HOSPITAL CONTROL

Hokitika Guardian, 9 August 1932, Page 2

HOSPITAL CONTROL

THE WESTLAND BOARD

TRIBUTE TO LAtE MB BREEZE

The Westland Hospital Board met last 'evening when there were present Messrs T/. Jeffries, G. Davidson, E. W; Keenan, W. A. Jamieson, W. H. Evenden, R. Meharry, M. Keenan,. H. Wells and T. W. Duff. An apology was received from the )Bev. Mr Knights. The Borough Council wrote advising that the Rev. H. J. W. Knights had bee.i% appointed to fill the vacancy caused by the recent death of Mr J.' J. Breeze, the late chairman.

On the motion of Messrs Keenan and Wells, Mr Jeffries was elected -chairman for, the ensuing , term. Mr Jeffries said that he accepted the position with a certain amount of diffidence, but he knew h e would have bhia support of all the members. He hoped that he would be able in gome degree to follow in the footsteps of their late chairman,/ Mr Davidson congratulated Mr Jeffries on his appointment. He said that he had proposed moving that there be no honorarum attached to the chairmanship, and h. e knew that Mr Jeffries would understand the motive behind his proposal, namely the state of the fcr.nces.

His congratulations were endorsed iby other members, Mr Keenan moving that the honorarum be still attached to the position. Mr Heenan supported the propose!.

Mr Duff [was of the same opinion as Mr Davidson, saying that this position should be one of honour. , Mr Jeffries said he did not want tiie matter, to go to a division. The question was not one .that worried' him, and •he suggested that the matter be left te the end of the year, this being agreed to.

The chairman said: “Since We last Dissembled at this table the hand of death has touched one of our .number and there has been called to hia long home our late respected and honoured Chairman, John Jerome Breeze. It might not be out of place if .some s’ight Terrence be my.de to the long and faithful association of Mr Breeze with the work and rptfocrrosw of this Board covering a period of over 50 veer,?. On March 17. 1882 Mr Breeze, a young man 27 years of age, was elected as a trustee t >s assist in the management of the Hospital as fihen constituted, and continuously till his death h f , devoted

his time, energy, and love to the welfare of thy institution. He. Watched its. progress as .a yoiitti t>U the call ■came to him to take a personal share in its future management, and he saw rise up in our midst a refuge for the aged sick' and suffering that hag few c°mpeers in this Dorn intern, and which has aneettUfed many a lonely aching heart in time of distress and pain. , When governmental restrictions were relaxed some years ago, and boards were, permitted to embark on larger and more up-to-date hospital buildings, our late chairman, tilive to the opportunity to secure for his fellow citizens all that surgical and medicitl science could give, isaw provision made for (the extension, With, the generous assistance from those whose, names are identified by the Wards in qiS’stion. First, the Ed's Ward, followed by the Malison Ward, and Miau.dj, Ward,.,, and later the C}ld People’s j pome. He was also instrumental in the acquieltioh of the X-ray apparatus for the hospital. lhes e additions gave joy to the heart of the man iahasis loss we mourn and honest pride.. to the people of We-tland that it was no ionger a necessity to send to other institutions for treatment of our patients. With the : r welfare he was no dess ardVat, displaying at all times a kindly interest in their condition and progress, lie would walk the Wards lelisUeilng, his sympathy to those who werg iii. need; encouraging those who Wcfe despondent, find to all,a wUrd of etper ’that buoyed up a ltd sustained many a tired uoui ; * “It wag iiiy privilege iind pieilsui'e to bo ill close touch with our late chairman during hi« Wcfint illnegg find there exuded from, his being tha noblest sent!, merits that ohe could wish. Full of gratitude, for. the long life he had been permitted ~to; live, h 6 had no regrets as to the past; Solicitous for those who had been unfortunate.in the prevailing depression, ho held a sincere belief that i. rovidence, wou.d right ail in God's good tim'e. Devoid of outward manifestation, , his was a deeply religous nature; withal .the most tolerant of men, respectful of the opinion of others and sensible to, forgiveness and forgetting.

“Opportunity did not come his way ir, youth to purSue an academic training, but can ue truly said he was a ee.f taught and read man, making full use iOf the scanty means at hit disposal to ieffpet improvement in knowledge. A Wonderful reader, few of the standard (authors were unknown ,o ihim and his \ retentive memory enabled him to quote '•ad-jib passages from these as well, as the Good Book. His earlier youth under mpre favoured circumstances would have fo,und Mr John Jerome Breeze in later life in the forefront of our educational .liajls, His activities in other walks of -local government I leave to. abler hands. He has. passed to liie reward honoured, respected and loved by all. I repeat 1 that his .life should be an inspiration to every youfig man in the community, never irt the history of -the Dominion j were men of his type marie needed; His 'Career can be immortalized in dtie line j from 'Shakespeare. . > ‘

“After, life’s fitful fever hie sleeps well.” It was decided that a letter of sympathy he went to the late Mr BrceauV family, and that the Board’s appreciation of his untiring service over 50 years be placed on record,

Tljfe motion was carried, members standing in silence. ( The Chairman’s remarks were ’ endorsed by Messrs Duff, Davidson and Evenden.

'inward correspondence. Dr. M. H. Watt, .Director General of Health, wrote, saying that lie had visited Kumara, and recommended that the Board might discontinue, the subsidy to maintain a doctor at Kumar a, owing to its proximity to Hokitika and Greymouth. The Kum-ara Town Clerk wrote pointing out that owing to the Council’s financial position, it was unable to accede to the Board’s request regarding voluntary contributions.

Mr Evenden said the Committee was just as hard up as the Board, and he suggested the Board write to l the Kumara Council explaining the position, this being agreed to. Tho secretary: said' the expenditure' on Kumara l'ast year was £365. Voluntary contributions amounted to £135, the Government subsidy being the same, but the subsidy was now wiped out. The’Board also found £95.

The chairman said that the Board was asked to pay £235 this year towards salary at Kumara, but it wa& unable to do so. He said that the Board would be prepared to pay £95 again this year, provision having been made in the estimates.

Mr Heenan thought that this offer was quite good, eonsiderinog the time®. The Department wrote confirming the appointment of Miss Anderson as Mation of the Westland Hospital. Mr Duff was appointed to represent the interests of the Board on the local Unemployment Committee. 1 The Hospital Boards Association advised that the president had received no satisfaction from the Unemployment Board regarding the decisions of the annua,] ,;eoaferencie'. Thj& Assocm-’ lion urged tliat Boards should decline to engage able-bodied unemployed men, as this was the Boards’ work. ■ Notification was given of alterations in the training of pupil nurses in midiwifery. Included in the circular letter .was a list of books necessary for training. It was stated that -a request had already been made, for two books which were necessary. It was decided that the sum of £5 be voted for the purchase of hooks, the choice being, loft to the doctor and matron.

Tho Jubilee Institute for Lkc Blind wrote, offering to ~ supply office requisitesg’ihade) by the inmates, and it was decided- that necessary articles be purchased Tfrfiin the Institute. The Uneinpiloyment Committee advised that a request had been received

from men engaged at tlrt Hospital requesting that half an hour travelling time be allowed. The Board was asked for its opinion. Members were of the opinion that full time should be worked a.nd no action was taken. The chairman of the house committee (Mr Davidson), said that tire half hour had been allow'd. :

Dr. Tichehnann, wrote requesting the Board to reconsider its decision regarding reduction in fees at the end of September 30. The letter was received.

Captain Abbott, of the S-alvat on Army, wrote offering to give another cotlC.i't at the hospital. The letter was f.ooived, 'appreciation, being expressed at ill© liut visit to the Hospital. Tire Itos.i Borough Council Wlote forwarding: its levy. Ttegarding outstanding payments by residents of the district, the Council requested partifcuhirs* of tho amount concerned, that all effort might be made to pay, at least a part. The letter was received with cordial appreciation. Til© fees committee reported that it met on July 25t11., when a complete schedule of the results of sununosiSofe issued for the recovery of fees was received f showing (39 summonses had boon issued, nineteen of which were paid into Court, twenty-one coses making partial payment, and arranging to pay ids fifid £i pet Iriontli. Twelve judgIheiits Were Obtained by default, find seventeen of the sttinfndnsek Wel’e adjottrnted. or deficient service, the total I’eflult in cash recoveries through SotoinOnses being £227 10s od. The committee then revised the schedule of outstanding accounts and recommended that a further seven judgment summonses be issued asking the Court for a monthly payment. ( Also that twenty-three debtors be. sued for amounts owing. Several were asked to give P.Ns. for amounts over ten pounds, while 132 other debtors are being appealed to dry letters, and all outstanding accounts had been rendered. The amount of the outstanding 'accounts at this date was £2746 2s 3d for hospital maintenance and £914 lfis 3d for treatment in the sanatorium. The comniite’c opened tenders for carting and recommended the acceptance by the Board of P. Coyle’,s tender for coal, Mrs B. Coyle’s tender 1 for gravel, sane ai?d timber, and J. Cameron’s tender for parcels, they being the lowest in each ease. Mr Heenan said that there Were several people on the Board’s books, who were in regular employment. ,

The chairman said that the next nine months would entail a considerable "amount of effort in securing payments of outstanding fees. The public might think the Board was but they had to. be fair to the contributing bodies, and they had been forced to take the strips they had. As Mr Hainan had said, there were some who could pay, but who l made *no effort to do so. He wfi'a Sure the fees bomntittefe was acting ift the interests of tlie hospital as well 'as the ratepayers. The committee's report Was adopted, A request from Matahvui was ere* ceived regarding the maintenance of n medical practice. It was stated that tho position was tlie same as that at Kumara, and decided that a reply be sent, fully explaining tlie position.

The chairman said that at the most', the Board could not pay more than £lO2 ( the sum they were now drawing, find it wais decided to advise them to this effect. • '

Mr Duff thought the time would com© when more attention would have to he paid to South Westland. The Surgeon Superintendent reported as follows:—-Patients remaining in hospital June 30, 20 males, 12 females, total 32; admitted during July, 18, 6 ( 24; total treated, 38, 18, 56; discharged cured, 16, 6, 22; died, one male; total dhcliarged, 16, 10, 26; remaining July 31, 19, 11, 30; treatment received for two months or upward 8, 15, 23.