HOSPITAL TRUSTEES.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 1962, 22 December 1906, Page 3

HOSPITAL TRUSTEES.

Tho monthly moeting of tho Ilospita Trustees took place yesternay afternoonPresent: Messrs A. Tuohy, W- D. S MacDonald- J. W. Bright, A. F. Matthews, J. A. Harding, and Captain Tucker. Mr Harding declining election as chairman, Captain Tucker was elected on Mr Harding’s motion. Notification was received from the Cook County Couucil of the six members appointed, and from the Borough Council notifying the one member. The Secretary of the Westland Hospital Board wrote asking to be supplied with “ a detailed list of tho salaries p aid per annum to the whole of the employees connected with your institution, and if tho eight-hour or duty system for the nurses is in force, and if not the number of hours on duty they are actually engaged, and whether your Board supplies them with one or mure uniforms in the year.” The secretary (Mr T. A, Coleman), replied : “ (1) The eight-hour duty system for the nursing staff is not in force hero, The hours for the day staff are ftom 7,30 a.m. to 8 p.m. On alternate days onehalf goes off from 2 to 6 p - m, The other from 6to 8 p.m. The nurses take night duty in turn, two at a time. Their hours are from 8 p.m. to 7,30 a.m. Those arrangements work well, and give satisfaction to both the Trustees and the* staff. (2) The matron and nurses each receive allowance for uniforms of £i per annum, paid quarterly,” Mr O’Ryau, of the Waiapu Hospital Board, asked for information as to salary paid to the Matron, —Information Bapplied. The monthly report showed :—Patients remaining from last month 33, admitted Bines 46, discharged 56, remaining at date 23.

The Treasurer’s report showed: —Receipts : Patients’ fees 464 10?, donations 475 13s Id, rent 44 11s, Expenditure (including bank overdraft 4180 4s 4d) 4567 18 1 Id. The debit balance on December 21st was 4290 15s 4d, and ebeques not presented 4132 8i BJ. Distriot Board requisition due December 31st, 4375 ; Government subsidy aoQrued, 4390 17s 91. Presented for payment, 4427 6s 2d. Tho Chairman reported on behalf of the Visiting Committee that he had found everything at the Hospital in apple-pie order, adding : “ Blessed is the oountry that has no history. I went round the words, inviting complaints, but none oame, and there was nothing but good said of the hospital.”

The Chairman proposed that in fature the meetings be held on the County Council meeting date, at the Hospital. Discussion ensued, the time generally being considered favorable, but at Mr Tuohy’s suggestion tho matter was left over until the absent oounty members had had an opportunity to have a voioe in the matter,

The following letter was read from Frederick Bie, dated August 30: 11 Some seven or eight weeks ago yesterday I oame down from the Coast suffering from extma in the arm, and was told to apply to Dr Morrison for an order for admittance to

the Hospital. Dr Morrison asked to see my arm, and gave me tho neoessary order, and though I did not go to him for advioa, charged me 7s 6i for the order. I was four weeks in the Hospital, and paid the oharges for being there. Having been told by a committeeman that I should not have been liable to Dr Morrison for payment of bis order of admittance, ss he is the Hospital Dootor, I would respeotfuiiy ask tho Trustees if tho amount should be refunded to me."

Dr Morrison was asked to explain. He said that it was an ordinary oaso in whioh he had charged for consultation, not for the order, as tbo writer eaid, The man bad come to him at his private house, and

after examination had asked for an order to the Hospital, whioh he had given, as could have been givon by any other dootor. He (the Doctor) had simply onarged for the consultation, as would have been done by any other doctor. The Chairman and Trustees considered tho ixplaualion satisfactory, and it was decided to reply that the writer was mistaken in supposing that a oharge had been mads for the order.