HOSPITAL AND CHARITABLE AID BOARD

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2674, 21 January 1916, Page 11

HOSPITAL AND CHARITABLE AID BOARD

MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meeting of the Wellington Hospital and Charitable Aid Board was held yesterday, and attended by: Mr. H, Baldwin (chairman), Dr. PlattsLi lis, Mesdames T. M. Wilford awl A. M'Vicar, Revs. Dr. Elliott and H. Van Stavereu, Messrs. F. Castle, D. Campbell, H. Freeman, C. M. Luke, wid G. J. Petherick. The Inspector-General (Dr. Valintine) wrote stating that his attention had been called to an article in the nowspaper Press alleging that nurses were called upon to perform unsuitable duties. The Inspector-General intimated that he ha<l instructed Miss M'Lean to make inquiries into the matter. The chairman • said that so far as .Wellington Hospital was concerned, nurses did not do the ■work which the writer of tlie article in question affirmed was done by nurses. For 37 years the work had been done by a man, and on his retiring another man was appointed in his place without any gap in the performance of the service taking place. , " " ■ The Inspector-General called attention to the lack of uniformity in hospital charges for sick' and wounded soldiers, pointing out that some hospitals charged fire shillings a day, and others six shillings a day, and asking the board to agree to a uniform charge of five shillings a day for soldiers. The Hospital Committee reported having instructed the secretary to reply that, having regard to the increased cost of living and of maintenance, the board could not sec its way to reduce its present charge of six shillings day. The deoision of the committee was confirmed.

The house steward.(Mr. L. H. Fox) reported that the recent shortage of water had caused serious inconvenience at tho Hospital, especially in the case of the Nurses' Home and Fever Hospital, which were 011 the higher ground. A. concreto tank had been built some years ago to provide a water reserve in the case of such a shortage, but the scheme was not proceeded with further, because with tho completion of the Morton Dam at Wainui it was considered that all future difficulty with respect to the water supply would bo obviated. Mr. Fox now asked that he bo empowered to have an iron roof put over tho tank, and to have the tank connected with the mains, the estimated cost being £23 This course was decided upon.