HOSPITAL AFFAIRS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXVI, Issue 3558, 19 September 1916, Page 3

HOSPITAL AFFAIRS.

THE COMING ELECTION

ADDiiIiSS'BV .iilii ANDREWS,

Mr U. W. Andrews, a candidate for ii seat as representative or Tinwald ana xiampste.id Uistncts on the Ash-.' uurton Jiospitai and Uharitaoie Aia .board, addressed a meeting of electors at the Hafnpstead School last evening, l'he Key. J. D. McArthur presided, and there was only- a small attendance* of electors. .

Mr Andrews said ho had takeii a? live interest in hospital matters for the,past 25 years. He had visited every hospital from Invercargill to Auckland and a number in. Australia, to find out how these institutions wera conducted. He considered Ashburton hospital was as well conducted as any other in New Zealand. About 1-17 din the £ was the amount the public in this district had to pay towards the hospital upkeep, and the remainder of the amount came by grants from the Government and patients' fees. He considered it was the best day's work Ashburton had Hone to <j;et a'hosnital (district here. The County should "also get a share in • the administration of the Tuarangi Old Men's Homo. The 'only intpi-e/uho County had in the Old Men's Home at present was seven free beds. The Ashburton Hospital Board had saved £1000 a year through administering its own affairs under a separate district. The speaker claimed a as a builder, that he had been instrumental iii helping to .save various sums to the board when alterations were required from time to time. In 1915 the credit balance amounted to £1000, and the buildings and furniture was then valued at £21 5 000. Last year there had been a big run on the hospital accommodation for infectious diseases cases, and recently the accommodation had also been severely taxed. The da,y would come when a children's ward, an incurables' wfird, and a maternity ward would have to bo built. He thought the best treatment could be given by having wards of this description, and he hoped the Government in the near future woujd give this matter attention. It was not the fault of the Ashburton board that it did not have a new fever ward now to cope with the extra cases. Some people had the idea that hospitals were for paupers only. That was not so. Everyone was entitled to admission, and no* one should •be refused. Those who could pay woro expected to do so. The best advertisement the hospital could have was the large number of satisfied patients that had'passed through the instiution, and tho very small number of complaints. Ho was satisfied that the small attendance at the meeting that evening shjowed , that tho board''was doing its duty in. Jt satisfactory manner. He claimed that he had given a> great deal of time to the interests ol the institution, and had never received a single penny for His work. If the electors had confidence in him and elected him for another term, he would still continue to do his duty. Ho favoured the present system of the Friendly Societies' ticket. In conclusion, he appealed to all to take a keen interest in hospital work. ..,.. Mr.-A.ndrrO\va^\-as,iasked-wha.t. was,his, position in regard to the old men oh the river-bank. » \

Mr Andrews replied that he had never once advocated that, these old men should be shifted. Some of the placets wer-.». most unsatisfactory to live in, and when an old man died he did not favour the. hut being occupied again. These old men,would be better in an Old Men's Home, and would be better looked, after. He referred to cases were old men had been taken from their huts .to the hospital in a deplorable state. A hearty vote of thanks was accorded Mr Andrews and the chairman.