HOSPITAL ADMINIS= TRATION.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 875, 22 July 1910, Page 6

HOSPITAL ADMINIS= TRATION.

POWERS OF COMMITTEES. MEMBERS AND THEIR RE- . SPONSIBILITIES. At the meeting of the Hospital Board yesterday there was a lengthy discussion on the following clauso in the report, brought down by the Hospital Committee:— That the Hospital Committee requests and recommends the board to delegate to such committee, power to deal finally with all matters arising in the "ordinary routine" of the management of both hospitals, and power to carry out repairs and improvements not costing more than JCSO for . any one jot, the committee to submit to the board monthly a full report of its and any recommendations it may have to make. Mr. R. C. Kirk (chairman of the committee) said that, in the case of many recommendations brought down by the committee it'' was absolutely necessary that they should have been given effect to before being submitted to the board. They had to ask for special power to do anything of a special nature, but it seemed a farce to the committee that they should go on doing work and asking for permission afterwards. It might bo suggested that the alteration should apply also to the Charitable Committee and with this he quite agreed. Mr. Devino objected to the motion. A majority of tho board constituted the Hospital Committee and it seemed that if the' power asked for were conferred a good deal might bo dono that the rest of the members would have no control over. Ordinary routine might mean anything. The power asked" for was contrary to the principle of the Act which made the board responsible for everything. Ho would not object to the committee being empowered to' carry out definite scheduled duties, but the general: power asked for should not be granted. ■ As an amendment he would move that the clause be referred back to the committee. .'Mr. Robertson said t'hero were a great many things that had to bo attended to at once and the committee should certainly be empowered, to spend a few pounds in any ' case of emergency. Mr. Fitzgerald opposed the motion, contending that the Board should have some say in the management of the institution. , The ordinary routine was simply the general management of the hospital. If members supported this. they would be opposing the Act itself. If tho committee did alt the work it was no good bringing down a report. He had no objection to tho committee being granted specified powers. . . Mr. G. Lundon claimed that the very thing to which objection was being taken was already done: There were certain urgent cases that came into tho hands of the committee, necessitating immediate action, and the Board invariably approved action so taken. Thoso things were done, very properly, on the assurance of the medical superintendent that they should be attended to without delay! It it were possible to anticipate these urgent requirements evidently it would be wise'to go to the board for everything, but what Mr. Kirk was desirous of doing was to confirm a line of action already followed and absolutely necessary. The Rev. H. Van Steveren saw no necessity for altering the system in vogue and would certainly oppose the motion. Mr. Gardener, said the present position was farcical. To appoint eleven men out of twentv practically to manage the hospital,. to" wink at any expenditure they incurred, and then to refuse to confirm this power, could be described in no other way. It would be only honest and straightforward to grant this authority, .inyoffe knew. that, in the case of Jocal bodies, spending 41 to-day might save ,£lO to-morrow. No committee should bo appointed unless it had a certain amount of power to deal with urgent cases. , Mr.r-MrEw^n,.,considered that commit-, tees should have full power in such .matters as the apportionment of nursing_ sisters. - The law empowered, this board to delegate its functions to committees. t It would probably be found wise, as time went on, to cut the charitable aid administration and the administration of the hospital apart, on the lines indicated in the present resolution. Mr. Trevor supported the view that it was a farce to make the committee come hero and ask for permission to do what had been "already done. Ultimately the other committee would want the same power, and it was quite right that it should be granted. They could surely trust a lot of honest men to carry out the duties of committees for a month and report at the end of that period. Mr. Moore supported the original motion on tho ground that it would prevent the bringing of trivialities before the wholo board, and so prevent waste of time over routine matters that should be dealt with by the committee. The amendment was lost by eleven votes to four. . , ' Mr. Fitzgerald moved a further amendment providing that the Hospital Committee ce empowered to carry out repairs not costing more than ,£SO for any one job. It was, he said, the ordinary routine provision to which he took exception. Mr. Kirk said his object in bringing this motion forward was not to get special power, but to place the committees upon a proper working basis. The Act provided for establishing and maintaining committees invested with necessary powers subject to the control of the board. The amendment was lost the clause was adopted as introduced.