HOSPITAL BOARD.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1369, 21 February 1912, Page 3

HOSPITAL BOARD.

MONTHLY MINTING

The mnnflilr meeting nf Hie Wellington Hospital and Charilubli' Aid Hoard was held yesterday afternoon. There were present (ho Rev. \V. A. Evans (chairman), the Rev. H. Van Stavereu, and Messrs. H. Baldwin, .1. E. Filzgerald. \Y. Gallnwav. H. It. Gardener, J. Godbcr, K. C. Kirk, G. T. London. J. W. M'Kwnn, F. T. Mcore, G. Nash, D. Robertson, W. Tompsitt, and Miss Richmond.

The resignations of .Mr. G. C. Brecn, assistant dispenser, and Nurse M. M. Evans wcro accepted. Nurse Kitching was promoted to the position of Charge Nurse.

Drs. Bennett and T'lnll.s-Mills were appointed honorarv phvsirie.ns, and Drs. H. J. M'Loan and liegg honorary purgcons for the Children's Hospital. The following report was received from Mr. A. IT. Truebridgc, Charitable Aid Superintendent:—"l'ursuant to the terms of the Education Amendment Act, lillfl, of which the lward was advised some months ago, an account has been received from tlw Education Department amounting to XI7S -Is. 2d., which is the levy for'the half-year ended December 31 last. l T m!er the Act the board is liable la be called upon to make good any default, provided that such levy may not exceed eight shillings per week for any child. The curious part of the arrangement appears to be that the board is penalised for Cue virtue or pecuniary ability of the parent or guardian, since, if the latter pays nothing the child is charged for ol; the rate of Ss. per week, but if he dors, 10s. a week is charged, and the board called upon to make good. No doubt there is some profound principle hidden away somewhere, l There are 2,1 cases chargeil for, live being in the Jubilee Institute for the Blind, ten in the Summer School for tho Deaf, and eight in the School for Boys, Otekaike. Provision to the extent of some .£IOO to .£SOO will require to be made in next year's estimates for this additional charge."

The report, was adopted. A return of the number of children (2-16), under committal to the industrial schools at December, was submitted by the Charitable Aid Superintendent:—"Three children only were committed during the quarter, "all of them by consent of the board, while ten were discharged from the books. The cost to the "board for the quarter was, after allowing for recoveries, .£SGfI 18s> 2d. The recoveries for the quarter were os. 5d., payments being credited on Irehalf of 114 children, as against 97 the previous quarter. The average amount recovered was Is. 7d. per child, which gives an average of 2s. Id. for every child chargeable, and leaves tho average net cost to the board for every child committed ss. -Id. per week. Of the 246 children, 199 are returned as in the hands of the Receiving Home, and 47 in various other institutions."