PROVISION FOR INFECTIOUS DISEASES.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11478, 10 January 1903, Page 9

PROVISION FOR INFECTIOUS DISEASES.

AN AUCKLAND COMPLAINT. (PRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.! AUCKLAND. January _■

A deputation waited upon Sir Jo.fcph •flard this morning from the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board. The chairman of the Board had tweu approached upon the jabject of the said Board being threatened *iv» an *P> daa io °" scarlet fever in the lity and the hospital authorities were gtaflv not. in a position to cope with it, if jaoh occurred. It was really a serious jotter, as the Board's overdraft now (BKKtnted to £4000. They had been put to 0B «tra expenditure of about £3000 in con■(»B*_Cß of the prevalence of infectious $»ea_es during the year. If the Health Department would guarantee £1350 for extra expenditure likely to be incurred during the next five months to cope with infectious jXkmwm. then the Board could get on all ' right. Sir Joseph Ward said they must •#« that whatever was done for Auckland mast also be done for the rest of tlie colony. It meant asking the Government to do what was the duty of the Board. If the Board would not undertake its duty, ■ gpn the Government must do so, for the %m of the people must be protected. -Dr. JlwGiU, Health Officer, said he believed ftoft of the local bodies would pay their coßtributions towards an infectious diseases hospital, but there were one or two defiant, and wno would be dealt with by the ■ Crown solicitor. Mr Bollard asked if the Deportment would advance £1600 until the Board could collect it. Sir J. Ward said Jk was prepared to recommend that the . jum be advanced, on the distinct undert___hg that it should be repaid "by the Board later oh. He was extremely sorry to find-that some of the local bodies were holdjjg back, because they would have to be __d« to pay.