat'd name ivas ordered to bo placed on tee list of probationers.

Dr. Western reported that tho time ■f tho temporary appointments ol tfuraes Furlong and Gummings had fxpire j, and that in Ida opinion thoy ■ ad both performed their respcctmdutifs in a vory satisfactory u:ani>c»r, He recommended that liny should be permanently appointed as rrp.tron and head nurse respectively at tho Hawero Hospital.

Mr. Sutton spake very highly of the fair, conscientious, and systematic w»y in which both nurseß had been world, g The Chairman remarked that it was very satisfactory to hear from the Hawera House Committee that matters •vere in such good order.

The appointments wer? then con firmod,

An application for red notion in hospital charges was agroed to. Payment of 10a for coach hiro in connection with a distressing cane at Opunake was authorised. Ia alluding to the details of the case, Uio Chuim\n spake in very high terms of praise of the great caro aiid huininity displayed by Constable Hickman, who had looked after the man, but made no claim on the Board, and he suggested that a grant should be mado to tho constable I to cover any expanses he had incutrel Qn tjie motion of Mr. Sutton, it was agreed thai: lQj be pjid to Oonstablo Hickman.

Pursuant to notice, Mr. Sutton moved: —" Tint annual subscriptions of £1 entitles tho holder of a tiekot to free admittance to the Hospital orjee during currency of such tiekot." If, said Mr, Sutton, it was not possible to get these subscriptions subsidised, as ho had' been informed wos the case, he hoped the Board wotjld ajlow the motion to deferred in oider that inquiries might be made t9 Hawke's Bay and elsewhere, so that the Boaru would possess full information on the subject, .Qa the West Ooast the system he advocated had been' in force for years, and had worked well, The motion was then deferred. Several charitable aid cases were dealt with.

Accounts were passed, and the Board rose. .