HOSPITAL BOARD.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 35, 6 February 1912, Page 5

HOSPITAL BOARD.

MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meeting of the Stratford! Hospital' and Charitable Aid Board was held this morning. Present; Messrs. W. Rogers (in the chair), J. McAllister, A. Meredith, J. Smith, E. Hine, and S. Ward. Inspsctor’s Salary. The Chairman reported the result of the conference re tho Inspector’s salary, as Mr. Smith moved tlie confirmation of the report, which was carried. Tho result of tire conference was that Stratford pays three-fifths of tho salary in place of the half share which it was formerly decided Stratford should pay. Drugs and Dressings.

A circular was received from the Department of Hospital and Charitable Aid forwarding the following resolution passed at the recent Hospitals Conference: “That it is desirable that the Boards should combine for the purpose of letting a contract for the supply of leading lines of drugs and dressings to the hospitals of the Dominion.” They wished to know the decision of the local Board before inviting quotations from wholesale (inns. If the Boards of the Dominion agreed by resolution to obtain their drugs and dressings from the firm,submitting the most reasonable tender. The Secretary of the Patea Hospital and Charitable Aid Board wrote that his Board felt that the smaller Boards at all events should fall into line e tlior one way or the other as regards supporting" or otherwise the Inspectors’ mggestions, and he would be glad to know, therefore, what attitude the Board intended to assume. They would probably have noticed that the Wellington Board had provisionally adopted the idea of Government contract, and suggested that it would lie of benefit to small Boards, but the Board had not come to any conclusion pendingl the attitude of other similar institutions. j .i. ■

A paragraph in, the doctor’s report ■pad as follows: —

ji “ With regard to the Patea Hospital and Charitable Aid Board’s Secretary's memo, I think that the “leading lines of drugs and dressings” which we now obtain from various ■vholesale firms, could be supplied move cheaply, and conveniently, under ■jome contract system such as that suggested in circular No. 97.” Mr. Smith said that they should tall into lino with the other Boards. They should get these lines cheaper. The Chairman: Do we get much from outside?

The Secretary: Yes; about one-half. Mr. AlcAllistor moved that this Board notify the Department its willingness to fall in with the proposal, ind that the Medical Superintendent be requested to make a list of the articles this Board will require. Air. AVard: They’re not making a orofit out of it, I’m sure. It really means they’re indenting the stuff—a fat little for somebody to distribute. The motion was carried. , Sundry Reports.

The Sanitary Inspector reported that no infections diseases had been notified in the district during the month. Drainage nuisances at the rear of a local Chinaman’s premises were reported on. The owners had promised to comply with requirements io abate nuisances. The old stables in Broadway South, now unoccupied, had been reported on. At Toko complaint had been again made that a pig-stye was again causing a nuisance. On the first visit he found that the pig-stye had been neglected, but on a second visit found that it had been cleaned up. He had been advised by letter from the police that the pig-stye on the hotel premises had now been burned down.—Adopted. It was decided that the visiting committee meet regularly on the Monday morning prior to the Board meeting. The Matron reported that sbe had resumed her duties on the 2nd inst. She recommended that Nurse Healy lie appointed probationer in place of Nurse Cameron, resigned.—The report was adopted. Dr. Stevens reported that during January fifteen patients were admitted and nineteen discharged; there were no deaths, and six patients were remaining in the hospital. Eight operations were performed under anaesthetics. The gardener reported that the lawns and grounds were in excellent order, and that vegetables were now plentiful. General Items.

Dr. Frengley replied to letters enquiring details of the Board’s position under “The Public Health Act.” The matter was still in the hands of the Crown Law Department, to decide certain points raised by the Board. Total expenditure _ for the ton months of the financial year on the hospital was £1493 18s 9d, on charitable aid £224 10s 3d. Capital expenditure for ten months on land and buildings, £172 4s. The total revenue for that period was £2310 12s 2d.