HOSPITAL EXPENSES

Taranaki Daily News, 19 April 1933, Page 8

HOSPITAL EXPENSES

LOW COSTS AT STRATFORD. INCREASE IN LEVY PREDICTED. The annual cost per occupied bed at the Stratford public hospital was compared by the chairman (Mr. W. L. Kennedy) at the tioard meeting yeserday with the average of all hospitals in the Dominion as at March 31, 1922. Tthe figures, with, the Stratford sum given first, were“* Provisions, £27 2s, £34 ss; surgery and dispensary, £7 4s, £l5 Is; domestic, £2l 2s, £3l ss; salaries and wages, £66 7s, £B5 7s; miscellaneous, nil, £2 8s; establishment, £l3 Is, £l2; totals, £135 6s, £lBl 6s. Mr. Kennedy explained that, as was anticipated at the beginning of the year, an increase had taken place in the cost per occupied bed from £135 63 to £146 Bs. That could be accounted for to some extent by the decrease in admissions from 674 to 616 while the overhead costs remained the same. The levy would have to be increased by about 2Jd. The maternity ward was counted as part of the general hospital, which helped to increase the annual cost. Babies bom at the ward were not counted as admissions but required a great deal of attention, and the ante-natal clinic occupied a great deal of the staff’s time. ELTHAM GALA TO-MORROW. MAYOR’S RELIEF FUNDS. To-morrow is to be a special gala day to raise funds for the Mayor of Eltham’s winter relief of distress. It will take the form of novelty sports and events at Taumata Park, Eltham, commencing with a grand procession from the town at noon. Shops will shut at 11 a.m. There will be fancy decorated vehicles, cars, trade posters, trolleys, bicycles, tricycles etc. Bands will lead the procession. Sports at the park will include a circus, buck-jumping, shooting gallery, races, greasy pig, sheaf tossing, weight guessing, ladies’ fancy dress hockey match, seven-a-side football and numerous side shows. All events are post entry. and good sweepstake prizes will be given. Admission to park will be 6d, cars 6d, children free. A hard-up dance will be held in the town hall in the evening. Music will be. contributed by Mrs. Attrill’s, Sails and Hooker’s orchestras, the Eltham Band and Pipe Band, prizes will be given for the best hard-up costumes and there will be Monte Carlos, Lucky Spots, mysteries and novelties. Everything will be on a real carnival scale. MAN CRUSHED BY LORRY. SERIOUS INJURY AT ELTHAM. Mr. George Myhill, of Castle Street, Eltham, was injured in a motor-lorry accident yesterday. Mr. Jack Dale, Mountain Road, had a lorry-load of wood which he was delivering to Mr. Myhill, the latter being seated on the driver’s left. When turning the comer into Castle Street by the municipal rubbish dump the lorry skidded and turned over on its left side. Mr. Dale was thrown clear and escaped injury, but Mr. Myhill was crushed by the vehicle. Dr. Saunders was called and after rendering first-aid he summoned the ambulance and ordered Mr. Myhill’s removal to the Hawera hospital. It is thought Mr. Myhill is suffering from severe internal injuries. THE CRABTREE SHIELD. FT,TH AM TEAM AGAIN WINS. For the third year in succession Eltham won the Crabtree Shield, an . annual inter-brigade firemen’s competition held at Eltham. Teams were from Eltham, Waitara and Patea, the times being Eltham 485., Patea 495„ Waitara 535. Patea was unfortunate owing to a slight mishap. The judges were Superintendent H. Nuttall (Eltham), Fireman Carey (Patea), examiner Fireman Spurdie (Waitara), the time-keepers First Foreman Glentworth (El|ham) and Fireman Jones (Patea), and the starters Firemen Nees and Lethbridge (Eltham). PUKENGAHU PARAGRAPHS. 1 With the approach of colder weather the white butterfly, which was rather prolific, has completely disappeared. Pumpkins have been particularly numerous in the Pukengahu district this season. One resident gathered upwards of 100 from a small patch. Some of the farmers of the district have been laying concrete paths around their residences in preparation for the oncoming winter and wet weather. A dairy herd broke into the garden of a local resident recently and completely demolished it. Mr. Joe Paltridge recently spent a week-end at Waitara. Mr. R. Irwin returned from Napier on Friday. Miss Mary Rae is spending the Easter vacation with her parents. Mr. Stan Sullivan has left the district to take up residence at Matamata. Mr. Russel Hammond, Manaia, was the guest of Mr. E. R. Wells for Easter. Mr. Scanlon is progressing favourably after his accident. Mr. Waite, of the Waihapa Road factory, has been suffering from an attack of appendicitis. During his absence the vacancy was filled by Mr. Dick Arnold. 1 Miss Frahm, Ohangai, was the guest of Miss Bremer for the Easter holidays. : BUSINESS ANNOUNCEMENTS. To-night at Ngaere hall a grand dance ; is to be held to aid the funds of the ■ Radio Emergency Corps. An enjoyable 1 evening is promised and a demonstration of radio emergency equipment will be given. The annual meeting of the Midhirst , branch of the Farmers’ Union will be held in the public hall to-morrow night. After the regular business the meeting will be thrown open to a full discussion upon the problems which confront dairy farmers to-day. In particular the views of dairymen will be sought upon the proposed restrictions on exports and upon the proposed compulsory grading of milk together with differential payments. The Midhirst Tennis Club dance is to be held in the Midhirst Public Hall tonight. Mr. S. Jenkins was the winner of a competition held by the Eltham Amateur Athletic Club.

GENERAL ITEMS.

/Car Abandoned on Road. Mystery surrounds an abandoned car found yesterday on Mountain Road near the Waipuku dairy factory. The car, a five-seater Erskine sedan, had evidently run into a bank or some other obstruction and, judging by the shattered windscreen and splashes of blood, someone in the front seat was thrown against the screen. .Sergeant T. Kelly and Constable W. Hughes, Stratford, examined the car, and as neither the accident nor the fact that somebody was injured has been reported inquiries are being made. Palmerston North Bowling. Skoglund’s team from Stratford won the Palmerston North Easter bowling tournament. Motor Locomotive. To be used for shunting at the Stratford railway yards, a motor locomotive attracted attention in the yards yesterday. The machine was made by a Thames firm and weighs nearly seven tons. Successful Easter Dance. The funds of the Cardiff Hall Committee were considerably augmented as a result of a successful Easter Monday ball. From many parts of Taranaki came visitors, their number making dancing rather crowded. Nevertheless everyone seemed to greatly enjoy the evening. Music was supplied by Vinsen’s Ambassadors Dance Band and extras were played by Miss M. Hoskin, Messrs. V. Henry and R. Huckstep, and Messrs. P. Hom and R. Huckstep were masters of ceremony. Large Quince. A Stratford resident has received a case of very large quinces from Wanganui. One quince weighed 11b. lOozs. ELTHAM LADIES’ GOLF. MISS HARCOURT WINS FLAG MATCH A flag match played on the Eltham links yesterday was won by Miss Harcourt with a score of 114—33—81. She carried the flag a little further than Mrs. Leo Quin, who had a similar score. Other good cards were: Mrs. Leo Quin 97-16-81, Mrs. H. Wills 94-12-82, Mrs. A. 0. Casey 96--12—84.

NATIONAL HOSPITAL DAY.

■ — / OBSERVANCE SUGGESTED. The notice of the Stratfoyd Hospital Board was drawn to the observance of the national hospital day at the monthly meeting yesterday by a letter from the Hospital Boards’ Association. Hospital Day was observed in honour of Florence Nightingale on the Sunday nearest her birthday. This year it would be May 14. The association said the day had been observed for a number of years in Canada, United States and Europe, where in the churches special mention was made of the Christian work of the hospitals. The observance of the day in New Zealand was initiated at Dunedin some years ago, the instigator of the , movement being Mr. W. E. S. Knight, chairman of the Otago Hospital Board. It was not a day for collection, but was rather to bring before the public a true knowledge of what the hospitals were doing. The programme as observed m Dunedin for some years was: Special services in the churches attended by members of the Hospital Board and staff with nurses in uniform; re-union of'present and past hospital nurses at the nurses’ home on May 12 or 13; visit of girls from secondary schools to hospitals upon a suitable day so that they could be interested in the work of hospitals and the nursing of patients. The chairman (Mr. W. L. Kennedy) suggested that the matter be brought under the notice of the public and the church ministers. PERSONAL. Mr. A. B. Lindsay is spending the ' Easter holidays with his parents, accompanied by Miss A. Foster and Mr. F. Faire, Wellington. Mr. and Mrs. I. J. Bridger have returned to Eltham from a fortnight’s visit to their fruit farm at Waimauku, North Auckland. Mr. Sandford, Hamilton, is spending a few days at Stratford. Mr. E. Bate, who spent the Easter holidays at Whangamomona, has returned to Stratford. Mr. G. Pugh junr. is on holiday at I Stratford. Mr. and Mrs. J. Clemow, of Cambridge, are the guests of Mr. and Mrs. F. Clemow, Eltham,

MANGATOKI TENNIS DANCE. ' 1

PRESENTATION OF CUPS. The annual dance of x—. Mangatoki Tennis Club was held most successfully on Monday evening, when there was a large attendance of visitors from Stratford, Opunake, Eltham, Kaponga, and Matapu. Excellent music was played by Mrs. Attrill’s orchestra and extras were given by Mrs. W. Bennie, Miss E. McCracken, Miss Bullock, Miss W. Startup and Mr. Murray Thompson. Mr. L. R. Pease was M. C. Monte Carlo .dances were won by Mr. D. Carter and Miss M. McDonald and Mr. G. Perry and Miss E. McCracken. During the evening the president, (Mr. Cliff Pease), r-ade the presentation of the cups won in the handicap singles competitions, the winners being Mr. S. Morgan and Mrs. A. E.. Mahon, The president said that the ladies’-cup had been re-donated to the club by Mrs. G. Duncan, last year’s winner. He complimented the winners on their success, remarking that to win it was necessary to defeat six other players, and it required the possession of a lot of skill. Among those present were:—Mesdames Cliff Pease, A. E. Mahon. J. H. Anderson, G. Pease, J. L. Taylor, C. W, Carlson, iL. R.. Pease, T. Davies, J. McDougall, W. Bennie, J. W. Townsend, C. Astbury, W. Arthur, J. Johnson, Misses J. Nicholas, E. Gatenby, P. Parker, V, Henry, D. Nicholas, Rogers, Beech (2), G. Linn, King, I. Carlson, M. Schicker, Martin, E. McCracken (Mangatoki), K. Fake, N. Fake, W. Carter, H. Stewart, M. Carter, M. Burrows, L. McLean, G. Paton, T. Wolfe P. Evanoff (Eltham), M. Malone, Maggie Malone, M. Kehely E. Peacock, Bullock (Hawera), Gatenby (2), W. Startup Matapu). M. Smart, Phillips, Hignett, Femmell, Sanderson and Parker (Stratford).