HOSPITAL AND CHARITABLE AID BOARD.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1705, 7 August 1879, Page 2

HOSPITAL AND CHARITABLE AID BOARD.

The usual meeting of the Hospital and Charitable Beard was held yesterday afternoon at four o'clock. Present —Mr Booth (elected to the chair), Mr Ick, and Dr Turnbull.

The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed, after which Mr Booth moved —“ That this Board desires to express to Mr Montgomery its sincere sympathy and condolence under his recent painful bereavement.” Seconded by Mr Ick and carried. The Hospital committee reported as follows : That they met at the Hospital and considered the question of increasing the salary of Mr Brown, and decided to refer the matter to the Board. It was resolved to recommend the Board to grant a salary at the rate of .£1 per week to Mr Hawkes, the assistant dispenser. It was decided to order a table on which to have a shade cupboard for the microscope, and Mr Fridgeon was instructed to obtain an estimate of the cost of same. Directions were given to the acting house surgeon and the steward to economise the consumption of gas by having it lowered in the passages and wards at night. With reference to Mr R. Brown's salary, a recommendation in support from the staff was read.

The Chairman said the committee were under the impression that Mr Brown was only getting £SO a year, but it appeared he was getting £BO, and it was thought advisable that the responsibility of raising his salary should be loft to the Board.

The Mayor of Christchurch thought the salary might be increased to £IOO, considering that the applicant had been eight years in the service of the Board.

Dr. Turnbull said Mr Brown was a really excellent servant, being a capital dresser, and generally a very experienced man. On the motion of Mr let, it waa resolved —“ That Mr Brown’s salary be £IOO a year.” .Resolved—“ That a salary of £1 a week be given to Mr Hawkes, to bo paid monthly, the engagement to be terminable on a month’s notice on either side.”

The report was then adopted. The following report was then read : The hospital committee beg to report that since the date of the last meeting of the Board 33 patients hare been admitted to the hospital, and 24 discharged, leaving SO patients at present in the hospital. Tho number of deaths during the past fortnight have been three. The committee find that tho fees charged for burial in tho Roman Catholic cemetery are higher than any other, and the committee recommend that inquiries should he made into tho circumstances. The acting house surgeon having reported that one of the probationers had returned to the hospital on Sunday evening last, suffering from the effects of drink, the committee ordered her instantly to be discharged. The committee have given directions to have the kitchen garden properly attended to. Mr Ick referred to a statement that had been made as to the institutions under tho Board being supplied with mutton only in the shape of meat. He thought however nutritious mutton might be, it was undesirable to have such a sameness of food.

Mr Watts, house steward, reported that during the?past week, the supply of meat had been 250 lbs. of beef, with 911 lbs. of beef for purposes of making gravy. The mutton supplied amounted to 2724 lbs. The patients were given beef steaks and fish when ordered such diet by tho staff. The house surgeon being called before the Board, remarked that there was a large consumption of beef tea in the hospital. The scale of provisions used was also laid upon the table, and tho discussion then dropped. With reference to the cost of the table cupboard mentioned in the report, Mr Pridgeon said ho had not yet been able to obtain an estimate.

. The Chairman reported that a catalogue of ■• the Hospital library books had been prepared, ■ and it was resolved that the books be _re- ■ moved to another room, the old room being 'required for other purposes. A return of the patients in the Orphan Asylum was read. Dr. Turnbull suggested that the medical officer of the Asylum be requested to prepare : a quarterly report on the health of the children, together with a statement as to the rgoneral sanitary condition of the Asylum. The suggestion was put in the form of a resolution and carried.

This concluded the ordinary business, and the Board went into committee.