HOSPITAL AND CHARITABLE AID BOARD.

Timaru Herald, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 12906, 21 February 1906, Page 6

HOSPITAL AND CHARITABLE AID BOARD.

The monthly meeting- of the South. Canterbury Hospital and Charitable Aid Board was held yesterday in the Borough Council Chamber, "lent by the Borough Council for the purpose. There were present: Messrs J. Talbot (chairman), J. Craigie, W. Coltman. G. Lvall, G. Butler, P. StudhoTme, W. S. Masiin, and E. R, Gillingham. THE LATE SERGEANT WARRING.

Before proceeding to the business, the chairman expressed the regret of the Board at the death of the late Sergeant Warring, who had been exceedingly helpful to ths Board in many ways. He was a good practical man, and the Board referred to liitr. with the'greatest confidence in all cases requiring ,the assistance of the police. ' The police had as a rule/been exceedingly helpful to the Board,'and Sergeant Warring - had' certainly represented that attitude in the highest degree. The Board concurred with the chairmaoi's remarks, and the secretary was instructed to convey them in aletter to Mrs Warring and family. ■ CHAIRMAN'S STATEMENT. The chairman stated that the bank balance was £902 9s Id, and the payments to be made were: Hospital £327 14s 6d, charitable aid £2Ol 9s 2d. Waimate Hospital £294 19s lid, total £823 3s 7d, leaving a balance of £7B 5s 6d. The patients' payments to date were £396 ss. 6d, a.record. Some small amounts were to be collected to complete the payments from the local bodies, and when these were received the secretary would app'y for the subsidy. Mr Craigie, Mr Gillingham, and himself accomr panied by Mr Turnbull, visited Ashburton and examined the Old Men's Home there. Mr Talbot described the Ashburton home. It occupies a site of seven or eight acres, and no more "could be utilised, as practically no work can be got out of the inmates. The Home was for men only, and had accommodation for 70. It was built of brick, and cost between £7OOO and ;£BOOO. Their architect would have the advantage of utilising the experience gained there, in the avoidance of some mistakes in lighting, heating and l drainage. They also saw a septic tank in. operation. '•■ The infectious, diseases hospital 1 building was about finished, and it would be necessary to lay out roads, get gates and fences erected, and consider the arrangements to be made for caretaking. He suggested the setting up of a committee to go into this '.question'. The chairman, and Messrs Craigie, Butler, Gillingham, and Lyall, were appointed a- committee to arrange for the fencing- and -diseases hospital, and to make recommendations regarding the future caretaking. The -committee afterwards agreed to meet and \-visifc.th« place on Saturday week/ SECRETARY'S REPORT. The secretary reported on subjects referred to him for inquiry. He had got Mr Parr, look at the laurfdry water-engine at the hospital, and £ he said-he could patch it Tip to last some months. By that. time per:jhaps something would be done about a new laundry. He also reported on the Dun-" edin ambulance, and that a'new' Old Men's Homei-was mrw being built at Oamaru, in atone for'4o inmates, at a cost .of between£2 Bo- and £3OOO. - The secretary had visited a blind Maori at Temuka, named Hooper, a man with a ■wife and six small: children, and all, they iiadj to live on was 2s a week from land. He had instructed the constable at Temuka to allow. them 10s a week till the Board decided what should be done. —The Board approved of the grant and ordered it to be continued, and recommended that the man come to see the hospital doctor. The secretary drew attention to_ the increase in.the number of outpatients, who sometimes numbered, thirty per day, and among them were many who could' pay for -attendance outside. —The Board deferred action till'the resident surgeon, (now on-holi-dayf returns. The. rule regarding outpatients., was read and this requires therat to be indigent persons. The steward reported that 41 patients -were admitted during January (28 males, 13 females) making, with those already in hospital, 77 treated during the montlk Poifcy' were discharged, leaving 37 nnder treatment- at the end of the month. AMBULANCE. . •

.The Board spent- a good while in dis ' cussing the building of an ambulance waggon. The secretary reported that .he had carefully examined the ambulance built by Mr Robin in Dunedin for the St.' John. Ambulance Society; he made full inquiries from the maker, the U6ual several doctors, ; and the secretary to the Board, and; all agreed that it was one of the most -satisfactory appliances about the hospital. It had been sent as far as 40 miles for cases. It was usual to send it as far as- possible by train if the train suited, a horse being got at the further end. It was a very light and strong carriage, and very easy riding. The builder, Mr Robin, was prepared to build one for the Board. There was an imported ambulance in Dunedin. but it was ,a comparatively clumsy machine and weiS put aside and never used. Mr Coltman who had seen the ambulance described by the secretary, also praised it as an efficient appliance. Some members thought that the Timaru coach . builders should be given a chance to build the ambulance, and it was therefore resolved to call for tenders, in Timaru and Bunedin, for.an ambulance like that in use at Dunedin.

Mr M. J. Godby, for himself and Mrs Godbr. sent a donation of £lO to the Hospital "fund. —Accepted with thanks. The secretary suggestsd that the gift be added to the patients' piano fund. CHARITABLE AID. Dr Wohlmann, Government Balneologistat Rotorua, recommended that the Board's patient, Miss Williams, be allowed to remain another month.—Agreed - to. A person who had been granted temporary relief at Waimate as an indigent, being found to be possessed of property, it was ordered that a claim be made for a refund of the money paid (£1). A PROTEST. Mr Butler drew attention to a newspaper report of a meeting of the Geraldine Road Board, that the Board were going to call up.on other Boards to jo!, in protesting ; against the Charitable Aid Beard taking full advantage of the increased valuations to draw ixorbitant rates from the ratepayers. The chairman recommended i&at no discussion shbold be held until they had something officially' before them. Mr Craigie said the increased valuations would make no difference. They only vranted so must)! a year, and with Mgher valuations the-Tiste would be reduced, ACCOUNTS. Accounts were passed for payment as above, and also the progress payments xbr the infectious diseases hospital. The full accounts ior this building were The contract- for the erection was- £2l/9 15s, and "extras" came to £& 5s 9d. The water supply cost £59 5s 6d, the gas installation £76 13s 6tL septic tank and filter £4O, and fitting; it £ll 16s 6d r architect's commission, advertising, etc., £ll4 10s 3d; total £24BS fe 6d. The Beard rose at I. p/.m.