Taranaki Hospital Board.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 66, 22 March 1904, Page 4

Taranaki Hospital Board.

The ordinary monthly meeting oi j | the Taranaki Hospital and Chan- , able Awl Hoard was held on Monday Present : Messrs Cuck (ActuigChairmau), ¥ig«tl, Andrews, Urovvn. Gray, Will, Hinv, llatkay, and Mc-< DonaldAir li. Cock was elected Chainua..) for thu remainder of the year. ; Correspondence was read ; From Mr G. Tisch, resigning 1"* position us Chairman and member the Board, owing to temporary itl>bctice from the colony. Aecei'ted with regret. , ~ From the New l'lymouth Uorough Council, notifying the appointment of Mr 0. Cliff as their representative vice Mr Tisch, resigned—,Ur Clin was formally elected. From the Paymaster-General, to the effect that £OOI Os Id subsidy had been remitted to the Board s credit. The Strattord County Council torwarded £45 16s 4*l, contribution for February ; arid the Stratford Borough Council £8 7s 6d. Mr Tisch, the retired Chairman, submitted a report. He that at present there was insufficient sleeping accommodation for isolation and night nurses. He had instructed the Board's architect to obtain pric-

es for painting and fitting up the cottage in the grounds near tlw isolation ward, and asked the Mayor and Dr. Leatbam to open tenders. He recommended metalling the road to the rear of the hospital. The matter of metalling; the new road was referred to the Chairman, who reported having accepted a tinder for repairs to the cottage. The Hawera Board wrote re adjustment of the accounts between the New Plymouth ami Hawera Boards. —Referred to the Chairman. The Chairman reported having refused to admit an applicant to the Oki People's Home. It seemed to him that people were very anxious to palm off their okl people to the Board. It was reported that Mrs Way had been appointed cook at the Old People's Home. -The Chairman reported that one oi the Board's "children" had been adopted by a family in Strathmore. Mr Mackay asked the Chairman to J be "very careful" in these matters. The Board had had a good dual of trouble by children being placed with unsuitable people. One of the Board's debtors sent part payment of an account, and asked the clerk not to send " any more bullying and threatening letters."- She will be sued forthwith for the amount due. Numerous other accounts weie dealt with. Mr Morey, of Messrs Morey ami Son. wrote complaining of -Mr Cock's reflection on the charges oi his' firm. He confidentially submitted the cost price oi the articles, trousers and vest to order. -be price Pfiid by the Doard was £2 10s. Mr Cock reiterated that the articles were too expensive for a servant's aetire. The garments were too good, lie owed u duty to the Board, and would carry it out. Mr Gray thought the Chairman ' was quite right. If a member did his duty he was bound to "bump up against somebody." The report of Mr Farrar, custodian at the Old People's Home, was adopted. The Chairman reported that he had received notice that Miss Brown, the matron at the hospital, desired to take her month's holiday, and that she was going that night, lie had consequently given permission. Mr, Gray thought notice should be given.

The clerk said in -that case she would never get a holiday. The nia- , iron would, ol course, have obtained permission from Dr. Leatham, who .would know best when she could Bafely leave the institution for a month. Mr, Andrews considered a month was a very good holiday. How much did the under-nurses get ? The clerk : Three weeks. Mr Andrews : They're pretty long holidays, anyhow. The clerk said tlmt an Auckland patient had been sent back there. The matter of the recent imposition on the Chairman came up, a nil

Mr Cock related the details oi how toe got "slipped up for beds anil breakfasts for three men." On the motion of the Chairman and Mr McDonald it was decided to levy a rate of ninepence on £IOO annual rateable value. This constituted a reduction of a penny. Mr Mackay reported on Dr.. Pagct's account referred to him and Mr Liardet. Dr. Paget had been : rather nettled at a statement made at the Board's table that lie was /extracting all he could from ihe ; Board. He showed that he had frequently attended patients and not ; charged the Board for such attendance. Mr Mackay felt sure that Dr. Paget would be the last man to do any such thing as to make the Board a debt-collecting agency. Why, in , many cases, Dr. Paget had attended . these patients for months, without ; having any chance oi being paid kh ■ has services. As many could prow. Dr., Paget was not the sort of man .to do anything mean or underhand, and it .was to be regretted that tncli :, a remark should have fallen from a . member of the lSoard. He moved that the account £3 12s 6d for treatment ■ d! the man Lowers from Oct. 2 to Nov. 5, thirteen visits, be passed, , and that regret be expressed such a •' remark was made, as no reflection was intended. Mc Gray said the remarks complained of were made by Mr Mackay •in a general sense. Several members spoke on the mattec, favouring the payment oi the account. Mr Drown, however, objected en4, tirely. He would not agree to the of the account at all. Mr Mackay took exception to the v remarks of Air Uray. lie (Mr Mackay) had never made any such remarks. and he considered that the r. Joard should treat Dr. l'aget ill us jjf,gentlemanly a muttiier as wou'.i be j, the case in the doctor's treatment oi . 'members if they applied to him. V Mr Andrews again objected. Why not the doctors make bail £ debts as well as any other people 7 MrPigott said that this was not / a bad debt, but a pauper's account. -The motion was lost on a divi- , Sion, Ayes : Messrs Cozk L I'igott, and Hine ' Ifocs : Messrs fOoo, Uray, Brown, Andrews, and McDonald. jr>-It was then decided that the account be passed for payment, Mr Brown alone dissenting, fclfiss Furlong, matron at the HaF> hospital, invited the members *0 afternoon tea on March 30 at wawera. f a " er was refcrrod to the house committee .was made that chem.sts to town desired to obtain a share of toe <nsjK»nsiifg. IMkiCliff was appointed a lucmbfr rf the house committee in place 0 f Mr Tisch, resigned, r Accounts amounting „j " s W tor hospital and JClui V}) ' teitablo aid were read ,„/p« ft. payment. r, '