OTAGO HOSPITAL BOARD

Otago Witness, Issue 4033, 30 June 1931, Page 72

OTAGO HOSPITAL BOARD

mOStthly meeting. The monthly meeting of the Otago Hospital Board was held on Thursday evening, and was atended by Messrs W. E. S. Knight (chairman), J. W. Scurr, J. W. Love, G. Gallaway, D. M'Lennan, A. F. Quelch, W. B. Morgan, Dr Newlands, Mrs Macdonald, Mrs Ross, and Miss Runciman. INCREASE IN FEES. The Director-general of Health wrote advising that the Minister of Health had approved of the board’s proposal to increase maintenance fees in Batchelor Hospital, and suggested that after an interval of some months, when the effect of the present increase became evident, consideration might be given to increasing the charges still further. —Received. NEW ZEALAND-MADE GOODS. A letter was received from the Dunedin Manufacturers’’ Association asking the board, when purchasing supplies, to give preference to New Zealand-made goods wherever possible.—Mr Dove pointed out that a motion to this effect had been carried by the board years ago. — The request , of' the association was approved. APPOINTMENT TO PLEASANT VALLEY. The secretary reported that 16 applications had been received for the position of sister at Pleasant Valley Sanatorium. applications were referred to a special committee to report to the Sanatorium Committee, which had power to act.

SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT.

The medical superintendent (Dr J. Thomson) submitted the foliowin" statistics for May in cfonnectioii with Dunedin Hospital:.—Patients remaining at April 30, 299; admitted. 336; total treated, 635; discharged or died, 359; remaining at May 31, 276; operations performed, 174; outpatients, 1477. —

COMMITTEE REPORTS. The reports of the Sanatorium and Benevolent Committees were adopted without discussion. The Hospital Committee’s report was adopted, with the exception of a clausa relating to X-ray and radium fees and the use of radium outside the Hospital, which was referred back to the committee. On Mr Quelch moving the adoption of the Finance Committee’s report, Mr Gallaway referred to the clause reporting that a sub-committee had been set up to deal with any hardship cases in connection with the recent 10 per ceut. reduction in salaries and wages, and asked why the report of the sub committee had not been submitted to the board. —The- chairman explained that the report had been referred back to the Finance Committee to report at the next meeting of the board.— Mr Gallaway said that this would mean that a month would elapse before anything could be done. He submitted that the report should come before the board that night.—Mr Dove agreed with Mr Gallaway, and suggested that the board should go into committee to discuss the sub-committee’s report. He moved in this direction, and on the motion, which was seconded by Mr Gallaway, being carried, the Finance Committee’s report was adopted.

After discussing the report in committee it was reported that it had been referred back to the Finance Committee.