HOSPITAL AFFAIRS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 18, 14 October 1937, Page 12

HOSPITAL AFFAIRS

Our Own Correspondent.)

WAIPAWA BOARD MEETS

(From

WAIPUKURAU, Last Night. Apart from the monthly reports and some minor mattere arising out of the correspondence. there was very littlo in the way of business to ocoupy members of the Waipawa Hospital Board at the monthly meeting this morning. Thero were present the chairman Mr W. H. Rathbone, and Messrs T. P. Hunter, G. Warren, N. G. Hawthorn, C. Thomson, W. Matthews, D. Eddy, L. Glenny, D. W. Neild, Drs. W. B. Fisher and P. C. Anderson and the managing-eecre-tary, Mr P. R. Smyrk, were also iu attendance. A leffer from the'Prime Minister conveyed his thanks to the board for asssistance rendered in connection with his appeal for contributions to the King George V. Memorial Fund. — Received. The secretary-manager of the Central Hawke's Bay Power Board wrote asking for permission to use the boardroom for meetings during alterations to the power board 's buildings. — The secretary stated that the permission had been granted by the chairman, and this action was confirmod. Thc Director-General of Health wrote

advisiug that he hoped shortly to be p,ble to advise a definite cfate for a visit by the director, jlivision of hospitals, in connection with building matters. — Received. The director-general in another lettei tDtimated that arrangements had been made with the New Zealand braneh of the Royal Australian College of Surgeons for selected members to examine and report on the surgical work done in public hospitals. These men had . been appointed sub-inspectors under the Act. — It was explained that the examination would probably apply more to the facilities for surgical work, and it was decided that the letter be passed on to the medica! superintendent of the district hospital, who will be asked to give any necessary information when the visit takes place. Sectiou 92 cf the Act. The letter from thc Palmerston North Hospital Board sought support in insuring that Section 92 of the Hospital Boards Act be not repealed. This section provides that, if a person has not lived six months in a district, then the district in which he previously resided fOr 12 months is liable for him, and the managing-secretary of the Palmerston North Board stated in his letter that his board felt that, if the proposal to have the section repealed was proceeded with, sttong representations should be made to the Minister to proteot the districts situated in a similar position to their own. Whether or not the Waipawa Board opposed the repeal of the section, the Palmerston North Board asked for support in ensuring that an obvious injustice was not done. Copies of letters sent to the Minister of Health and to the Hospital Board? ' Association were enclosed. In the letter sent to tho Minister, the board pointed out that it was felt necessary to draw attention to the considerable injustice that would' result if the section wero repealed unless some equivalent grant were made. It was estimated that, in such an event, the Palmerston North Board 's losses would approach £1000. The fact that Palmerston North, being a railway centre, had a large moving population, would be . a factor in this. It was feared that the majority decision of the association 's conference in favour of repeal might be misinterpreted, and the board thought it reasonable to point out that only a few of tho boards who voted in favour of the resolution at the conference would benefit financially by the repeal of the section, and consequently the question as to whether the repeal would be iu the best interests of all boards «$ould hardly be decided by reference to the conference resolution. Further, it was stated, the Board istrongly resented the question of grants to base hospitals being intro'duced in relation to section 92. The Palmerston North Board was definitely of the opinion that the large majority of boards would not agree to such grants to only f'our institutions. Iu his letter to the association, Mr Phillips pointed out that obviously, if grants were to be made available, it would be reasonable to expeet that they should be on the basis of losses suffered by the repeal of section 92. "I think I can sai'ely say that this board is one hundred per cent in agreement," commented the chairman. "Having the sanatorium and the hospital in the same area, we gCfc iots of people herfc who have relations as inpatients at the sanatorium. These people are quite often 'contacts,' and some are admitted to the sanatorium themselves. Certainly, the Hospital Boards Association conference approved the repeal of section 92, but I still feel perfectly certain it is not in oui interests to have it repealed. " Mr D. W. Neild thereupon moved * ' That the letter- from the Palmerston North Hospital Board be received, and that the Minister of Health and the Hospital Boards Association be advised that this board entirely associates itself with the representations made by the Palmerston North Board against the repeal of section 92 of tho Act and the proposed grants to base hospitals, and • hat the co-operation of the East Coast representativo on the association be sought in tho matter." The motion, scconded by Mr N. G. Hawthorn, was carried withoi^i further diacusaion,