Falmerston Hospital Board.

Feilding Star, Volume XVI, Issue 292, 14 June 1895, Page 2

Falmerston Hospital Board.

♦ I The ordinary monthly meeiiag was 1 held yesterday. Present — Messrs Ravenshill (Chairman), Goodbehere, Eansome, Sneleon, Kendill, Saxon Taylor, Park. Correspondence was received and dealt with as follows : — From the various contributing local bodies, stating the amount of their valuations as follows : — Halcombe town district, £14,305; Feilding borough £14,658 (annual value) ; Kiwitea County, £640,792 ; Foxton borough, £70G2 (annual value) ; Manawatu Road Board, £552,874 ; Palmerstun borough, £546,000. From Kiwitea County Council, requesting payment of £31 15s exponded by Council in charitable aid. From Constable Tuohy, Feilding, with regard to payment of burial fees of the man Connell, drowned in the Oroua river. — A reply had been sent, statiDg that the Board had nothing to do with the matter, which came within the duties of the Police department. On the motion of Mr Snelson, it was decided to give the Secretary discretionary power to let the private ward at not less than £3 3s per week. The Board refused to recognise a number of claims sent in by the Police department for payment of medical fees nnd cab hires in connection with the removal of certain patients to the hospital by the police — The Secretary was instructed to write to the Police department and ask under what clause of the Act the Board was directed to pay these accounts Mr Atkins' report on the hospital building was read. He recoruraeaded that the plaster ceiling of the main ward be replaced by galvanised iron, and that a number of minor repairs be effected. The Chairman said it had been reported to him that the walls of the main ward were not strong enough to support the building. The estimated cost of the repairs was about £200 Mr Soelson thought the Borough could congratulate themselves on the the fact that there was nothing at all serious with the condition of the hospital building. Mr Ransom e said tho state of the building showed that there had been great laxity shown in its construction Someone was to blame for this, and it was the duty of the Board to find out upon whom the responsibility for this discreditable state of affairs rested. Mr Saxon agreed with Mr Ransome that the building had been faultily constructed, and the blame should be sheeted home. The Chairman said the Board could oily hold one responsible, and that was the architect, upon whose experience the members wholly relied. The report was adopted. The Chairman said there were two cancer patients in the hospital, and lie suggested that they be boarded out if possible. Cancer was a most offensive disease to have in a hospital. A letter was read from the medical staff, drawing attention to the minute dealing with the admission of patients, other than accident or urgent, coming from a distance. Patients suffering from chronic diseases continued to be sent in without any previous inquiry being made to the Secretary as to whether a vacancy existed. The Mayor of Feildiug and Dr Charlton were occasional offenders in this respect. The practice referred to put the nursing and medical staff to unnecessary trouble. It was decided to request the Mayor of Feilding and Dr Charlton to interview a member of the Hospital Board in regard to future cases. — Standard.