WALLACE HOSPITAL

Southland Times, Issue 21096, 30 May 1930, Page 11

WALLACE HOSPITAL

' MONTHLY MEETING OF BOARD. (From Our Correspondent.) The monthly meeting of the Wallace Hospital Board on Tuesday was attended by Mr J. G. Johnstone (chairman), Miss Hunt, Messrs John Horrell, S. Fowle, F. Dyer, F. J. Linscott, and T. A. Buckingham. Correspondence. A resident in the Waipango district wrote with reference to his wife entering the< Dunedin Hospital for special treatment. The secretary stated that he had informed the applicant of the cost of maintenance there, and the money would be forthcoming. He had interviewed their own medical superintendent and he had been agreeable to the patient going as her case required special treatment. •

On the motion of Mr Fowle the action of the secretary in making the necessary arrangements was approved. The secretary of the Nightcaps-Ohai-Wairio Collieries Medical Sick and Accident and Relief Association wrote with reference to the question of bed endowments. He asked whether, if nothing had been done, the board would again consider the endowment of beds, or entertain any other scheme which would benefit the members of the association while they were inmates of the Wallace Hospital. The secretary stated that in some other hospitals members of friendly societies were admitted, at reduced rates. He thought the board should give the proposal a trial for, say, twelve months. It was agreed, after a short discussion, to endow two beds at sixpence a member per month for twelve months, and if it was found unsatisfactory, fresh arrangements could be made.

The secretary of the Southland Hospital Board wrote with reference to the Southland radium fund. It was stated the Otago and Southland Hospital Board had already completed the agreement, and he asked that the Wallace Board sign also. It was resolved that the chairman and Mr Buckingham sign on behalf of the Wallace Board.

The secretary Southland district radium fund wrote asking for a statement of claims the board had against the fund on March 31. As the trustees were anxious to wind up the fund as early as possible, he asked to be supplied with the necessary information.—The secretary to attend to same.

Miss Turner, Riverton, and Miss May McKinnon, South Riverton, applied to be placed on jthe probationers’ list. Testimonials accompanied each application and the requests were granted. Other Business. The medical superintendent, Dr N. G. Trotter, reported as follows: Patients remaining from. previous month, males 21, females 12, total 33; admitted during the months, 16-9-25; total treated, 37-21-58; patients discharged during month, 18-11-29; deaths, 2 males; in the hospital at end of April, 17-10-27.

Maternity Home: Patients remaining from previous month, 1 mother, 1 baby; admitted during month, 2 mothers; discharged, 1-1; remaining at end of month, 2-1; babies born during month, 2.

The following donations were thankfully received: Fruit, vegetables and flowers, Church of England harvest festival; fruit, Presbyterian Girls’ Guild; magazines and weekly papers, Mrs Phelan, Nightcaps; flowers from various friends.

Mr J. 0. Clapp, secretary Nightcaps Mtaemity Home Committee, wrote in reply to the board’s letter of April 23 regarding the Maternity Hospital and the committee’s guarantee which the board requested it to sign. The committee desired to inform the board once more that it declined to sign the agreement. The committee, it was stated, now requested that the proposed maternity hospital should be a direct charge on the ratepayers, and not on individual members of a committee, thereby bringing it into line with other such institutions in this and other hospital board districts throughout the Dominion. It was hoped that the matter would be dealt with at the board meeting, and that some finality would be the result. In accordance with notice of motion given at last meeting the chairman moved: “That the motion relative to an agreement in respect to the Nightcaps committee staffing and running the home be rescinded.” In speaking to the motion he said the residents had collected £825. They were prepared to run and staff the institution, but they objected to become liable in case of any deficiency, which would be a hardship on them. The Nightcaps district was' a growing one with a population of over 1600, and he maintained that it was out of all reason to expect prospective mothers to travel all the way to the home at Riverton. It was the board’s duty to help the backblock settlers and to assist them in every way.

The motion lapsed for the want of a seconder, and on the motion of Mr Horrell, seconded by Mr Fowle, it was resolved to write Mr Clapp informing him that the board could not see its way to vary the contract entered into between the Nightcaps committee and the board of 1928; and further, that the Nightcaps committee be referred to its communication of June 6, ■1928, accepting the terms of the said contract.

Mr Horrell gave notice of motion: ‘That the fees for patients at the hospital be increased from 6/- to 7/6 per day.” Two applications were received for outdoor relief from Orepuki residents, and it was resolved to grant one at 15/- per week for a month, and the other was held over pending inquiries being made by the chairman and secretary.

A request from a resident of Ohai district for admission to Waipiata Sanatorium was granted, subject to the applicant furnishing the required application and complying with the regulations.