HOSPITAL AND CHARITABLE AID BOARD.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1436, 23 September 1878, Page 3

HOSPITAL AND CHARITABLE AID BOARD.

The usual weekly meeting of this Board took place at the Hospital at seven o’clock on Saturday evening. Present —The Mayors of Christchurch (in tho chair) and Sydenham, and Dr. Turnbull,

After some discussion, it was resolved to dispense with the services of the gardener of the Hospital. It was stated that a man who had four children in the Orphanage was £6O in arrears, although he had a constant salary of £9 a month and his board and lodging. It was resolved —“ That unless ho paid up promptly, legal steps should be taken for the recovery of the arrears.”

The secretary (Mr March) read the following reports : Christchurch, 19th September, 1878.

Sir, —In a letter which I had the honor to address to you on the 29th ultimo, with the view of comparing the cost of the Christchurch Hospital with that of Dunedin, I gathered from the figures as shown in the hospital books that the average number of patients had been 92 for the six mouths ending 30th June, 1878. As this number was considered excessive, it was found that the only way to arrive at the correct average number would ho by going through the daily diet returns. I have accordingly to report that this has been done, and I now lay before the Board a return giving the number of patients in the hospital each clay during (.the above-named period —the average number is shown as 72. I must, however, point out an important fact, and it is this—the average number of patients according to the daily diet return is 72, but the average number of diets issued was 831.

It appears to have been customary to issue in all cases one diet in excess of each particular scale of diet for the patients in each ward, thus for instance in Ho. 1 ward if 15 patients are on full diet, 16 diets will be issued ; if 4 patients are on broth diet, 5 broth diets will be issued; if 2 patients arc ou milk diet, 3 milk diets will be issued, and so on. The returns which I now place before the Board show that during the six months 'ending 30th June, 15,119 diets were issued, whereas only 13,056 diets were actually ordered. In comparing the cost of this hospital with that of Dunedin, the exact average number of patients can only bo considered, and as that number was 72, the average cost of each patient was 3s 11 |d per day as against 2s 11. id per day at Dunedin. I have the honor to be, sir, Your most obedient servant.' J. E, March. H. Thomson, Esq., Chairman Hospital and Charitable Aid Board. Christchurch, 19th September, 1878. Sir, —I have the honor to lay before the Board returns of receipts and expenditure at the Christchurch Hospital for the year ending 31st December, 1877, and for the half-year ending 30th June, 1878. In comparing the return for the last half-year with the return laid before the Board from the Dunedin Hospital, I find that thetotal expenditure at Dunedin was ,£lllß 12s 9d, and at the Christchurch Hospital £2571 17a lOd, showing a difference of £576 1 la lid. The daily average number of in-patients at the Dunedin Hospital was 118, and at Christchurch 72.

The total number of out-patients at Dunedin for the six months was —males, 1916 ; females, 2010; and at Christchurch, 1300 males, 1300 females (the average being fifty per week of each sex).

The average cost of each patient was—at Dunedin, 2s Hid per day; and at Christchurch, 3s Hid per day. In both cases this includes medicines, Ac., dispensed to out-patients, gaol, lunatic asylum, and charitable institutions. The following return shows the particulars of the expenditure at the different institutions: — ChristDnnedin. church. Difference. £ s. (1. £ s. d, £ s. d. Salaries ... ... 1060 1 0 822 1 4 2lff 10 8 Eatious 885 8 0 020 12 0 35 4 0 Stores 220 2 5 101 Sll 118 13 ff Fuel and light ... 201 1 2 270 12 2 78 11 0 Medicines, instruments, fee. 201 15 7 05 ff 5 100 0 2 Medical comforts 203 3 5 230 17 0 62 5 6 Bedding 10 0 9 Nil 10 0 9 Printing and stationery 23 3 0 4 7 3 18 15 0 Incidental expenses 207 3 7 104 14 ff 102 0 1 Burials 34 5 0 12 7 ff 21 17 ff The repayments atbotli institutions arc almost alike. At Dunedin the amount was .£Bl Os (id, and at Christchurch .£BO ISs : difference, 11s (id. The expenditure ot Christchurch for additions, repairs, and improvements, was as follows: —During year 1877, <£lo2 10s; and for the half-year ending June 30th, 1878, .£4(13 3s 4d. I have the honor to he, sir, Your most obedient servant, J. B. March. H. Thomson, Esq., Chairman Hospital and Charitable Aid Board. It was resolved to send a copy of the hospital return to the Dunedin Hospital. The Chairman stated that during the last few weeks some persons had been going around to different houses and asking for flowers for the Hospital. Had they any authority for doing so ? Mr Pridgeon, acting house surgeon, replied in the negative. The Chairman said that no doubt any flowers sent to the hospital would be very acceptable. Mr Pridgeon said that in season a good deal of fruit and llowers were sent. It was resolved to have contracts for the supply of everything used in the hospital. Mr Pridgeon stated that he bad received a subpoena to attend theR.M. Court on Monday. It was the busiest day of the week, and ho hardly saw how he was going to leave the hospital. The Chairman said that Mr Mcllish had better be communicated with, with a view to the case being called on at a particular time, so that Mr Pridgeon’s evidence could be at once taken, and he could leave, Mr March said he had received letters from several gentlemen who would be applicants for the position of house surgeon. Ono was from Mr Boss, surgeon of the ship Waitangi, which would probably arrive in about a fortnight. Mr Ross was a very good man. In reply to a question from Mr Booth, Mr March said the Bible and prayers were read in the Orphanage and Industrial School every day. He believed these were the only public institutions where such a custom prevailed. After discussing matters connected with the Orphanage, the Board adjourned.