HOSPITAL AND CHARITABLE AID BOARD.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2484, 23 March 1882, Page 3

HOSPITAL AND CHARITABLE AID BOARD.

The ordinary meeting of this Board was held on Wednesday last. Present —Messrs H. Thomson (chairman), E. C. J. Stevens, J. G. Hawkes, the Mayor of Lyttelton, the Mayor of Oaristchurch, the Mayor of Sydenham, and Dr. Prins. The Chairman said that a discussion had taken place at the last meeting relative to the appointment of the old members of the Board. He might say that the Board had been called into existence four years ago by the aotion of the Government in trying to put the cost of the CVari table Aid and Hospital on to the oity. The City Oonncil deolined to do this, and he, as Mayor, had stated that he was willing to take a share of the work until the Legislature made a ohange. The Board comprised Mr Montgomery, Mr Booth, the Mayor of Sydenham, and the Host. John Hall, with himself. Mr Hall deolined to act, and at their first meeting they recommended the appointment of Dr. Turnbull as a member of the Board, baoause he was the chairman of a body having the management of the Hospital, and not as chairman of the staff. He might point out that though no doubt he had taken the steps he had as Mayor, he was gazetted as Henry Thomson. So also was the Mayor of Sydenham as George Booth, and he oontinued to act on the Board after he had completed his term of office. As time went on, the Mayors of Christohuroh and Lyttelton were also added to the Board. He had thought it necessary to make this statement, because some slight misunderstanding appeared to exist on the subject. The report of the hospital committee was read as follows :

The hospital committee has the honor to report that during the fortnight ending March 18th, twenty-three patients were admitted into the hospital, and twenty-five discharged, leaving sixty-five patients in the institution. During the same period four deaths occurred. For the corresponding period last year, eighty patients were in the hospital. With reference to the erection of a new kitchen and servants' hall, the committee requested the house surgeon and house steward to furnish them with a report, pointing out any special reasons which exist for this expenditure. These reports are attached, and the committee would recommend that application be made to the Government to have the work carried out. Mr Hawkes said he had made a number of enquiries into this matter, and he was of opinion that if the work was carried out it would oonduce to the economical working of the establishment. There was a dilapidated range of buildings now existing whioh should be swept away at once. The cost of the building shown on the plans would be about £IOOO, and he felt sure if the Government granted them the money, the establishment would mot only be benefited, but they would be enabled to work it still more economically. He would therefore move—" That the Colonial Secretary be written to, forwarding the plans of the proposed new offices, with the reports of the house surgeon and house steward pointing out the urgenoy of the necessity for carrying out the work, and asking that the Government would authorise the work being at once put in hand." Dr. Prins seoonded the motion, whioh was carried.

A report from the house steward was read, recommending that the woodwork of the old portion of the institution be painted at once, it a during the winter weather the dampness soaked through on to the walls and into tho beds of the patients. The hospital oommittee reported upon the matter, that the work as recommended by tho house steward was a neoessary one, and should at once be done. The Mayor of Lyttelton asked how muoh the work would cost* Mr Hawkes said about £l5O.

Mr Stevens suggested that an estimate should be brought up at the next meeting, and he would move—" Thot the chairman request that an offioer of the Publio Works Department make an examination of the institution, with a view to submitting a report to the Board at an early date upon the necessity of repairing and repainting the woodwork and walls of the institution, together with an estimate of the cost."

The Mayor of Sydenham seconded the motion, which was carried. A letter was read from the house steward, reoommending that in view of the approaching pressure on the pipes owing to the gas being supplied to the Exhibition their meters should be fitted with patent governors which would effeot a considerable saving in their gas bills.

Mr Hawkes supported this recommendation. The supply of gas to the Exhibition would cause a great amount of pressure on their pipes, which would result in a very large amount of gas passing throngh the meter, which they could not use. Mr Stevens asked what the cost of gas was per annum for the Hospital ? Mr March replied that it amounted to £205. Mr Stevens said he was certain that this reoommendation was a good one, and he should move its adoption. The Mayor of Sydenham seconded the motion, whioh was agreed to. A letter was read from Mr Bell, as secretary of the destitute patients' relief fund committee, forwarding a resolution passed at a meeting that a fanoy dress or calico ball should be held during the Exhibition season in aid of the funds. Mr Stevens was afraid that a ball would pot be very profitable. He was far more inclined to see the adoption of a suggestion made in one of the local papers, that a fanoy fair should be held in the Exhibition building, if Messrs Twopeny and Joubert would grant the use of it. A large number of ladies would work for such an objeot, and_ he thought a very goodly sum of money might be got. Dr. Prins said that Dr. Frankish, who had taken a great interest in the matter, had stated that the affair would be a success pecuniarily. After some discussion it was agreed that the Board will do their best to forward the objeot in view. A letter was read from the Education Department, forwarding tho following report by the Inspector-General on the Orphanage at Lyttelton: — Accompanied by Mr March, secretary to the Charitable Aid Board, I paid a visit to Lyttelton Orphanage on the 27th ultimo. The state of the institution with regard to cleanliness, order, discipline, diet, and clothing appears to be quite satisfactory, the only exception being that the efforts made during the year to exterminate insects infesting the dormitories have been only partially successful. The arrangements for the instruction of the children are, in my opinion, very defective. The reading throughout ths school is certainly much better than it was a year ago, and the boys' school is, I think, improved in most respects. But on the whole the children, and especially the girls, are not making such good progress as they probably would if they were sent to the Lyttelton public school. The elder girls show a lamentable ignorance of the most elementary principles of arithmetic. Power is wasted in maintaining two separate schools for boys and girls. The master of the institution teaches all the boys, assisted by a monitor, the assistant master (a former inmate) being now too ill to work ; and a mistress teaches all the girls. They could be better classified and more economica'ly taught if they were divided according to attainments, instead of according to sex. But it would be still more to the children's advantage to Bend them to the public school, where they could be clissified more carefully, and would have the benefit of intercourse with children not in the institution. At least, this course might be ■ adoptod with all except those that are too young or too backward to enter a class preparing for the first standard. Perhaps it would not ba too much to expect the master to teach them up to the point at which they could enter Buch a class. :No other teacher would then be needed. I 1 would recommend that all who W6re old enough to go out to school Bhould go, were it not that every child thus sent to school would under the .tidncation Act cost the Education Department £3 15s a yoar. The course that I propose would not be bo expensive, aB probably not more than 40 or 50 would be sent. Mr Roßtell will shortly examine the school more minutely than I did. I shall, however, be very much surprised if his report does not disclose defectß that would justify stronger terms than I have used. (Signed) War. Jas. Habens. 21st November, 1581.

At the request of the Mayor of Sydenham, Mr Restell's report on the Orphanage School was road. The report was dated on the 6th January, 1882. The Mayor of Sydenham moved—" That the reports be remitted to the orphanage committee, in order thai they may consider the advisableness or otherwise of the ohildren going to the public school." Mr Stevens submitted that it would be muoh better to have another examination, as the reports of the Inspector-General and the late inspector of sohools differed widely, though only six weeks had intervened between They had to oonsider the condition of the sohool, whioh they were not able to ascertain from the conflicting nature of the reports.

The Major of Lyttelton seconded the motion of the Mayor of Sydenham. _ The Chairman thought there was no necessity for the examination, ai the report of tho Inspector General was not eo bad when read by the light of Mr Hestell's report. The motion of tho Mayor of Sydenham was then put and carried. The report respecting Akfroa hospital and casual ward at Lyttelton was read, stating that there was one patient in each institution.

An application to receive two children into the Orphanage wag declined. The report from the Ashburton Home was read, stating that there were thirty-two inmates in the institution, and two had been received since last meeting. After the transaction of some charitable aid business the Board adjourded.