HOSPITAL AND CHARITABLE AID BOARD.

Timaru Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 11662, 22 January 1902, Page 3

HOSPITAL AND CHARITABLE AID BOARD.

The monthly meeting of the South Canterbury Hospital and Charitable Aid Beard was held yesterday. Present: —Messrs J. Talbot (chairman*), Gillingham, McLaren, Macintosh, Coltman, Walker, Moore. CHAIRMAN'S STATEMENT. The chairman stated the credit balance that day was £1462 6s 4d, and the payments that day were £502 10s. One small contribution from a local body had to come in, and then the half-yearly subsidy would .be applied for. Steps had been taken to fill the position of assistant vacated by Dr Munrc- .(who left Hospital at the beginning of the month) by inviting applications from the University at Dunedin. It was expected that among the students who were passing their final examination there would be one available at the end of this month. Dr Scott had been communicated with, and lie replied that he had no doubt that he could find them a suitable man. He had now to announce, with a good deal of regret, that i Dr Logan on account of ill-health found J it necessary to ask the Board to relieve him of his duties. Dr Logan had intimated the fact to him early in the month, and asked him to accept Dr Betts as his successor: and he requested Dr Logan to remain until the Board met if possible, and Dr Logan said he would accept the responsibility of doing so. Dr Logan now wrote asking to be relieved, but he did not say anything in his letter about Dr Betts. He had, however, stated verbally that Dr Betts. would take the position, and was prepared to take it at once. Nothing further had been done with regard to utilising tbs Barker bequest, but Mr Turnbull had sent" a short letter, which would be read, and suggested that the Board should set up a committee to go into the question with the arcliitfict • THE RESIDENT SURGEON RESIGNS. The following letter from Dr W. A. Logan, dated January 21st, was read : •?I regret very much that on account of ill-health I am obliged to tender my resignation as temporary Resident Surgeon. I had hoped to stay here until your principal's return, but "my present, state oi health necessitates a long holiday. lam i glad however to be able to leave when everything is working smoothly, and will continue to act until you find a substitute. The absence of an assistant tins month has again demonstrated that it is a much cheaper and more satisfactory arrangement to have a junior surgeon in the Hospital than to pay for casual assistance from outside. I expect to have another assistant before the end of the month. As regards the difficulty wiih visitors to the fever ward, I would suggest that the Board introduce a pair of telephones, so that visitors whose friends were convalescent might speak to them without danger of spreading infection. A telephone between the ward and the Resident Surgeon's room would also be very useful. At present a. nurse requiring the doctor s help must leave her ward to rouse him or find a messenger to do so. Mr J. K. Logan has kindly promised to supply me with the telephones necessary, and the only cost to the Board would be the battery , and the necessary wire. In tendering" mv resignation, I beg to thank yourself and the different membsrs of the Board for the kindness and courtesy they have invariably extended to me." The chairman also read a slicrt letter from Dr Scott, Dur.edin University, witn icgard to a junior assistant, stating that iie° hoped to be able to supply a suitable man. Mr Gillingham asked whether it would not have been better to advertise for an

assistant, when they might have got some one with experience. . The chairman thought not. They might have a number of applications" from unsuitable men. Mr McLaren pointed out that they had notliing official before them regarding Dr Betts, and if they accepted Dr Logan's resignation they would be working in the dark. Dr Lojan was called in, and he undertook to telegraph to Dr Betts, and get him to come in and see the Board before they separated. At a later stage of the meeting, Dr Betts attended, and stated that he was willing to talie Dr Logan's work, and that he could do so about the first week in February. He had to provide a locum tenens to take charge of his own prac-

.. " ' ticsS- He luould. be r Gabites charge of the- Hospital until- T->. 1 not be returned, assuming that it woiita \ sis.— for many months., say not more-thsu. em ain Dr Logan stated- that he would- I card until Dr Betts could come, and the-; ion therefore accepted Dr Logan's xemfg&L d with regret ior th» cause, and appoint Dr Betts in his place. MISCELLANEOUS. The chairman reported that a man,. had been operated on at Dunedin for cancer: ire the mouth, had interviewed him, and. asked to be sent back to Dunedin, as hewas advised that his face needed careful watching.—Dr Logan was consulted, and. he said the man's face could be watched, and the trifling operation that might be necessary, performed at Timaru. —It was decided to decline to authorise the applicant to go to Dunedin at the Board's expense. •- The house steward reported that he had £4, less 12s, in hand the property of a deceased patient, whose brother in the North Island had -undertaken to pay the expenses of a private funeral. —He was instructed to retain the mcney until those expenses are iraid. The Waipawa Hospital Beard asked for information regarding the terms of engagement of medical staff, ' as they were considering the appointment of a resident surgeon l .—The secretary to reply. In reply to Mr McLaren, the secretary stated that patients' payment for the ten months of this year expired, exceeded by £2O the receipts for the whole of last year. CHARITABLE AID.. The secretary submitted a return of the amounts expended on charitable aid fcr the three years before and the-three years since the institution of the old age pension system. In the three years before, the total was £7363 10s ; in the three years since, £62BU 4s sd. A circular was received from the Westland Charitable Aid Board, requesting like Boards to make representation to the Minister of Justice to have the questions put to applicants for the old age pension modified in respect to proof of age, being in gaol, and moral character. As to age, the evidence of three reputable citizens should be accepted as proof; as to being in gaol, and moral "character, the surrounding circumstances of the case should be taker. l into i consideration. It was agreed to pay certain accounts in- • curred. by Constable Gillespie at Temuka in charitable aid cases. The 'Board approved of a truss being supplied to a man needing one who cannot afford to puruchase it. It was agreed to receive into the Old Men's Heme ao elderly man/ an incurable, from Waimate, -who has been turned out by his wife, to whom the home belongs. The- question of the funeral contract -was brought up. The chairman said the former * contract price was £1 15s. Only one tender had been received this time, at £3 14s 6d, and the question was whether this should be accepted.—-The secretary stated that he had beep informed, that at least one other tender would come in if the specifications were slighly altered.—lt was agreed to amend the specifications-and invite fresh tenders, the chairman being authorised to accept a tender. " THE BARKER BEQUEST. A letter was read from Mr James Turnbull, architect, on suggestions for new. wards fcr fever cases, with necessary appurtenances. to cost £2500 for eight beds in two wards. As an alternative the present ?ever_ ward could be altered and accommodation for nurses added, for about £I7OO. After some discussion, it was resolved that the whole Board should confer as a committee with Mr Turnbull, and obtain a sketch plan of suggestions. The committee met Mr Turnbull ,?fter lunch, and after discussing the alternate" proposals—erecting a r.ew building ar.cl ,al-' tering and enlarging the present fever ward —the latter was preferred as cheaper in the first cost and in maintenance expenses, and Mr Turnbull was instructed to prepare a sketch plan and estimate bv r,ext meeting. Mr Turnbull's idea is to- rearrange -the interior, add sanitary buildings outside, and add a second storey over the central part of the building to provide accommodation for nurses.