THAMES HOSPITAL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5275, 16 May 1928, Page 1

THAMES HOSPITAL.

MONTHLY BOARD MEETING.

ROUTINE BUSINESS.

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 Messrs J. W. Danby, A. R. Robinson. P. E. Brenan. C. AV. Ken; nedy. E. L. Walton.. C. W. Parfitt, JAV. Lange. C. AV. S. Flett, and G. Tonga. (secretary). ENDOWMENT OF BED.

A letter was received from Messrs Parr, and Blomfield, solicitors. Auckland, advising that by direction of tiic trustees of the estate of the late Thomas Edmund Smith they were to ascertain the annual cost of maintaining a bed at the Thames Hospital. It was the intention of the trustees, to endow a bed, to be called the “Thomas.- Edmund Smith, bed,” in memory of the late Mr T. E. Smith, ot Kaiaua. For the present the trustees, would make an annual payment to cover maintenance, and the firist payment was made forthwith. Later, on the return of Sir James Parr, the, question of, the payment of a capital sum sufficient for the upkeep of a bed would be considered; It" was desired by the trustees, that a suitable plate be affixed to the wall over the bed, carrying the following inscription : “The Thomas Edmund Smith Bed. Endowed in memory of; the late Thomas Edmund Smith, of Kaiaua, J 'n accordance with the directions of hi s will.”

The letted concluded: “We take it that your board will not object to such a plate. We suggest that your board can readily arrange for. the manufacture, and installation of the plate at Thames, and we will, be dieased to pay the cost of same.”

The ehairman said it was very nice to learn that the board was to receive something out of the estate The matter had been held in abeyance for four or five years . It was apparent that there was a fair sum of money coming to the board. It wouijji be appropriate to, erect a &un. verandah, if there was sufficient money avail'" able. It was rather difficult to arrive at the exact cost of, a bed, but the secretary would go into the whole matter. It was resolved to leave the matter in thej hands of the chairman and secretary, and that the solicitors be thanked and advised accordingly, TRANSPORT FOR NURSE. The. medical officer of Health, Auckland, in reply to the board’s-in-quiry asking what portion of the running and maintenance cost of a motor-car for the use of'thp district nurse would the department .contribute, stated that' he regretted that the department was not preiparjed to do anything in. the matter. The position was that the department paid the salary of the. nurse, and it was up- to the board to provide the other expanses. In the absence off. a: car the boarjd would purchase and keep a horse and buggy and provide, a bicycle. A light type of ear at a cost of something like £l6O would do the work more economically and enable the nurse to attend more efficiently to her district. RECIPROCAL ARRANGEMENT. A letter was, received from the Coromandel Hospital Boaijd asking ot the board’ was prepared to renew the reciprocal arrangement ein.ter.ed into for the last two years between, the two boards in regard to the treatment of patients of both districts.

The chairman said that there had been several patients from the Coromandel district treated at Thames during the year, but no fees had been collected. Last year, the board lost £l4O, and this year the amount was £2OO.

The secretary said that he had •interviewed the Coromandel board’s secretary and had learaied that there was small chance of collecting the. fees outstanding, as many of the patients also owed fees to the Corpmandel board. Previous to the reciprocal arrangement being in. force the Coromandel people went to Auckland for operations, wherp they had'to pay a deposit prior to entering the institution.

Mr, Kennedy contended that Coromandel patients- should be taken at reduced rates. The reciprocal arrangement was on all fours with tlie arrangements made with friendly societies.

To Mr. Lange the chaiaiman said that the reciprocal arrangement with Hamilton worked satisfactorily, but Coromandel was a different proposition. '

Mr Branan said that as: soon as the reciprocal arrangement was terminated the better. The fees incurred by Coromandel patients being treated at Thames would be charged direct to the Coromandel board when the agreement was terminated. It was not fair, to Thames district ratepayers that the board should be losing money over patients: -from another board’s district. Finally, on the motion of the chairman. seconded by Mr Brenaiv. it "’aS resolved to> advise Coromandel that the board was not prepared to continue the reciprocal arrangement, but it would be witling to consider any other proposition that board might care to bring forward’. Mr Kennedy said that he did not tliink the board should be too hard, and he did not agree with the resolutions RESIGNATION. OF NURSES. Sister, M. V. Bayldon and Nurses I. E. Grecnsmith and I. Payne wrote resigning their positions on th« staff. It was resolved to a,c copt ti'ie resignations with regret.