STRATFORD.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 June 1919, Page 3

STRATFORD.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) (All ci'Dißiuuicutlons, letters, etc, left with Mr H. 3. Hopkins, bookseller, will rtceivt prompt attention.)

STKATFORD BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The monthly meeting of the Stratford Borough Council was held on Monday evening. •

The works committee's report was adopted. A deputation from the taxi proprietors waited on the council in connection with the request of business people that the taxi stand be shifted to Regan or Fenton Streets. The deputation objected to the change, and the matter was held over till next meeting.

A long letter was received froin Mr. H. E. Lawrence complaining that 110 sum had been placed in the estimates for a footpath in Miranda Street North.— Received.

Mr. Witt, lessee of the tea rooms in the Municipal Buildings, wrote asking that the walls be renovated. —Held over for a week.

Mr. Close's offier to lease the lighting reserve for two years at 10s a year and 6 tump the ground was accepted. The abattoir manager reported that the fees for the month totalled £55 Is 3d.

The librarian reported that fifteen new books had been added, eight subscribers enrolled, and subscriptions amounting to £lO 5s 3d had been received.

The general committee recommended the formation of a fire police corps and that a general meeting be called of those willing to join. It was decided to grant a donation of £3 3s to the funds of the Stratford Boy Scouts.

The Waihi Borough Council wrote asking for support for sundry resolutions. The Saturday half-holiday was warmly supported by the Deputy Mayor. The Hon. G. W. Russell, Minister in Charge of the Public Trust Office, wrote referring to a request for a further loan of £7OOO.

Cr. Hunter, chairman of the lighting committee, mentioned that they would later have to go into the question of revising the charges for electric lighting. He would propose certain changes, which ivould not affect those who used the current for lighting only, but would aflect the man who liked to toast his toes over a radiator.

STRATFORD HOSPITAL BOARD. The monthly- meeting of the Stratford Hospital and Charitable Aid Board was lield yesterday. Mr. E. Walters moved that Mr. Sole be elected chairman for the current term, paying a tribute to his work, in which M. Finnerty, in seconding, concurred. Mr. R. McK. Morrison moved that Mr. Cameron be elected. Mr. McKay seconded, pro forma.

Mr. Cameron intimated that he did not want the matter to go to the vote. They had in Mr. Sole a man well qualified to carry out the duties of chairman of the hoard.

Mr. Morrison thereupon withdrew his motion, and Mr. Sole was elected. Mr. Sole returned thanks in suitable t n rms.

The proposed additions to the hospital were considered. The chairman said that the plans had been amended slightly, both in respect to the nurses' home and the main additions. The architect said the idea was to extend east and west, and this raised the question of whether the lavatories, which cost £SOO or £GOO to begin with, were to be shifted. Provision was made in the amended plans for increasing the width of the main ward by about five inches. The nurses' home 'would have iw > small bedrooms, 12ft. by Bft.. and the back room would be shifted to the end. The Department wanted all plans to provide for additions without reconstruction. There was a difficulty in extending the nurses' cottage as desired, as they were now right on to the street.

The chairman: We could extend north. Dr. Frcngley had agreed to the installation of radiators provided no fireplaces were built.

Mr. Maekav pointed out that no provision had been made for a secretary's office.

The chairman said this would upset their estimate and the whole of the arrangements that had been entered into.

Reply.!!" to a question, the chairman said that, with the additions, they would have accommodation for a total of 32 hpds.

Mr. Healey (architect) said tlie secretary's office would cost about £7OO. The chairman said another matter they would have to go into was the remuneration for the secretary. The architect was authorised to invite tenders for a hot-water service and additions to the hospital and the nurses' home, the tenders to be in by next meeting.

Correspondence relating to the professional fees charged by Dr. Paget to patients in Whangamomona attended during the epidemic was dealt with. The chairman said that the Whangamomona Medical Association had arranged with Dr. Paget to visit the district during the epidemjc and attend to cases at the temporary hospital for a fee of 15 guineas. This, lie said, was the ordinary fee any medical man would charge for visiting Whangamomona. While Dr. Paget was there he had charged the ordinary fees to those visited in their homes, and the residents appeared to think that these fees should not be paid and were included in the 15 guineas Charged to the association. The people attended were liable for the fees, and the matter was not one that concerned' the board. The Medical Association had acted on their own account. He understood that Dr. Paget was suing for his jnoncy. The 15 guineas had not been paid yet. The chairman explained what he hod done while in Wellington in respect to the appointment of a nurse for Whangamomona. A subsidy of £IOO had been promised by the Superintendent of Hospitals. The secretary said tliat the Whang#.momona Medical Association was prepared to find the balance of the £2OO required. The secretary was instructed to write to the Superintendent of Hospitals requesting confirmation of his offer to the [ chairman.

A list of claims was received from tlie Hawera board for the treatment of patients allegedly from the Stratford district.—The chairman said the secretary had reciprocated by making up a little list of patients from Hawera treated in the Stratford hospital, and this had or would be sent on. The Hawera claims would be inquired into. The Buller Hospital Board forwarded for support'a resolution favoring the payment to widows of the widows' pension irrespective of the period they have resided in the Dominion.—Received.

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the recent Stratford Conference of Hospital Boards were submitted for approval. The Hawera Hospital Board wrote asking if the Stratford board would be prepared to assist in bringing forward for discussion at the proposed Dominion conference the question of compulsory isolation of persons suffering or supposed to be suffering from infectious diseases. Mr. Maekay said the matter was one which concerned Stratford, and it was decided to support the remit. The New Plymouth board notified that the Old People's Home was taxed to its utmost capacity on the men's side, and that further admissions would have to be refused. The chairman said that in the meantime nothing could he done by the Stratford board. If later a home was built at a cost of £IO,OOO 75 per cent, of the cost would fall upon the Taranalfi board, 15 per cent, on Hawera, and probably 1 10 per cent, on Stratford. That was 1 the ratio in which the districts contributed inmates to the home. Later they would have to hold u conference of the 1 three boards and go into the matter. ! It would bfl useless for Stratford to build a home, and it would be better to board the old peopl« out.

The letter was received. Particulars were received from the Public Trust Offica of the conditions of the £SOOO loan. The offer of the Public Trustee was accepted. Regulations for the working of the Social Welfare Committee were adopted. It was stated that the hoard's liability to the Deparment in connection with the epidemic was now £9O. It was hoped this would clear everything. The medical superintendent reported that during the month of May 19 patients had been admitted, 21 discharged, and there were three deaths. Thirteen remained in the hospital at the end of. the month. I'our operations had been performed under anaesthetics. The isolation ward was opened on May 17 and there lwd been six cases of diphtheria since' There had bean 61 soldier out-patient attendances.—Adopted. The matron, in her report, suggested, in I'iew of the difficulty of getting trained nurses, that another probationer bo appointed to fill the staff nurse's vacancy. This, she thought, would be a very satisfactory arrangement, and with thp hoard's approval she would like to give it a trial. At present she had the full complement 'of nurses, having engaged an extra probationer before the

trained nurse left. Sister Marsh was away on her annual leave, and Nurse Weir, who had resigned from the nursing stall', would sit for her surgical examination on Wednesday.—Adopted. The resignation of Nurse Weir was accepted and it was decided to give her a testimonial.

The gardener reported that the grounds were in fair order. He had obtained a quantity of flowers from Mr. Beasley and was busy planting them.— Adopted. . The health inspector reported Hat Ave eases of diphtheria and one case of erysipelas had been reported for the month ended 011 the 7th imst. Three of the diphtheria cases occurred in the Stratford county and the whole of the other rases in the Stratford borough. All, ivith the exception of the erysipelas case, had recovered. T. Lamason advertises a sale of furniture, etc., foi- "Air. D. Pederson, Denbigh Road, for Thursday next.