THAMES HOSPITAL BOARD

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 4925, 13 January 1926, Page 4

THAMES HOSPITAL BOARD

MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meeting of the Thames Hospital and Charitable Aid Board was held at Thames on Monday, the chairman (Mr W. E. Hale) presiding over the following: Messrs L W. Dauby, G. Death, P. E. Brenan, W. CKennedy, H. L. Berney, J. Lange, A*. R. Robinson, and the secretary, Mr G. Tonge. HOSPITAL AMALGAMATION.

The Director-General of Health, Wellington, in reply .to the bwd’S' letter relative to the pronosed amalgamation of the Thames and Waihi hospital districts, wrote advisiilg that he hoped to be in Thames during the month, and would then take the opportunity of discussing the matter as suggested by the Thames board.

ISOLATION BUILDINGS.

• The technical inspector, Department of Health, advised that he hoped to forward plans and specifications of the proposed new isolation block and steam laundry towards the end of the month.

CAPITAL EXPENDITURE.

The following letter was received from the Director-General of Health, Wellington, dated December 21 ■ "Apart from the heavy increase in maintenance expenditure, I am very much concerned at the heayy capital expenditure of hospital boards during the past few years, a great deal of which lias to be met by way of loans. The amount to be raised annually by levy and subsidy to meet the cost of capital works is over £200,000, and the maintenance requirements, of boards a,re also swelled by some £50,000 per annum interest on the loans for such works. Moreover, the maintenance requirements of boards are increased by the amount required to main-tain s,uch new institutions o-r extensions-.

“It is considered that, generally speaking, New Zealand is sufficiently served with hospitals, and it is my duty, in view of tlie heavy burden on the ratepayers, to carefully review, eu bloc, all proposed capital expenditure for .the coming year with a view to the Hon. Minister determining which can be abandoned, curtailed, or postponed. For this purpose, I should be glad if your board would, at is February meeting consider its capital proposals, for the year 1926-27, and that immediately .after that meeting you furnish me with a return of such proposals. I|t is essential that I should .be able to inform boards by March 31 of what proposed capital expenditure lias been approved, so that they can consider such when framing estimates in April.”

SANATORIA ACCOMMODATION. The district health office, Auckland, notified that there were 65 vacant beds a,t the Pukeora Sanatorium, 27 at Queen Mary Hospital, and 1 at the Otaki Sanatorium. SUPERANNUATION. The superintendent, National Provident Fund, advised that the contributions, for hospital board employees were due from April 1 next, but service prior to that date must be shown on the schedule provided. The contributions for which the board was responsible depended on the age, service, constitution, and salary status of the employees,. The board could make the necessary deductions from the salaries of its employees. BENEVOLENT LEAGUE]. The Hau-raki Ladies’ Benevolent League forwarded a number of accounts with a request for the board’s usual donation. The sum of £lO was. granted. Mr Danby asked if there was any danger of duplication. The chairman replied that the relieving officer was watching the position very carefully.

Mr Tonge (relieving officer) said tha.t he was consulted before any goods or groceries were purchased. TENDERS FOR WORK.

Two tenders were received for the supply of bedside lockers, one at 36s

each and one at 38s. Tenders were also received for the supply of folding stretchers, one quotation being 26s 6d and one at 27s 6d. The lowest tenders We accepted in each instance. ADMISSIONS TO HOSPITALS. Eight notifications, together With medical certificates, for patients in the Thames board’s district admitted to- the Waihi Hospital were received. Two similar notifications were also forwarded from the Auckland Hospital

Mr Kennedy said that the board did not seem to be getting any further ahead so far as Waihi was concerned. The chairman said .that the board had to. be guided by the doctors in other districts.

Mr Danby said that it was not the patients who were to blame. He thought that the board’s position should be made clear to tire medical practitioners in tire district.

Mr Kennedy moved that the doctors, in the district be circularised requesting them to send all patients witinn the Thames district to the Thames Hospital whenever practicable.

Seconded by Mr Robinson and carried.