HOSPITAL AND CHARITABLE AID BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXIII, Issue 53, 20 March 1901, Page 2

HOSPITAL AND CHARITABLE AID BOARD.

Tin: tnon'hly moo ting of the above Bond v/iioM )(',it(iiday. JVfM'-mt : Mswii's. iVkil! (Chairman), Oliver, MoD'tfiald, McOniluiu, iiackay, .Sutton, Stoiir, Ktownrt, Wt, and Loppor.

The minutes ol' thopn viou:-s imetincr j ; wo* <3 rrtad !i ml CO:I .111.1(1. » i The Hous.i (.'munition, Now Plymouth. reported rcioiamandirK? an insurance of ,£3OOO ob theOO s People's Eotue, the contractor paying t'i« extra jpreminin for builders risk U the amonnt of his draws on tho contract;!

that onq'iirirs bo made es tc ihe cost of tho application of the septic system , of sowftpo treatment to bo'.li tho Hospital awl the Homo, and that I.)r. Valintico be cinsulted as the desirability of adopting it; that tho Architect he requested to suggest the most ea'ective mode of fencing the precincts of tho Homo and to estimate the cost per chain. They stated a child who bad been in the hospital, but was convalescing had been sent to Hawera for a change to her health ; that they had dealt with a case of disobedience at the Home, the ofl'ender being told that unless he complied with the rules ho must find other quarters; that tho wnrdsman had been informed ha was under no ob'iga f ion to attend to give evidence at post marten examinations with le-pect to Coroner's or police woi k in the hospital morgue or , elsewhere ; that Nurse Smith be employed temporarily in place of tempor- ; ary Nurse Cunningham, who had been , called away ; that th<? K anl's solicitor be instruct, d to p.oparu aa ul s ract of

i'l properties vosVd in the Board, and 0 repoit whether, in thoir opinion, it 1 desirable t.> bring any of the titles inder the Land Transfer Act. In moving the a'loptfoa of the report he Chairman said the imurauce of the Id men's homes was in terms of i.he ease of the i itj from the School (Jom(lissioner?. In connection wi h the eptic drainage system the timn had ome for consideiiug the question. During Mr. JBeilringer'a recent visit to Sngland ho had enquired fully into the natt-:r and considered it a success. L'hey had obtained the hand book and [uotatioDS from tie patented agent in Dunedin and referred it to Dr. Valeniino who would report on the matter ind he thought they should proceed vithout delay to drain both the Hos )ital and Old Men's Home. In refermce to the fencing of the latter the irahitect suggested sft iroD, but he rhocght only the south side should b > fenced in that mann&r, the ordinary barb wire be'ag used for the oihei' side?. He alsa explained the clause relating to tLe girl Smi;h and with regurd to the cas s of disobedience fwd m inmate of the Home had drawn his pension and gone on tin r*zz 1 dazz-1. Lt had been the custom for the police to c.ili up jn the waidsman when inquests were on, but the custom had been found inconvenient. Ttuy had found that the School Commissioners had inadvertantly been drawing rent from property belonging t.« the Board, but had refunded the aaiouat—some £4o—and they thought it fies'nble that the solicitor report oa all properties vested in the BjarJ and on the quostiqa of titles. Mr. Sutton seconded the motion ar.d congratulated the New Plymouth House Committ e on adapting a system which had been in v.>ju« in Haw*iu for soma time. With regard to the fencing he did not think it should bo gone on with while the overdraft was po large. Inrogtrd to Nurse Smi'h who was receiving £2 2* a week he considered it would be cheap»r and better to keep an extra nurse at New Plymouth, The Ohairman said the trouble was the difficulty in getting competent nurses as there was grant denand. Ma'ron Brown going to sea if she could gat one while in Dunedin. Mr. Lapper said it was the fault of rhe Board paying such paltry wiif.e'J. It was ab=qrd paying a nurse who carried her Lfe in her hund ,£35 a year. It wai no wonder they l* ft as soon as they g t something bett-r After some fur'her discussion the report was • doptcd. The Hawera TTouse ijCommit'ei reported : Dr. McGregor h id visi'e 1 the the Hospital and tocommendo] piloting box thorn hedge. A holiday had been granted to Nur.se Furlong. Mr Sutton moved th«j adoption of the report. Mr Scott seconded and it was carried. Tho Chairmen reported the death of a nuree at the Hospit, >1; Messrs Lepper, McD irald, and Mills had represented tha Botrd at the funeral. Mr Sutton moved and Mr Oliver seconded, that; the B'ard piy exp nsi.s of tho funeral and send a letter of c-n----doVnee to tho parents. On the suggestion of Mr Lepper tl, e former portion was left to the obah ma?, to deal with.

On the sugaesfc'on of Mr Scntfc t 1 e Chairman was requested tn inquire ar.d repwt nt the imt meeting re the possibility of insuring the Hospital staff. The cbaii man reported the case of Mr Gooiliu, of Ngaire, aVea'iy reported. Mr Ward authorised a spocia! trsin at the ppaeial of £2l lis :id. The acrount bsd fome in and was ! 0 3s 3d on Govnrnraent lino and £5 8s on Manawatu line. Goodin had given his p.n. to him for £SO in the meantime, i

On thn motion of Mr McDonald the action of thq Chnirman was co->firmsd. Correspondence was from 'lie Schoid Commit'ee, the N.P. Borough Council and from Mr Tavlor, of Manaia. On Mr Stewart';* suggw'ion an extension of time wa6 grani.eii for piycoent to Taylor, Mr Gave; Maima, wrote asking fo;' reduction in charges in the case of his bny in the Hospital. Mr Stewart supported the app'ication and after explaining the position moved that the app'icatrn be panted. 1 On the suggestion of the Chairman < the consideration of the matter was ' held over till next mset.ing. I Mr Oarmon, Eltham, applied for a ' rflduation of charges on account of bis i' child.—The matter was referral 'oh Mr Wilkinson to report upon Mr wri ta for a r ductim ■ s Of charges fin account of hischi d. Re- 11 ferred to Mr Man! Ny to report on, f Mr St .'©kwoll made a similar p fiutjoß, flel4 oyer, u

iJ. K'uifor.l. S'lMtioi'if, wrol.o o;;clo'-1 in;; £1 juty.nai t of ftmom 'jx-1 ponsc.s. ' Tho i-ftso of Mrs McPisyisn, of ')pu-j isul-:. , '.v.n v«f(,i rod to Mr MoCnlUnn j A;I-!. 'I. V'uy •■■'•'MO 1-0 RM'iii" ht>»| hi:i-ili>i]n into i.hu w ,! !JoiiiO. I Tlu: Uriah nun Uiought it unwise to | iu"- any moro into the pros -tii ;ir,\ but should wait till tlioy gut in o ilifc now building, Mr MeDouah moved that tlio Chairman look into the matter. Mr socouded, ns he feared tho friends did notalwaysdo tbeifciuty •n suoh oases.— I Carried. Cons'aHlo Fi'zpatrick reported on tlio :aso of Airs Street at J nglewood.— After soino discussion it \v;ii referred 31.) tho Chairman and Mr McDonald. The case of Mrs Seville, Stratford—[u reply to onquiries it w»s found that Mrs Saville had been receiving old ag« pension of £lB for 12 months.—lt was c snivel to strike Mrs Seville off the Bo rd's list of recipients of aid. The Chairman then reid his annual report. Gentlemen, —I have to-day to submit for your consideration a short re- j trospect of the operations of the past • year, and the provision to be mado for t carrying on our work during the gesu- ' ing twi-lvo month*. ; The y rincipul matters which havo i engaged cui- attention in 1000-1901 havo been : It. The providing of better accommodation for the aged needy of ' the district in the form of the Old People's Home, for which n ontracb was let for £3333, and which is now approaching completion. 2nd. The entiio reorganisation of the Ilawera Hospital, following upon the death of M i u s Tyors, who had been the matron since its *stablishmont. 3'd, Tha addition to the same hospital of the much needed accommodation at a ccst of abiut £4OO. 4th. The question of establishing temporary hospital cjnvfloifnci'S in our country districts, in which d : rection an oxpßriraeat is now bsing tried at Stratford. The high state of efficiency of the Plymouth hospital continues to be maintained under the able and enthusiastic diro:tion of Drs. Leaibam and Walker, who are loyally and cipably at'i:s f ed by Mi»s Brown and our cursing stiff, which now wholly cacsista of »ursns tnined in the institution. All through the year the hospital has been fully made use of, and the capabilities of the staff havo at time J b.'en taxe' the utmpst. I regret that the recent outbreak <pf typhoid has claimed as its victim, foitunatoly the only one, a promising probationer, who had been! but a few months in the work. The onl irgemsnt of She Hawera Hospital has greatly improved tho f icilitiei for dealing with sickness and suffering in their various forms, and eoab'es Dr. Westenra to deal better with the inorn-ving number of who are brought in for treatment. The Hawera Committee and the doctor, as 1 well as the inhabitants of the district, are to be complimented upon tho mannn- in which the institution is carried on, and T feel it my djty to notice the kindly and (jenerous int9rest taken in its welfare by the people of Hawera, who have during the year added to the comforts of tho hospital by the expenditure of moneys raised by special eftort. The confidence d'sp'ayed in plioing MissFui lo"g, one of our locally tnined nurses, in clnrge at H iwera lies been fully justified, and under her mmovement the institution compares favourably with tho older and larger establi hment at New Plymouth. I am informed by our colleague, Mr Sutton, that an old and recent'y deosasod pettier, Mr Lawipence Mllmoe, who as a patient had opportunities of observing the work done in our hospitals, has remembered our Hawera branch in his will, but tho matter is not yet in a position to bs discussed. Tho Old People's Horcii wilt shortly ho ready for occupation, and tho Hoard

has rio v to consider the question ot' furnishing the rooms and fencing in the precincts. Although Dr. McGregor has expressed the opinion tha*; a mistake has been made in nit securing a site of 50 acres for this institution, we must take leivQ i,3 differ from the worthy Tnapeocor-Gonpril, as proximity to tha hospital is essential to the well being of our inmates, mwy of whom Pro in valids and nil too agsd or dpcripifc to perform such labsur as tho maintenance of a small farm would involve. Tne appointment, of Mr and Mrs I/ste*' to the charge of tha hom 1 ; Ins bean fallowed by n marked improvnaient in the comfort of the poor people, and there are few in either home who do not gratefully Acknowledge this. The Botrd is no>v invited to wi h t.V-e importing quest'on of the drainage of both the hospital ant the .homo, whic'i ara so situat"d that they niny be onvetiiontlr ft'd .-irpo'ively "v- (l by a common system. Tpo - 'ptic tank system of treating Rewer»ce, which i has b>sn largely n.dopt'd throughout Britain and has been suecfs ; fuHy intro<lu«d into these c- loiu's, app ! w sto commend its-lf a 5! a thoroughly efficient f-nd inexpensive method of purification, and the Bo'-aft Committee roMmmitnds that, the particulars bs to the system and its ccst, already obtained by me, should a"; o-ice be placed in the hards ot' Dr. Valintinf, D.P.H., and asp cial meeting cal'ed a foitaight henca toconhis rcpnrt. Another mot'er'which aiust shortly

ongnge tho aHun'ion of the Board is the need for a lanndrv to sorve tho ra- | quiremonts of both hospital and home Our annual expentliure under theet- ! ishing contract is about £l5O, and I tun, inolired to think that n saving might he effpcW in this department by the equipment of a modern laundry en our own premises. With this could be combined wha 1 ; is undoubtfdly an urgent need at the hospital—a chambor for fumigating asd disinfecting artiolra ufisd by infections cases.

VINAXCfi. Von will recollect that, when the l"o tion of building the home was uir! r discussion early last year, T itim-tel that by continuing to levy! ha pr e ,sait rate of lOd per cent, and >n a>i inmonsei ratable value, we von d H-- nblo to cUiir off the* cost in bout ve r\ The (i/juroa theu quoted (id hAI gnod, luit I fe 1 hound to 11 mit tr- 'uy a proposal to oak.; tttiih . 'ovy for the cora:£i» year «s wil 1 nnlik in (ft provide f r further nocesary <!X[> tndjturo and brin# our nuttandiogs ii\tj Buaalhi- compass than :

was The iutfrr taction n'-o Parlicuient of tho measi're er>-fi-led " The Local Authorities Bill. 1!'00,' ami '-vluch id«s f->v '.'de repeal of a rmmhiir of >i.-> A- u«\v 'V <•#. indie<.!«)« ■> di»[K>-;ii-'.'«t« M;I i\,a i.-rt •>'. tbi< Oovorß>Yi<i" i. to aiohxh tho \:i-b«iilii«i'rora thocoloi :al funds hitherto paid to various lowl bodies and, if curried, waul] moan to u* tho 10-ss o f iti c £ fur X which hits until now jf.'TmrJ such a substantial part of our rc-venua. Although the Bill was not proceeded with last season, it will proaably ba again brought into I'arliamont ti.is year. In view of the possibility of our losing tho assistance of tho subsidy, I would stroDgly urge upon the Board to this year take the fulleit advantage of tho existing arrangement, b/ levying an iucvfuswl rato and ro securing this useful increment while still available,

The rateable value of the District was last year £5,301,505, and the rate ot 10J per £IOO thereon produced a sum of £2218 15s. This year we have aa increase of £433,460, the aneesmeit being £5,734,965, made up as i follows:

Hawera County 1,909,685 Taranaki County 1,618,1*2 ■Stratford County 1105,818 Clifton County 398,100 Now Plymouth Borough 556,888 Hawera Borough 200,46!) Stratford Borough 115,793 i Total £5,734,965 | Our expenditure, ascertained and estimated, during the coming year and including tbe present liabilities to bank and contractor may be summarised thus:— £ D.-bit balance as per Secretary's statement 2509 Approximate cost of rnaintonance of Hospital and Homes, and charitablo aid (last year £<l3Bl 8s 2d) 5000 Kxtras on contract for Homo 180 Estimated cost of fencing around Home 100 Estimate!) cost of furnishing Home ... 4CO Drainage of Home and Hospital (if septic process adopted) 300 Total 8488 Against this I suggest that provision be made as follows : £ A levy of one shilling and twopence per centum on £5,734,955 will produce 3345 Subsidy thereon, £ for £ 3345 Estimated receipts from mainteaanco 800 Refunds snd sundries 250 Total 7740 Thua leaving U9 with a debit balance at the end of the next financial year of .£749.—1 am, gentlemen, yours faithfully, F. P. Cork ill, Chairman, The fol'owing table attached to the report hliows the comparative values of the district under tbe old and new valuations:— , BATE A CLE value ok district, old ( AND NEW. Old N&w Incrc'ae £ £ £ 1 Hawera County 175,235 1,909,6'5 154,400 . Taranaki County 1,376,494 1,618,182 241,688 [ Stratford Oounty 1,001,036 905,848 *95,188 Clifton County 319,083 898,100 79,017 1 N.P. Borough 526,379 556,888 80,609 i Hawera Borough 200,469 201,343 876 , Stratford Borough 121,883 145,793 18,910 £5,301,605 £6,734,965 ♦Decrease. \ On the motion of Mr. McDonald it ' WBs decided that the Board at its rising ndjourn till Tuesday, tho 26th iost., for the purpose of receiving a report from Dr, Valintine on the septic sewage system and considering tho question oi 1 ev 7'

Mr. Stohr was appointed a member of the House Committee in lieu of Mr. Bellringer. Mr. Scott moved—" Thut the House Committee de*l with the question of furnishing refuge and disposing of the old tome. After considerable discussion, iu which it was urged that tha country members should be represented on the committee, it was decided that tha Committee should fully consider the matter and report to the speoiil meetThe question of taking action to recover expenses of a patient who was now an imbecile and had to be removed to an asylum was referred to the chairman to deal with. The Chairman reported that the pol ce hud handed over XI 10s which belonged to the lad Judd who was shot at Okato and that the boy's father when applied to for expensas, repudiated his son. The Chairman v m authorised to act in recovering the amount due. An application was received by Nurse Holliday to be placed on the permanent stafl, commencing as a probationer, and compliance wi'h the request was strongly recommended by the medical B t»fi. After some discussion wb&ivin Mr. Lepper raised the point that owing to applicant being over age it would bj necessary to rescind the resolution previously passed. Further consideration of the matter was postponed to the speciii meeting, the secrftary in the momiimj to prepare a statsmont with full particulars of the caDditioca under which such applications are made. Several chn-itabla aid cissa were dealt with.

Accounts were passed. The Chairman s.iid he was glad to report that no further deaths had tiken I place from typhoid. Oat of the 13 iQ&ses tbey knew of 10 were ' traced to the same origin. Ho also stated that a | case had come in the previous day from J Stratford.

Mr. Sutton mentioned that three typhoid cases had been admitted to the Hawera Hospital on Monday, ail emanating from the Aruits Office, Eltham.

The Board adjourned ti Tuesday next.