HOSPITAL AFFAIRS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 11, Issue 27, 12 May 1947, Page 5

HOSPITAL AFFAIRS

MAY MEETING OF BOARD \ ' 1 REPORTS RECEIVED Mr J. Mullins presided at the May :meeting of the Whakatane Hospital Board held at the hospital on Thursday. Present Messrs. F. J. Burt, A. McGougan, C. A. Suckling,. H. C. McCready, J. Caulfield, and the secretary Mr F. Prideaux. Apologies for absence were received from Messrs. L. Buddie and A. Mitchell. The reports of the Finance and Works Committees, together with those from the Medical Superintendent, Matron, Engineer and Fore-man-Storeman were read and adopted. It was decided to accede to the Superintendent’s. recommendation that six overalls be supplied to memTiers of the nursing staff, as a protection of their normal uniforms. Request From Winter Show The secretary of the Winter Show -Association, wrote requesting the right to hire the Board’s emergency lighting plant, for the period of the proposed Winter Show, from 18th:21st June. > The Board discussed the matter fully, the secretary pointing out that the additional plant which the 'Board had on loan from the Air was not for sale, though it would probably be available to the Board for as long as it was required. It was 5 decided to hire the plant to •the Association if satisfactory arrangements could be made and to notify the Air Department, that it was desired to retain the existing plant at the hospital until such time .as the power position improved.

South Auckland Sanatorium -An invitation was received from the ! Hamilton Board to the effect that a conference was to be held on Saturday (May 10) for the purpose 'Of finalising all matters in connection with the proposed South Auckland T.B. Sanatorium. Delegates were invited from the Whakatane Board. Mr C. A. Suckling the original delegate sought guidance as to how he should speak on and reflect the attitude Whakatane was taking in the matter. In the discussion which ensured members were uncertain as to what Tine of action should be’ taken. It ' was recognised that the proposed ;site on Hillcrest was not a popular one with. contributing local bodies, ' while it was also agreed that in view'of the Government’s standing offer to erect a Chest Block at Whqiatane, there might be little benefit gained from linking up. with Hamilton in what was already known to be a very expensive project. Members were as a whole lohtli to go into the scheme without learning more about it, and how it would .affect the more distant boards. The chaiman said that as he saw it, if the Board contributed now, it would have assured in the institu- w tion some five beds which would be reserved for Whakatane patients. If if did not, ( then it might be compell•ed later to send patients there at full cost and just take pot-luck as to their accommodation. It might be, he agreed, better to let Auckland and Hamilton carry the project » themselves and seek to handle their own respective T.B. cases. It was finally agreed to' instruct the delegate to intimate that Whakatane at the "present time did not . wish to join as a contributory body, but that the matter would be reconsidered after a report of the con- . ference had been received.