CHARITABLE AID BOARD

Otago Witness, Issue 2810, 22 January 1908, Page 18

BOARD

x'hursday's meeting' of the Charitable i Aid Board" -w^s- attended' by Messrs- M. > Stevenson (chairman), JMMill, J.isMoeLfey, 'j H. L. Tapley, W. J. ; Bjirk, F. Aa^ereon; . D. Ross, P. Miller, T. Aitken.'W. Wilkin- ' son, J.. Clarke, and Dr Batchelor. -Apologies for absence .were received from Messrs Kinney and Walker. - . "~'> - , •*. " ' FINANCE COMMITTEE'S BEPORT. ' The report of the Finance Committee for the month of December showed an ,ex--pendijura amounting "to- . £1055 , 7s • 3d^ (chaxi table "aid .accounts "£960 13« ■ 3d, ; Maternity. Hospital £9J 14s). -The' receipts for'7^£he month- of December amounted ;-rto >, £1115 15s 3d; and - the Tjank b'cok *showed : " a orsdir balance of £1304 1& Bd.— Report -.aE MATEBNITYV" HOSPITAL. ." ' tt I''L'ho following report from 'the Maternity' Hospital Committee was submitted : —The affairs of the Maternity Hospital are- most satisfactory. Under the able management of the matron (Nurse Hay) there have~b~een 49 oases attended to since the-hospital was opened. The patients nave invariably expressed themselves as highly pleased * with the care and attention bestowed on them. The first probationer nurse (Miss Rosa MaoDonald) completed her term of training in Dunedin, and successfully passed the State examination for a. midwife, coming out second on I;he list of candidates throughout New Zealand.— ("Hear, hear.'*) As to finances, the cost of maintenance is well within the "margin of annual estimated ex- ~ penditure. and, thanks to voluntary contributions and payments from the Ladies' Committee and various other sources, your has been able to effect a great number of improvements without- cost . to the- board.« The' rules arid regulations temporarily approved of by 'the .board have j since been revised and "added to", by your f committee, and are now submitted "to the • • board for approval and confirmation. ' Dr I Batohelor reported to -the committee that ; Mrs MacNeil, of Mornington, -had handed, • him a sum 'of £25 the purchase of a - ; case of obstetric instruments for Maternity, ■ Hospital. ' The committee recommends £hat Mrs MacNeil be ' thanked for her liberal donation (which -it -would like io point out : is the third occasion on which this lady bas made a handsome donation to the Maternity Hospital), , and that Dr Batohelor be authorised to procure 'what is required from Home, and comply with the donor's ' , wish. The committee* further recommends . that he be empowered -to jjiwqure^a 1 "brass, " < tablet, to ,be v placed in . the entrance ' Hall t ofrthe Maternity Hospital, whereon shalj be , inscribed the 'names of- all x . donors 'of "£2O p arid- upwards^in' one-sum tb'wards the funds" i o'f >. the institution. Iti further suggests that r the' Hospital Trustees be.^written -to requesting them to supply the?M&terpit,y Hos- ' . 'pital_with medioines' at cost -priced— Report,', adopted." - - ':- -. ' i ' 7 THE BSNEVQI.ENT, TETTSTEESI. , -The .^Chairman" referred^ the- matter . of-, the distribution ■ of. ohjtritable -^id. and i said , before prb^eedmgi-jbn^he^lines-.ql j.the.^ , motion carried -in "June -n^Eii&^been^t-hdnght" . better to~a'pproaeh i? -the;Benev'Olen{-'ln_stitu- • tion* Trustees. He had -had^several inter- " views with the, secretary, "'and,Mirially.Hthe - > chairman had asked to' send in some- • thing in writing, and he bad forwarded -the following letter: — By a resolution passed and confirmed ' - at the last meeting of ,the GJbaritabJe Aid Board, it was resolved to give effect ."to the resolution parried on June 20 re the distribution of charitable aid. Now, as chair- . man of the board, I must carry out the wish of the board, but before doing so I would

■, . .. , . • • ■ i j,}' '' j 5 -'. . a ;• •'{ | l llie to" syrvange a,' conference, between 'yourself and trustees, and. if possible,'-, try and | arrange matters amicably without interfering,, with euch qtheir's legal rights. I would "also ' suggest '• thJHt ' your solicitor and 'our Sojlicrbbr'i should 1 --be 1 -pffesent ' ,a4r, th«tt 4'4 ' conference,* -amd let us'try k.nd f fix up thiw quiee- 5 tion of . distribution of aid in a, _ friendly way./" ■ "The^^'diairman, continuing, said a conference 'had , been held," at which the solicitors of both bodies were pVesent, and the discussion had been at -times heate«d, 'and ,the Benevolent Institution ' Trustees had J" announced their intention of continuing- to ; distribute charitable aid. He asked the secretary to read; a better , from' Messrs and WJitte,' solicitors, on the-^ub-'ject,' which -was' as- follows : — , i '*' VTe understand that -the^board has passed a. resoluSo.n to the .effect that the resolution - of : €he 20th,' June,' -1907, -b^ i PT l * J into operation. Thia v would mean th'*t the/board should" "delegate the, "distribution of, ch-affit--able aid to the Maniototo,' Waihemo, Bruce, and Clutha Counties, that the board should distribute 'charitable aid in Tua.peka, Waikouaiti. Taieri, and Vinoent, and. that the Benevolent Institution should distribute in Dunedin and suburbs. As this would be a very radical tfhange jn the administration of charitable aid. it must be carefully considered whether, the resolution should be. put into operation until the decision of the) court has beecn obtained on -<the question, ' which is at present , waiting for hearing. We regret with you that the matter has been unavoidably hung up for a considerable time,' but it w»s impossible to have the case heard at' the last sittings of the court owing to. » congestion vi , business. On consideration of ttie ciroumstanoes, and after conference the writer had with you and the representatives *of the Benevolent Trustees to-day, .wje are of opinion that it would be unwise to -take the above steps until the decision of the court has been obtained. We sire still firmly of t the opinion that the position taken up by ' the boa-rd is correct; out the solicitors for "the -Benevolent , Trustees ore equally firm in ■ißelrr'opinitott.^{ f Seeing tha;t , there is »n element of doubt about the matter/ and that ' a decision 1 .toa-y be l obtained ■ from ' the -court" early "in February, we -think -it would riot be advisable' to carry out the board's, resolution insmediaitely. 'From t what 'Mr Talboys said, to-day, it seems that the" ex>ur»fes'V.^annot* be prejudically affected. l>y the mOTtearstandf' ing. over for another two m)onth«, as thje Benevolent' Trustees are paying all appli-i' 'cations for relief that- > come in "'from - tbev counties, iwithout question. > , j '■ *It was resolved to let -matters' remain* "as they 'are until- the decision of . the- : Supreme pourt' is given, the chairman's lactaon- being confirmed.-. \' - ( A GENEROUS DONOH. ' ' On the motion of Mr Mill, it was resolved that * letter be sent to Mrs Hugh MacNeil ,- thanking her . for ithe splendid b donations -she ibas, m^de.-f rom itimato time. ' '' - , HOSPITAL BOARD! ? . A meeting of the Hospital Board was fthgn" Jjeld,'.at which' the,' same gentlemen -were present. - -- „' ' "".•,»' "<?/'', *n '„y^J. <-,' % ~ I" . FINANCE COMMITTEE'S BEPOBT. ' * The following was the Finance ' .tee's report*—: ; --'-t.^' •„.,.-. ' v ' -, ! .The Finance! 'Commiitee met' and. examined the various accounts, for the month/ of De— comber, amounting to' £880 3® 3d, and recommend rtiie skme be passed 'for payment. The receipts for the % month , of December amount . to £690 10s *ld, and •• the bank book Shows a debit balance' of £995 9s 6d. The committee beg to report with reference to Dr Collier's letters- re supply of medicines for the patients oommitted by the board to sfuxa-

, tarium; at Bock and PiUar, ■{hat recom- , mendC^the^llospit*^ Trustees' „be, .asked to supply .medicines .at cost price*}" jwid', that exoept in cases of emergency Dr Collier be requested to procure them from the Dua\ednx, ,'Hosp^Lfcal Dispensary. After • consider- ■" ing Thef • replies' '/roni' Cthe ' various boards r« petitioning, ;the Government' for a%. consumptive home,' many of the answers being" unsatisfactory, < the~\t commiffcee recommends •that a , .conference be arranged with the Minis'-fer'/fcif"' Public '* Hearth.' r- re tho erection of a consumptive honVe for the Otago Hospital district. There seemd to have been * -some t^aisux^der standing: ,in the past between the^ different 'local Hi>spitel' Boards .a;s to payment '~ from outside 'districts,- and 'they nad been -led to understand that .the, Dun■e'din Hospital -Trustees contend th&t ■' claims made' .by,, them 'for eases /,'ooming -from outside "districts " have been invariably repudiated, .with the result that a loose system os, rep^pxftcity -seems "to have been adopted. Ypnr ■pomijiittee reoog-nisee this practice is . most unsatisfactory, and proposes >to alter the system iroan the commencement of the present year and' strictly 'enforce the provisions of the »ot.' It suggests that for the future the Hospital Trustees forward regular "weekly returns of all cases under treatment in the Dunedin Hospital from outside districts, to enable this board to forward account of changes to the district responsible, and that the Oamaru Hospital Trustees be advised to this effect. The bylaws were considered by * your committee, smd .are now remitted 1 to board for its approval. Adopted. Bye-laws to stand over. WOKKS COMMITTEE'S BEPOET. The Works Committee's report, "which was as follows, was adopted: — The Works, Committee reports that amended plans and specifications for the ~ erection of am, Infectious v Diseases, Hospital have "been submitted to and approved by the Chief Health Officer. The terfder for same of ; Mr L E. 'Meikle..for £1737 has been" accepted by ,the committee, and' a start inade~with the work. /COjTTAGE HOSPITAL AT KAI TANG ATA. n ' ; A repdrfc' was ' received from al'meetinga l 'meeting . o£ Vbtaj - board (held in committee) on the j previous evening' to consider '"the subject of of a cottage. hospital at Kai>i^a.ngaba ■> arid '^a 1 '• receiving • liome, -at Port !,'<Chalmers ; aleo, as 'to arranging with the local -authorities in" . the - hospital district about indigent persons 6uffeiing\from~infec5 tious diseases. It vas resolved' iae'-follo ws : ! T^jThat the offer, from ' the Mayor v and , settiers of^Kaitangata and surrounding dis'j^traotsr;conveyed -in their letter of the 13th ,',jnst., r be aoceptjedi and that, they be advised j that ijs^soon -as they have handed over the 'ema of 3 £2Qo,'Md l made 'neceesary guarantee as to carrying out the offers made in ;. their letter as to providing towards the cost of' a ' nurse for' six yearsi the board tLgtiaffrßst. -proceed with tpie "erection of a .;sooi^«&;s*ho6pital at Kaitangata, the "cost j of erection, of came not to exceed £1000; 'and that if Port- Chalmers Borough is r>re- | pared to make tfce same offer ( as Kaitanr«ata, ; ton^'a scale suitable to its require- ' mente; tne'bbard- will 'deal' with it on simi"lar lines WKaitangata." i The Chairman gave a brief account of hi8 t yisit to Kaitangata, -and said he had , never seen"- people ""who ' webe .more in earnest about pushing a "matter "ahead and ' assisting out of their own pockets- than the , Kaitangata people were. He moved the -.adoption, of the report: / .'*■'-■ "." Mr Moeley seconded the~ itnotioh,-: and wished to see the matter put in /hand as soon as possible. He moved a' vote of *&fi.nfcs to 'the chairman and to Dr Batohelor

'!' • . ') for the trouble they had taken in the' ' matter. - * ; '< The motions were carried. ! INFECTIOUS DISEASES., Another portion of the \ same report • stated: — "As regards dealing ; with infec1 i tious disease^ oases occurring in the country. j districts, we recommend that the board ' ; communicate with t<he local authorities 1 1 throughout the hospital district, , and ask i them if th|tr are willing to undertake the • supervision and isolation of any indierent persons suffering from infectious diseases ' t that may occur in district, under the ■ '' supervision of the district health i officer, ! ". the board to be accountable for all expenses incurred." ', On the motion of Mr Mosley the report ■ was adopted. -, ) CONSUMPTIVES. The Secretary- of the Hospital Trustees wrote stating that' there were two cases • at the Rook and Pillar Hospital that were unsuitable for that institution, and asked , ' that the patients be removed. j The Chairman said thi6 was a big question. The patients in the two cases were * females, who were regarded as incurable. - He thought the Benevolent Trustees should , take them in. The matter might be left in , the hands of two or three members of the ,; board. j The matter was referred to the chair- ; man, Mr Miller, and Dr Batchelor. SCAHLET FEVER AT THE HOSPITAL. j The Chairman said he had expected I ther© would have been a letter from the j chairman of the Hospital Trustees. Two { cases of scarlet fever had broken out in the children's ward of the Dunedin -Hospital. Both children had been patients in the Hospital for some months. The nurv=s attending them had also been attacked. •The^ Hospital Trustees wished the board to ] take charge of 'these cases and remove ' them, otherwise the Hospital would be , unable to take diphtheria cases, for the ' scarlet fever oases had been "put in the isolated ward kept for diphtheria cases. There was an arrangement by which the board dealt with all cases of infectious disease except diphtheria. The matter was left in the hands- of 'the chairman, Dr Batchelor. and Mr Miller. NUBSES. -' ' ' .V""- ■-"' The Chairman referred to the fact that nurses would be required for the infectious ' diseases ' hospital. Some "- arrangement ' would, have to be made with the Hospital I Trustees to be supplied with-^nurses from the Hospital, because it would not, do for the board to have nurses at the 'infectious j diseases hospital if there was no need for them. 'Left in the hands of the chairman, Mr Mill, and Dr Batchelor to bring up a report 'as to what arrangement .could be made. / „