THAMES HOSPITAL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5263, 16 April 1928, Page 1

THAMES HOSPITAL.

monthly boabd meeting

ROUTINE BUSINESS.

The monthly meeting of the-Thames Hospitable and charitable Aid Board .was held on Wednesday, the chairman. (Mr W. E. Hale) presiding over Messrs. W. F. Danby, P. E. Brqiran, A. R. Robinson, C. W. Kennedy, E. D'Walton, C. W. Parfitt, C. W. S. Flett, J. Lange,. W. J. Hall, and the secretary (Mr G. Tonge).

RENOVATIONS TO' HOSPITAL. The Directpr-General of Health (Dr. T. H-. A. Valintine) forwarded a. copy of specifications of the proposed renovations to the hospital. Referred to hospital committee-.

The Medical Officer of Health (Dr. H. Chessen) advised that hie was endeavouring to arrange for the appointment of a -district nurse to cover the districts of Thames-, Coromandel, and Mercury Bay. He suggested the provision of a motor-car,' as thet covering of such a large, district by train, horse-, and bicycle wap inconvenient and slow, and apt to strain the nurse’s physical powers.

In the opinion of Mr Danby the letter was a very sympathetic one, and he wondered if the board’s district would be as sympathetic if an appeal was made for a car for the- nurse. It was decidel to -make inquiries of the cost of a motor-car.

In answer 'to Mr Danby the chairman said that the board.’s district took in the whole of the Ohinemuri and Thames electorates, and it would be advisable to ascertain what amount adjacent hospital boards would be prepared) to contribute). ‘ VALUATION FIGURES.

The Valuation Department forwarded. the following figures showing the rateable capital value of the contributing local authorities in the Thames hospital district: Thames borough, £835,751 ; Paeroa borough, £388,330 ; Olhinemuri county, £665,397 ; Thames county, £675,986 ; Hauraki Plains county, £2,139,594. Total, £4,70'5,058. BENEVOLENT LEAGUE. The Hauraki Ladies’ Benevolent League forwarded a number 'of accounts and asked for the usual donation of £lO. COMPLAINT FROM WAIKINO. A Waikino resident for.wardesd a complaint about the “extortionate charges” imposed by the Waihi Hospital Board on patients resident just outside the Borough of 'Waihi, and therefore too far from Thames to conveniently enter the- That es Hospital. . He stated that he 'had been charged £.12 for 20 days,’ treatment, andl had offered £9, but had been advised that the charge for patients from outside the Borough of Waihi was £4 4s weekly, as against £3 3® for residents of Waihi Borough, to which the Waihi hospital district was limited.

The chairman said that other dis'tricts would not take patients without a guarantee of payment from the patient’s own district.

Mr Robinson considered that that did not affect or help the individual. The chairman, explained that both Canterbury and Dunedin had comr plained about thq influx of patients from other hospital districts. It was probably due to the fact that in North Canterbury and Otago there were some excellent sanatoria, which caused patients to come, from outside. Mr Danby advocated the establishment of the previous arrangement, the Thames board to pay Waihi £125 a year and collect all the fees.

■Mr Walton suggested explaining the position to the writei; and that he be asked to submit an offer to the Thames board.

Mr Brenan said lie was not prepared to support the suggestion, since it opened up a dangerous precedent. An outside resident could go to Waihi Hospital and get treated for £3 3s a week. It was not right that residents in the; Thames board’s district should go to Waihi for treatment and the board have to pay the, difference in the account.

It was pointed out by the chairman that the board had passed a resolution notifying the Waihi board that it would not pay for other than urgent cases. The position was that a change of medical superintendents at Wailii recently had led to many Thames district patients going into Waihi. Mr Kennedy said that the position of the two. boards was unique. The Waihi hospital district was only about a mile square, and patients on the ■other sde of Waihi, less than; a mile away, had to come to Thames.

A resolution was parried that a committee comprising the chairman and Messrs Kennedy and Brenan be. set up to approach the W. a 'ihi board o.n the matter of an adjustment of fees.