TARANAKI HOSPITAL BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8029, 16 January 1906, Page 3

TARANAKI HOSPITAL BOARD.

The monthly meeting of the Board I win.' held at New Plymouth on Monday, when there were present—Messrs Tisch (Chairman), Cock, Burgess, Andrews, Brown, O'Sullivan, and McDonald CHAIRMAN'S ANNUAL REPORT. Minutes of the previous meeting having been confirmed, the Chairman submitted a lengthy report of the past year's work, which stated, inter alia : The first question of importance dealt with was the adjustment o.' accounts between the Tnranaki Hospital Board and the Stratford Hospital Board. After hearing the arguments regarding the whole position, a statement was submitted to the Audiror-General, who, in July, made the award. The Tamil iki Hospital Board was adjudged to pay Stratford Hospital Board the sum of £315. The next important question dealt with was the selection of a site for the Consumption Annex. After giving the matter due consideration, and with the approval of the Health Department, the site occupied by the nurses' cottage was considered the most suitable. After negotiations regarding suitable sites had been completed, tenders were called for creeling a nurses' home, and the lowest tender of £616 was acaccepted. Tenders were then called for the erection of consumptive annex, to provide accommodation for eight patients and converting the nurses' home (erected in 1903, and which cost £336 to build) into an administrative block. The lowest tender of £669 was accepted. Tenders were also called to connect the hospital and Old People's Home and Annex with the Borough drainage scheme. The contract provided for drain-laying and plumbing work, including six new cast-iron enamelled baths and new and up-to-date sanitary appliances. The lowest tender (£315) was accepted. A tender (£7B) for a lounge shelter in connection with the Annex was also

accepted. Another improvement is the new morgue, which is up-to-date in every particular. The contract price for the building was £259. The Borough Council contributed one half the amount. The building is also used as a public morgue. The formal opening of the new buildings was performed by Sir Joseph Ward on Wednesday, 24th May, in the preseuce of a large gathering. In order that New Plymouth should not be inundated by tuberculous patients from outside the Taranaki Hospital district, the Board resolved that such cases be not admitted to the annexe, an exception being mado in the case of Stratford, until such time as the Stratford Hospital is available. A new scale of charges for treatment at the hospital hod been adopted during the year, patients from within the district paying as heretofore, and patients from outside the Taranaki Hospital district 6s per day. Oj January Ist, 1906, there were 43 inmates in the Home—36 males and 7 females. Every bed on the male side of the institution was occupied. The arrangement made with the Hawcra Board was that they pay t!ic cost-of inmates wlo come from the Hawera district, including those who were in the home at the time of the separation, no chronic cases to be sent from Hawera. The arrangement made with the Stratford Board was that they pay 12s per week for each inmate coming from the Stratford Hospital distriet.

For (lie excellent working of the Homo, the greatest ;>raise was due to Mr Farrar, the manage.', and Mrs Farrar. The hospital has been well managed, and excellent work lias been done by Drs. Leatham, Walker, and Wylie. The services of the matron (Miss flivwn) and the nurses were commended, and special nienl'on made by the chairman of the capable manner in which Mr Cock had pi" sided over the Board's affairs during Mr Tisch's absence. The work performed by the secretary also called for praise. In conclusion, the report states: —'"I wish to thank the members, who hare always shown their confidence by adopting every recommendation that I have brought forward. I have always endeavoured to study the interests of tiic ratepayers, and have made myself acquainted with every detail of the work, and am glad to have been able to assist in making reforms which merit the two institutions being classed among the best in the colony." Mr Cock, in moving that the best thanks of the Board be tendered to Mr Tiseh for his able report and that the report be printed, said the amount that had been expended by the Board on the rate that had bec-n struck showed what could be done. Alt! ough the Board was nominally in debt to the extent of £81)0, amounts to come in during the month would bring the actual debit down to a little over £3OO, and when the enormous expenditure of the past, year or two years was considered, the fact that Mr Tiseh. had kept within bounds was very creditable The number of inmates at tha Old People's Home was steadily increasing, and lie was pleased to say they were comfortable and satisfied."

Mr J. Burgess seconded, and .said that when it was remembered that over £2OOO had been expended for absolutely new work during the year, the finaucial position was simply wonderful, and such as few Boards could show.

Mr O'Sullivan and Mr McDonald also spoke, and the motion was afterwards carried. ST. HELEN'S KOSHTAL CASE. The Inspector of Hospitals, Wellington, wrote with reference to the ease of a married woman whose fare to Wellington had been paid by the New Plymouth Board, which had taken charge of her three children. The woman was near her confinement, and wished admission to the St. Helen's Hospital. The Inspector pointed out that St. Helen's was not a charitable institution, but established by Government 'o aid respectable married women who cannot afford the high fees demanded by doctors and good nurses. As it was understood this woman's husband left her some two years ago, it was hardly the sort of case for St. Helen's. Nor was hers the case for a refuge for girls who had gone wrong for the first time. The Department, however, offered to take her iu if the New Plymouth Board guaranteed payment of 30s per week (probably for two weeks) and said what was to be done with the woman and her infant when discharged.

The rltiiirman gave particulars of (lie case, Mr Cock remarking that the Board would like to find the putative father of the infant, but the woman's calculation's were not completed. (Laughter.)— The required guarantee for treatment was issued, r-HOIIATIOXKH .U'PMIW-riuXS. Applications for proh ttioncrship were received from Miss F. I Cotterell and Miss Annie Doyle, and added to the list, AcrorxTs. Accounts amounting to £275 7s Id for the Hospital and"£2l3 Is 3d for Hospital and Charitable Aid were passed for payment, the financial statement showing a debit of £325 12s.

After the transaction of further routine business, the meeting rose, members afterwards visiting the lustiU.tious,