HOSPITAL BOARD.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIIC, Issue 14276, 17 August 1910, Page 3

HOSPITAL BOARD.

MONTHLY MEETING, The monthly meeting of the South Canterbury Hospital and Charitable Aid Board was" held in 'Herald" hoildings. Arcade. yesterday. Present — ll"Sjt.> 'l l ', B. Gillmgham (chairman), C. is. Orbell, AY. S. Maslm, P. Grant, G. I'viill, G. .Butlor, T. L. Hart, Dr. Gabites, and .Mrs C. L. Ncwnham CiIAIKMAN'S STATUAIKNT. The Chairman said that uu hearing of tile death of Airs Vahntine, wife of the Inspector-General of Hospitals, he had asked the Secretary to send a message of sympathy on behalf of the Board. JDr Valintiiie had replied expressing his thanks for this. The Bank balance stood at £IOO2 4s lid, and the accounts to be passed that day amounted to £l:>S4 5s 9d; thus there would be a balance after paving these, of £31.7 IDs 2d. The receipts for the month were as follows:—Local bodies' \ payments £4BO 3s 7d, patients' par-! meats £9O 3s, interest and sundries £l4 14s I'd; a total of £oSS Us f)d. The Government subsidy amounting to £ 145:2 4s 4d had boon claimed, and was now due. AH local bodies contributions lor the half year had been received. The Audit Department had returned the annual balance-sheet certified tn as correct, but there was a tag attached to the effect that the item ■■Secretary's travelling expenses £"23 12s sd" was without authority at law, and was disallowed. The item had never been questioned previously, and it was utterly absurd to question it now. Air Gillingharn gave some figures from the balance-sheet to show the scope of the Hoard's transactions. Leaving out the balances, the receipts were:—from local bodies £OIOO. donations £548, Government subsidy £6Olll. patients' payments £OBO, old age pensioners' payments £413. sundry recoveries £3l I 'i total of £l.-1.092. *()„ the expenditure side there was : Charitable aid £IS32. Timaru Hospital £,ll 14. Waimate. Ilospiial £IOSB. Talbot Hospital £312. Old Men's Homo £S] 1, purchase of two houses £720, sanatorium silo (instalment) £lO3, .salaries, travelling expenses, statiouerv, rent etc., £105: a total of £10,135. Ho proposed that the balance-sheet be printed as usual, and copies supplied. to local bodies interested. The drainage of the Timaru Hospital was practically completed, and ! progress payments to the amount of ] £250 were included in the pay sheet of that day. An invitation had' been received from the (Hago Hospital Trustees to members of the South Canterbury Board to attend the opening of the Ihilmerston Sanatorium, but the day chosen (a Saturday,) was a very inconvenient one ami the Board was not represented at the function. The tree I planting had been completed at the Talbot Hospital grounds, where 2210 larch and 50 willows were planted by the staff. There was every reason to think that the trees would do well there. CORRESPONDENCE. The Department of Hospitals and Charitable Aid forwarded copy of a circular letter re free mid-wifery pupils in the State Maternity Hospitals. It had been decided to accept two pupils each term for free midwifery training in each of the St. Helens Hospitals. These pupils are for country districts, and must be selected or specially recommended bv tho Hospital and Charitable Aid '.Board of the district. The Board must be satisfied that the applicant is one who would not otherwise be able to obtain, her training, owing to lack of means; that she is a respectable woman and sufficiently | well educated to benefit by the teaching, and pass the examination under the Midwives Act; that she is willing to work for two years after completing her training in the part of the Hospital district which is approved by the Board. Bits must sign an agreement I to the Board to this ctfect, ana .should, if a woman not oh the register of trained nurses be between "the ages of 25 and 40. [ The letter was received, the Board agreeing that it did not concern them in the meantime. | The inspector-General forwarded copy ! of a claim for subsidy on £fo Is on voluntary contributions sent forward by the chairman of the "Waimate Hospital I Committee of Management, stating that j all claims for subsidy must be made I through the Board, and the subsidy i would be i>aid into the Board's account when the chairman signed the declaration. I The Board noted that these voluntary contributions had come from Waimate, Studholme, Morven and Glenavy, including some from Maoris, and it was agreed that it reflected credit on those who had given or otherwise raised the money. Mr Hart spoke as to the way the money- had been obtained, and it was unanimously agreed that the chairman should sign the claim for subsidy. Tho Oamaru Hospital Trustees made 3 claim ou the Board for £D lis for the maintenance of Nicholas Keegau, a resident of Glenavy. ft was said that about three years ago tho Oamaru Trustees had entered into an agreement with the South Canterbury Board tu treat patients from each other's district free of charge- for a fortnight, and if not then well the body responsible for such patients to be notified. Mr Hart said that quite recently an Oamaru patient had been treated in' the Waimate Hospital in terms of this agreement, and no charge had been made on Oamaru. I Members agreed that it was nn- ] reasonable for the Oamaru Trustees to : keep a Timaru patient in their hospital | until a big bill had been run up, and I then notify the Board, and ask for ; payment. It was decided not to pav j the account in the meantime, but to look further into the matter, j The Auditor-General forwarded the I Board's balance-sheet for the year ' ended March 31st, 1010, certified to I as correct except in regard to an item j or £23. being travelling expenses inThe Chairman said it was idle to ! The- Chairman sai dit was idle to .suppose that the work of the Board could be c;-tried on without travelling expsn.ses. The Secretary had to travel around to make enquiries into applications for charitable aid. mid to sen those who wei-e in receipt of it 11' ho did not do this the Hoard would be imposed u'.xiif to iwi extent which would far outweigh the ~„s j , ~l' travelling. But ill addition to this the Auditor was wrong in saying that travelling expenses were not allowed by law; ami he read from the Act to show that such ex- I penses are allowed. He thought there-j fore that they should challenge {he ruling of the Auditor.—(Hear, lioivv.) Messrs iVJaslin and .Butler spoke to similar effect, adding that member* of the Board could surely be trusted to conduct their business in a businesslike way, and without wasting the ratepayers' money. They wefe all ratepayers, and would not be likely to do anything to increase their rates. Dr. Gabites said they .should take no notice of the Auditor,' and Mr Lyal! said it was merely a case of a Govern-ment-official endeavouring to justifv his appointment. It was unanimously decided to approve of the balance-sheet, and adopt it as correct. Messrs Perry, Perry and Kinnernev, solicitors to the Board, forwarded copy ol a- letter they had written to the inspector-General in regard to the South and Mid-Canterbtirv Consumption sanatorium, with special reference to the agreement between the South Canterbury and the Ashburton Boards making regulations for management l't was asked that the Order-in-Couimil dealing with this matter should be gazetted, and the matter completed r ih-.- Beard approved of the letter REPORTS. The Matron reported that Miss EH"! Divine had filled her three months' trhl >-s a probationer satisfactorily She should therefore be placed on the

nursing staff. Miss M. Mitchell was undergoing her three, month*' trial as a. probationer. Nurses Sutherland and Luekhead were entitled to the second grade salary. Mr Smith had presented to the Hospital a most useful and comfortable invalid chair: and some "bocks had been received from Messrs P. \V. Hutton and Co. —Report adopted. Thft re?ident medical officer ißr. TJlri'-hi reported that th» work in' all depart ments at t-h« Hospital hod gone on .satisfactorily during (he month. The out-patients' visits totalled 1 K>, operations 27, number of patients at Talbot Hospital 5. He regretted to say that a sister and a laundiymaid were in the Talbot Hospital. There wore 0 patients who .bad been in the Hospital over theregulation 'two months. This ivus a reduction of over 50 per cent. The doctor drew the Board's attention to the lowness of the boundary Avail tit the NAY. corner of the Hospital grounds, which was being used both as an entrance and an exit by many people. He recommended (as did also Dr. Gabites) that n theatre trolley to cost £l2 12s, be procured. As the nursing stall' was being increased the present laboratory which was in the Nurses' Homo would be required as a bedroom. Part of ihe old operating theatre could he fitted up as a laboratory. The recommendations were approved, and the report adopted. GENERAL. A long discussion took place concerning a mure economical means of heating water for the Hospital. The Chairman said that Mr Wood and Mr Lamb had not sent in a joint report as asked at last meeting of the Board. Mr Wood maintained his .scheme was sound, while Mr Lamb said it was impracticable, so they were no further forward. -Mr "Wood waited on the Board, again explained his proposals, and contended that Air Lamb was absolutely wrong in his deductions. Alter Air Wood had retired, it was decided to .submit the proposals to Anderson's Ltd, -of Christchurch, for their opinion thereon, and if they condemn them they to be asked to .submit a scheme. Air Butler reported on his usual visit of inspection to the 'Talbot, and the Timaru Hospitals, and Airs iN'ewnham reported on a visit to the Old People's Home. The Chairman reported that Air Julius Siegeri- the successful tenderer lor part ot the Board's land at "Windscombe, refused to sign the lease unless he is given the right to use a. swamp containing S or 9 acres on the portion ot land unlet. He had pointed out to Mr Siegert that no mention was made in the lease ot this swamp, and that it would he unfair toother tenderers to give it to him now. it was decided u, cancel the agreement with Air Siegert if he refuses to sign the lease within 14 days he -o lorieit the half year's rent which he has paid. (11ns amounts to £14.) It the lease is cancelled the Board will oOer it to the next highest tenderer and tailing his acceptance of it cue land to be re-advertised. wi'th. !eV ' ci ' anUlb!o ;ud c:lsC; s »-ere dealt ACCOUNTS. Accounts were passed for payment as !,?',, nvs =—-timaru Hospital £S6S lis lOd ; lalboc. Hospital £ o o Ss IQd< Wain , ut^ e'-n 1 ; , f-'f J . !s Gtl > okl Me »'s Home i'U Os yd, charitable aid £279 3s 6d.