TARANAKI HOSPITAL BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8182, 21 August 1906, Page 2

TARANAKI HOSPITAL BOARD.

At tho ordinary meeting of the , Tarannki Hospital and Charitable Board on Monday there were present: ; Messrs G. Tisch (chairman), 11. Cock, , Burgess, Andrews, Brown McDonald. i SCCSIDT. > Subsidy from Government was re- ' ceivod amounting to £312 Os lid. i STAFF CHANGES, J The chairman's action in accepting the resignation of Nurse Honeyfield 3 and appointing Miss Purdie t» the t vacancy was approved. ' KPBSES' CIABSES. [ An application was received fron j Miss Cameron to start physica j development classes for thj benefit ol j tho nurses in the hospital.

run cuaumau reported ne uaa seen die nurses, and they were net very ceen on the' matter.—No action ;aken. TItR lUWEB.A DISPDTE. The Hawera Hospital Board wrote in reference to charges for maintenance ■A inmates of the Old People's Home, objecting to pay on the ecst of drainigo and building improvements, amounting to £209 13s. Mr Burgess said that no doubt the difficulty arose by the whole cost of tho permanent improyement being charged to one year. The clerk said this year's charge was 12s Gd a week. Mr Cock considered the Hawera people should pay interest on the expenditure on building improvements, if they declined to pay this year's amounts. The chairnvm said the agreement was that the Hawera Board should pay for its inmates aggrogate cost of maintenance. The clerk will writo to the effect that the Board will spread the charge over several years, Hawera paying its share of interest and sinking fund on recent improyements. MPIIBIATEB LUMMTV. The New Zealand Skipping Company wrote in reference to Woolcott, a man hurt on the s.s. Whakatane at Waitara and admitted to the hospital. The company declined responsibility for payment of the fees. The secretary said that the patient was brought in by Mr Brown, the chief stcvedoro, who had stated the company would bear the expense. It was decided to inform the company that unless the amount is paid legal proceedings will be taken. AMUKCIATIOX'. The Board passed a resolution appreciating the action ot the benevoicntMady wdioforwarded £2 in assisting a lad to pay off his hospital fees. CUAEITAIiLE AID CASES. The Stratford Hospital Board authorised a reduction of 2s Cd a week in the amount of charitable aid being paid to an old lady belonging to that district bat being maintained in ono of this Board's cottages in New Plymouth. Tho Board considered the amended allowance very small, and that the recipient might ho better maintained in her own district. The Stratford Board will be informed that the recipient will be sent to Stratford. Kev. Kecve, of Inglewood, wrote concerning a recipient of charitable aid in that town, asking that tho allowance be increased from 12s 6d to 20s a week. Mr McDonald reported he had investigated, and found that the woman, whose husband had left her with a family of small children, seemed unwilling to help herself by hor own efforts. In a discussion it was pointed out by Mr Brown that this feeling of dependence on the Board was predominant among recipients of charitable aid. They seemed to tliink that all they had' to do was to sit down, and the Board would keep them. Bqt tho soonor that idcu was dispelled the better. Mr Cock, glancing over some of the accounts for groceries supplied to the women in question, queried such items as fruit, apples, salmon. The money spent in tinned salmon would havv bought a good shin of beef that would have lasted a week. The woman was evidently receiying other assistance, in (he shapo of necessaries, and buying l luxuries at the ratepayers' expense. A resolution was carried to the effect that, judging by tho luxuries appearing on the accounts, the money now granted was apparently not needed as it was injudiciously spent; and tho Board could not see its way to lucreaso the allowance. "Inglewood to the front again," was Mr McDonald's preface to another charitable aid requ-eiuent at Inglewool. In this case a man had been sent to prison for theft, leaving a wife and a family of children, of ages ranging from two to fourteen, in extreme poverty. Tho Board granted an allowance of 12s 6d a week. MISCELLANEOUS.

Tho medical attendant, Dr. E. A. Walker, reported that during tlie month 25 patients had been admitted, 22 discharged, and 3 died ; leaving 30 in the institution. The Old People's Homo and the gardener's cottage aro to bo painled, tenders to be opened by the house committee. The house committee and the solieitor were empowered to revise the bylaws. On the chairman's recommendation it was decided to increase tho salary of the gardener and laundress (married conple) from £IOO to £125 a year, Mr Tisch considering the work well worth the extra money. The names of Misses Lucy Isabella Cttmtirworlh (Stratford), Mary Ann Muir (Matapu), and Adelo Marie Avery (New Plymouth) were added to the probationers' list. Mr Brown urged tho necessity for fitting up a new room in which to place patients just emerging from anI aesthetics after operations.—To bo considered. Accounts were passed for payment: Hospital £3 to 8s 7d, charitable aid ClSloslld, and the Board rose.