TOBACCO RATION

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 105, 20 May 1937, Page 3

TOBACCO RATION

Our Own Correspondent)

WELLINGTON DISTRICT PATIENTS AT PUREORA

(From

WAIPUKURAU, This Day. Pukeora, Sanatorium patients who come from the Wellington Hospital Board 's district are to receive^ a tobaeco ration. The expense of this will be borne by the Wellington Board, which has asked the Waipawa Hospital Board, the controllers of the sanatorium, to . give favourable con'sideration to any other Hospital BoaTd which desires their patients to have tobacco, on the aame payment principle. The Waipawa Board considered yesterday a report on the matter from its finance committee, and decided to allow the sanatorium 's medical superintendent, Dr. P. C. Anderson, to make the necessary arrangements with the Wellington Board. It was made clear that the Waipawa Board did not have jurisdiction to instruct the Sanatorium 's canteen to provide the tohaeco, as the canteen was a private concern. The necessary arrangements as to where the tobacco is to come from is for the Wellington Board to finalise, acting in conjunction with Dr. Anderson. "The Wellington Board has asked us to approve of the seheme and ' to charge the Wellington board with the cost of the tobacco provided, on condition that a reeeipt is obtained from every patient participating," said the Waipawa Board 's chairman, Mr W. H. Bathbone, at yesterday 's meeting.' Dr. Anderson pointed out that if the patients were given tobacco from the canteen, then the canteen — and not the Waipawa Board — would receive any profits. "I suggest that the Wellington Board make an application to the canteen, in which case the matter would not be an official one for this board," said the managing-secretary, Mr P. R, Smyrk. Mr Bathbone said that if this idea becamq more general, there might possibly be. some disturbing features, because the various boards would naturally want to bny the tobaccc at the lowest price possible and. the canteen would not be likely to make mueh profit fro.m saies. - Mr T..P. Hunter: This looks as if the Wellington patients' fees are going up. That's all it amounts to. Mr Smyrk: Yes. I think mysolt that this schemo is a little premattire. He pointed out that the canteen was not controlled by the board, but wais a private concern. "But I suggest that this board agree to the idea in principle, and leave it to Dr. Anderson to take up the matter up with the Wellington Board," he added. . The board adopted a resolution along tbe lines suggested by Mr Smyrk.