HOSPITAL BOARD

Hokitika Guardian, 13 December 1932, Page 3

HOSPITAL BOARD

WESTLAND MONTHLY MEETING

The Westland Hospital Board met last even.ng who.i, there were present •Messrs W- Jeffries (chairman), G. Ei.v.chon, R.. Meharry, W. Jamieson, W; H. 'Evenden, H. Well?, T. W. Duff, and the Rev. H. J. W. Knights. An apology was received from Mr E. IV. Heenan.

Tue minutes of the previous meetings were l re-rd and confirmed. Mr Evenden thanked the Board for the manner in which they had met the, situation regarding the medical service at Kumara.

i Tlife" dhairmkiV," referring to the- D’eptirtimew: V ; acknriivlcldgment of the half yearly statement;"Said that it was urgent that they should guard ti.e finances of the Board, and end the year within the prescribed figure. A. curcular letter was received regarding ma; ernit-v treatment for indigent cases. The chairman said that the Government had been compelled to «ut down the Board’s revenue, hut no provision had leen made for cases of this nature. The fact was outstanding that some of the people desiring such attention were in a position to pay in the past- but to-day the Board m’ght he call' don to assist, - meaning increased cost to the Board. Oh the face of it, lie- could not see the Board balancing its budget if it w’ere called on .to meet the- suggestions' outlined by Dr. Watt in the letter.

These remarkswere confirmed by Mr Duff iwliq.; said they must endeavour, to carry on the maternity home with the present staff in as economic manner as was possible. Mr Davidson said that the Government was faced with the quefit : on of finance at present, hut the burden to a great extent had been placed on the public bodies, which meant that the rateoaver was- being called upon to pay more than lie had ever bargained for.

Mr Jamieson said that the Board might' receive indirect aid later seeing that ’it had 'this extra responsibility put on it. The chairman snjd that if they were to he Risked to meet increased expenditure there was nothing surer than that !the Board would be unable to fink-lb. the year within its figure.

It was decided that the attention of the Minister of Health he drawn to this vital question.

A re-novt upon the visit of inspection by Nunse Moore to the Westland Hospital was received, wherein i-ifveral recommendations were made. It was decided that effect be given to two of these provided the necessary finance was forthcoming from the D,..partme"t. Other matters were referred to the Matron.

Proposed 'amendments f.o the Ftospitals and Charitable-. Institutions Act were contained .in a letter from the E-ay of Islands. Hrcypitd Borivd which sought Isupport thereof.—Received. '

Special leave wais granted Nurse Hark cess to undergo a ~ course of special- training all; .the Christchurch Hospital. The Grey-mouth Board! advised that if other Boards wore agreeable concerted action would lie taken to- recover the feca owing by the Timber Workers’Union.

It was is'tp.tcd that the sum of £142 was owing the Westland Board. The charmon said he was not easting. reflection on the men hut there lvfd been a- great breach of faith. It was decided, that the matter he left in the hands of 'the Grey Board. It wr,s reported'that no application had been received for the position of doctor iti 'South Westland. It was decided that a tetter he sent to Dr. Watt asking if he coul;l suggest a suitable man for the position. Further that the Matninui people, he advised of the position.

The secretary of the local TTnemplovme'it Committee advised that the formation of a footbath from Cemetery Hill to the Hospital was still under consideration.

A large amount of further correspondence dealing with minor business was received and dealt with.

The transfer of 19 perches of the Board’s cottage hosn’tal site at Waiho to the Public Works Department for road formation _ purposes wars authorised.

The balance sheet was received hack from the Audit Department without “tag.”, ’ . The chairman said that the position reflected great credit that no tag lvad been attached. The balance sheet was adopted. The surgeon superintendent reported ns follows : —flUm"injng in ha-pital November 1. 17 males, 2D females, total 37; admitted during November, 15, 17, 32; treated 32,. 37, 09; discharged enro l 13j .22, ,35; relieved 3 females; d : ‘sd, 2 ; men'; ■discharged', 15, 15,-30; total in institution on December urer reported that recoin 4 <s ’ for ti e oeried amou p ted to £985 19s sd, and 1 ], 17, 22, 39. Accounts amounting to £3lO 8s 6d were prs-ed. for iv>.vwe’it. The treasexpeiiditure to £753 7s 7d. The action of the chairman in appointing Nurse Healey to the staff at the Westland Hospital in view of the forthcoming departure of other members of the staff, wai-i confirmed. A hearty vote of thanks was no-rm-led th re-', young Ikivs, the Forbes brothers, of Kanieri, for donations to th.' 80-'ird. Tl'-c fees committee .reported that a complete scrnU-'V had leu made of .‘lie whole of the. accounts owing for mnintenence and panit-'-riuin fees, and it. recommenced l that legal proceedings lie taken for recovery of fees against 31 debtors. Notice to isue in

14 days had been scut out to. 47 debtors, and 30 letters wore sb..t out lcquos' ing. payment at o.iee. Tlie committee further recommended the purchase of linen ware as required by the Matron.

The chaitfnian said that this would be tile last meeting of members for the calendar year, and he wished to thank them for the support they had given him a,s chairman. It had been a difficult year of which one Had sad i soo Jecaons. They had lost their beloved chairma'h, the late Mr J. J. Breeze, ana' his place' would be extremely difficult to fill. Regarding the Waiho cottage hospital, he said that he had inspected it and found it to be in excel out order. He recommended that th e , horse ambulance, wmch was decaying and was now unnecessary be disposed of. The chairman extended seasonal greetings to meni'm? of the Board and staff, and the Westland Hospital staff.

Messrs Davidson and Jamieson replWlii Regarding the Board’s financial position the chairman impres cd on members the urgent necessity for rigid •ri o o‘’ l omv. ft W'Mis the need for this that had forced the Board to take scrips to secure the payment of outstanding feel-:. The Board had not done Wlrat it had because' ft loved doing it, but hemune it was a necessity, a.nd it had been done with a considerable . amount of unpleaisantijlcss. To any deserving case where an effort had been made to pay, the Board had given every leniency and consideration. “We can’t live on air,” Mr Jeffries concluded.' “We have an obligation 'to perform as the guardian of the ratepayers.”