THE HOSPITAL BOARD AND THE OLD PEOPLES HOME.

Hokitika Guardian, 25 July 1922, Page 4

THE HOSPITAL BOARD AND THE OLD PEOPLES HOME.

(To the Editor). Sir, —May I through your paper make a few remarks oil this subject, as nil independent observer who has fieqiient opportunities of seeing the working of the Home? Anything said coileeriiing the Board is not meant foi hostile criticism, but with the purpose of furthering, if it may be, the work being done. The management of the Home at lvumara is passing into new hands, and the Board have taken the opportunity for effecting two economies; first, by reducing the salary of the Master from £230 to £IBO, and next by letting the new .Master do the work with a staff of six instead of eight. The question first arises, “Does the Hospital Board exist for running insti-\ tutioiis on the most economical scale, or for the well-being of the people under its care?” Some time ago the Mental Hospital here was run on the former of these ideas. It was an institution —most economically run with what results? The whole of New Zealand knows, and it is taking thousands of pounds to repair that “economy, and with what evil effects on the pa't ion Is Heaven knows. [t seems unfair to seize the opportunity with new management of the Home to reduce the staff. Surely the Master and Matron are the ones to say what staff is necessary, and it will ho remembered how, a year or so a ,, 0 when there was a similar attempt on the part of the Board, those members who visited the Kumara Home and saw the state of affairs, came away without making any reduction m the staff. In larger towns, there are women representatives in the Hoard. We need them here too. It is excellent to have business men to care for the finances, but no mere man has the ability which a woman lias in the matter of housekeeping or arranging details as to stalls. Originally “economy” meant (tie “ordering of a household,” and doubtless the mistress of the house had a large share in it. Again there is needed n nurse nt Kumara to attend the old men who are bed-ridden. They need very much attention, day and night, and it is unfair to expec t tbo Master and Matron with their bttr.v day to he on night duty as well. In Christchurch, nurses are sent front the l’tthlie Hospital to the Ashburton Old Men’s Home or to the Jubilee Home for a space of three months or so and then others take their place. If such were done bore, (ben too, perhaps, the old men now occupying half the space in the men’s ward of the Westland Hospital, could he moved to Kumara, and space needed here could he had while one nurse could help to attend to them at Kumara. Thanking yon. Sir, for the opportunity of expressing these ideas, f am etc.. A. C. IM RCIIAS.