HOSPITAL TROUBLES

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 70, 9 August 1912, Page 8

HOSPITAL TROUBLES

PALMERSTON'S PREDICAMENT. Bj Telegraph—Press Association. Palmerston N,, Lost Night. ! At the Palmerston North Hospital Board meeting to-day, it was revealed that two nurses have recently been down with typhoid fever, and one with serious gastric trouble. All are recovering, but they will require three months' lftave. Sister F. W. Murray lias resigned with a view to a trip 'abroad. The institution was, therefore, short-handed. It was decided to engage a second Maori probationer, the one at present qualifying, ha-ving proved very satisfactory. There has been some discussion on the question of an architect. Dr. Valint4ne recommended to the board that it should employ one of certain firms of proved capacity as specialists in work of the type to design the Old People's Home, to be erected at a cost of £SOOO, stating tliat when architects who did not specialise in such work were employed dissatisfaction frequently resulted. The; board's own local architect applied to do: the work, and there was a request from the New Zealand Institute of Architects that all such designs should be thrown open to competition. It was resolved to follow tikis course, offering prizes of £4O : and £2O to members of the Institute of j Architects. I

Another incident at t»-day'a boasd meeting deals with the purchase of a horse and trap for she matron and rniTses. The Auditor-General had tagged the item in the balance-sheet, and asked for reasons why the membera of the board should not be proceeded against for the recovery of the amount. Various reasons were given, including the advisability of letting the nurses have fresh air, the use of the trap for shopping for tie hospital, for carting ice, for bringing the secretary and his books into town, etc., and it was decided to await the Auditor-General's reply to this. It transpires that the treasurer, Mr, Walter Rutherford, who had formerly resigned the secretaryship on account of pressure of other business, had resigned the treasiurership rather than sign the cheque, because he said the Auditor-Genera! would not pass it.