HOSPITAL UPKEEP.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 458, 17 March 1909, Page 11

HOSPITAL UPKEEP.

ESTIMATES FOR THE COMING YEAR. INCREASE OF £.1100. Tho Wellington District Hospital Board has three soparate inatitutions to care for—tie Wellington Hospital, Otaki Hosp.tal, nmltlm OtaM Sanatorium (for consumptives), meso institutions for the relief of the sick cost £&3,000 to keep up during the. current yearthe year to end on March 31-and from the estimates presented at the statutory meeting yesterday it is ascertained that an extra £1100 will be needed during the coming year., for next year are calculated as fellow:— ■ £ .Wellington Hospital— " . ' ' ■ •Maintenance ••■ , — .. ••• "'™* Additions, etc. ...' - —' 4 - oUU Otaki Hospital— ; . , ~ .Maintenance •<■ • '&m Additions,, etc. ... iw Otaki; Sanatorium— r onn Maintenance, ... •••■",-• I >^ Addition"?, etc. ... v- ••■ 600 To ! replaca subsidy claimed, but not '■': alWejl 'j •"■ •" ann 'Administration expenses-/.-;. -™" Contingencies '... '; Total amount required ... — 24,100 Half payable by Government subsidy 12,050 Half payable by local bodies ... ... 14""* " ; Total/" ..... - • ■•• ••• £24 ' 100 ■ ■'. •"• *'" ' ;,What , is:<4f«io™. immediate interest to ratepayers is , 'the apportionment, o.the £12,050: among the local bodieis. This is supplied in the following table:— v.v. - .. ' . ';■ -'. •■■ r . & S. U. ' Wellington.Gity Council; '• ■'■■ 7 Af. 8 0 Horowh^nua , County Council ... 1,221 2 0 Hiitt. County Council ... -• b»l J u Makara.County Council ; ... / u lower.iHutt Borough Council ... 629 14 u Peton/Borough Council ... ojo 1U U Miramarf Borough Council ... 3-13 0-U Karori Borough Council ... ' " ■ Ohslow, Borough Council .„ ... 18& J " Eastbourne Borough Council ... <* 1/ " Leviri Borough Council ... ... 9» .& « Johnsbnvillo Town Board. ... 66 17 0 Upper Hutt Town Board ... 84 lo U ■< ' £12,050 0 0 'The chairman (Mr. J. P. Luke, M.P.), in moving the adoption of the statement containing the above figures, said it was gratiiyirig to bo able to chronicle a credit balance of i £69 15s. 4d. (the amount that will remain to ; credit at the end of the month) for the year 1908-9, as there-was a small debit last .year. Taking everything into consideration, the hoard, he thought, had good reasons to congratulate; itself. The various institutions had kept well within their estimates, a fact'creditable to the ■trustees and themselves. The institutions at Otaki had received a good deal of attention during the year, and it was satisfactory to note... .the general improvement that had been effected there/and the good and conscientious work of: the staff. There conld be but slight difference of opinion over the small increase from •' local bodies, but the demand foV-.' hospital attention had increased. R-flgret was expressed tha tthe board could not see its way clear to allocate the sum of money required for a cottage hospital at the Lower Hutt this year. It was purely.a matter of money. But the Hutt people were not being forgotten, and he hoped that next year, would see fin amount /placed on the estimates for the cottage hospital. For the information of local authorities, ho stated that the. increased expenditure was necessitated erection of a now ward at the general hospital. He moved that the estimates be approved. Mr. R. C. Kirk seconded the motion. '' Mr. Crawford expressed the hope that the Hutt would get.,its detached hospital next .■.Mγ.. M'Ewaiii^oiceo'iiii'is 1 that no provision had been made for the Hutt hospital this year.. He"hoped that the board, would make a point of visiting the sito. purchased; as' he Bad Jjee'ri told that it was not the best" available; He- had heard stcries from patients'that.the board was not bo • generous in regard to its menu as ..was the Goiernment. The two sanatoria,., at Cambridge and Otaki, had been compared, and according to several that comparison was all in favour of CambHdge. A few patients had objected to the lack.of variety in the food at Otaki, and he was of opinion that the matter should be looked into, and if the objection was a valid one'.'it should be remedied. ' \The chairman said ho thought the reports had ■ been exaggerated, but inquiries would be'made. ;'The'chairman informed members of the particulars of the additions >to be made to the.Otaki Hospital (not sanatorium), where three or four bedrooms and a sitting, room were to be erected for tho accommodation of J, the nurses. The domestics would then inhabit the present quarters of the nursing staff.:' . •■ ' ■ v Mr. R. C. Kirk, in reply to Mr. M'Ewan. eaid-that it was only after consultation with the best authorities,.and with the unanimous approval qf the board, that tho hospital site at the; Hutt was chosen. It comprised ton acres of land, situated only half a mile from the main road on the highest portion of rising' land!. -He -believed tho board would find. do reason to change its mind over the site. .In explanation Mr. Kirk said that the upkeep of patients at the consumptive sanatorium was nearly.double that of the general hospital. Concerning the complaint as to the food. he.considered that in the initial stages disease the patients usually had a grievance of some kind or other. He had medical testimony to tho effect that the diet at Otaki .was an extremely fair, and liberal one."! At. Cambridge patients were taken at all stagos of the disease, and a greater variety of food was necessary, and even.little luxuries were provided for patients.