HOSPITAL AND CHARITABLE AID BOARD.

Timaru Herald, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 13012, 27 June 1906, Page 6

HOSPITAL AND CHARITABLE AID BOARD.

Toe monthly meeting of the' South Canterbury Hospital and Charitable Aid Board was held yesterday. Present— Messrs JL Talbot (chairman), Studholme, Coltman, Lyall, Gillingham and Butler. Messrs Masiin and -Craigie, sent apologies. The chairman stated that the balance in the Bank was £547 19a 7d, and the payments to be passed were:—Hospital, £4lB 17s 7d ;• charitable aid, £262 fts 4d; Talbot Hospital, £B2 Is Id: leaving a debit balance of £313 8s sd. A The debit would be reduced next month by the local bodies* contributions. The chairman made a statement (reported elsewhere) regarding the general finance of the Board, and then mentioned some of the business to be brought np. • PROPOSED NEW LAUNDRY.

The chairman stated that as a result of inquiries a good deal of information had been received regarding the cost of an up-to-date laundry. Mr TnrnbulL bad prepared an estimate for the. building, and had obtained from Mr-Anderson, of Christchurch, an estimate for Ihe machinery. The two together it appeared would cost a considerable snra, so much that it might be objected to outside as unnecessary; but the laundry requirements were so large that they could not be properly coped with in all weathers. This would be understood when it.was remembered that there were about 100 people to be provided for, and the work. must be done regularly, whatever the weather might bel Mr s Turnbull reported in writing Jha.i, ia company with Mr Talbot he had inspected the lauhdry at Coris&hurcSt .Hospital, and he snbimtted an estimate for a similar but smaller laundry for Timaru, and an offer by Andersonßros- r -to supply and fit up the necessary boiler, engine; and other machinery—washer, hydro-extractor, drying horses, mangles, ironers, etc Mr Anderson waited onthe \ Board and explained that his finn- were agents for Tuflis Bros., of Glasgow, whose Jaundry machinery by I to be the best obtainable, '.and it bad therefore been selected for the colonial asylums. A testimonial was read from the engineer in charge at Pcrirua asylum, where a set of themachineryhad been ins-tailed. Messrs Burt, of Dunedin, submitted an offer to supply the machinery. The cost of building was put down at about £SOO and of % the plant at £960. The.chairman remarked tbatHhe Board had thought thejr should be able to get a goodjaundry'for £IOOO. ; Wben at Christchurch, he was informed that their machinery (an American make) cost £620, landed; and boiler and shafting and fitting up had to be added. The consideration of this laundry, raised the question whether it would not pay-to add hot water heating and electric lighting. Mr Anderson explained some of the details of the Tullis plant and said they would guarantee it to do "3000 pieces'' a week. It would be quite easy to add an electric generator if and a lighting installation m%ht cost about £2OO. To supply all the hot water required, would ,need a larger boiler, • and this might cost. £IOO more; but- it would save keeping two boilers going.. Mr Anderson having retired, the chairman and Messrs Craigie, Coltman, and Butler were requested to look further into these matters and obtain information from Dunedin Hospital (where Mr Coltman said he bad seen an excellent laundrv in operation). , "■•;?. A request for a new kitchen range was referred to the same committee. . THE AMBULANCE.

Tbe secretory reported that the ambulance had arrived from the Dunedin maker, and it appeared to be all that the Board had desired. ' He rode m it to the Hospital, and it was a very easy vehicle. The secretary to the Dunedin St. John Ambulance Association wrote, in reply to inquiries, regarding the use of the ambulance waggon, (I) Persons who can afford it; pay for its use; destitute persons are paid for by the Association; (2) for long distacces out of town—say Middle March or Palmerston—an old ambulance had been sent, except once, when the new one was sent to Middlemarch; 13) arrangemie&ts had been made with a livery stable to house the ambulance and have horse and man ready night and day, and the charge was 7s 6d for a service" within the citv, of which the stablekeeper, who collected the money, kept 6s and the Association Is 6J: (4) the upkeep included revarnishing the first year, a pair of new tyres the secocd year, but the calls- must be .much more numerous in Dunedin .than Thnaru. Some days the ambulance was out six times, and during last year there were

over 300 calls. Offers had" been invited from t&« Timaru stable keepers, for housing the ambulance and furnishing horse and driver, and the offer of Mr Glennie, of the Stone Stables, being the lowest, was accepted subject to the housing providing being satisfactory. Mr Glennie's scale of.; fees is:—Within the borough and ■within 3 miles, ss; 3 to 10 miles -7* 6d, 10 to 12 miles 10s; 12 to 18 males, 16s; to 25 miles, 20s; to 30 miles, 255. MATRON'S REPORT. The matron reported the. resignation of Sister Moody,' and recommended the ao-; ceptance of Miss Mary Geaney as a probationer. She also recommended that the I wages of the seven maids be increased from 10s to lis per week,-and 10s is less than they can get in private service; also that the wages be made • 1,2s for those who have been over a year in the service. The Board agreed to all the recommendations except the last," which, was held over. SURGEON'S REPORT. •Dr. Unwin reported on the chronic cases —ls nine of them tuberculous cases. He asked for some linoleum for a noisy passage between wards 1 and 2, though one member objected to it as " a luxury." Br Unwin said he had a letter from a patient complaining of the noise in that passage, with some satirical remarks on exterior decorations the cost of which - would have been more usefully spent on interior comforts and conveniences. TALBOT HOSPITAL.

The caretaker at Talbot Hospital reported on work done, and asked for some shrubs and trees.—These to be obtained.

The chairman reported that attempts had been made without success-so far, to get some one to skim-plough all the ground; preparatorv to other work being done upon it! The secretary/asked for instructions regarding a request from the Borough Council for a formal application for a water supply for this hospital, the TnimiTtinm cost to be £l2 10s per annum. He thought this excessive as usually there would be only two persons there. ~ It was agreed to hold over the matter till Mr Craigie returns. The chairman and Mr Coltman suggested that the septic tank would require a constant flow of water; and the latter said tibat the use of the tank, enabling them to dispose of all their drainage' effectually, would be worth a good deal. VISITORS' REPORT.. '.

Mr Butler, for himself and' Mr Lyall, reported that they had visited 'the hospital and found all satisfactory. They had paid particular attention to the nurse's quarters which some one in the south had described as unfit for occupation, and some one in the north had condemned as palatial. They were certainly not palatial, the bedrooms being about nine by ten; and they had only simple conveniences. They were satisfied that the Board had not been extravagant in that On the other hand the rooms were nofcj "poverty stricken." Mr Lyall concurred with bis colleague. . ■ ~ CHARITABLE'AID.

The case of an old couple who have come from Dunedin (where they were receiving charitable aid) to relatives at Waimate, bad been inquired into. It was resolved to grant them 6s a week for rations, and to claim the amount, from the Dunedin Board. i '

The case of an infant at Geraldine, in charge of its grandmother, was discussed. The child was born at Christchurch, its mother is "there, and the father was ordered to pay for its support (which he does not- do) into, the Court there. The question was whether any cost incurred for the child can be" collected from the Christchurch 'Board.—The secretary was instructed to inquire into the circumstances and consult with Mr Masiin.

The chairman reported that a girl of 12 or 15,' who had been boarded out had been sent in to the home as uncontrollable. —lt was decided to try and get another home for her, as preferable to sending her to the Industrial School. .

THE OLD MEN'S HOME. Mrs Young, Matron of the Old Men's Home, applied for six months' leave of ( absence, desiring to visit the Old Country. An efficient substitute would be provided. —The chairman said the substitute produced excellent testimonials of suitable past' experience.—The application was granted and on the motion of Mr Coltman a bonus of £5 was voted to Mrs Young, as a small acknowledgment of the Board's appreciation of her services during many vears past. MEMORIAL RECORDS.

Mr Craigie, in his letter of apology, suggested that a marble tablet, or something of the kind, should be permanently fixed on the Talbot Hospital, with an inscription" that the name had been given in honour of the chairman and in recognition of his services., Mr Craigie also approved of Mr Butler's suggestion that a record of the Barker bequest be erected in the Barker ward. . Mr Butler moved and it was carried tnat both suggestions be given effect to, the chairman and Mr Craigie to attend to the matter. The Board rose at 1.00 p.m.