STRATFORD.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 August 1919, Page 3

STRATFORD.

50SPITAL BOARD. * (Fioru Our Own Correspondent.) Stratford, August 12. The monthly meeting of the Hospital Board was held yesterday. The Department wrote stating that tlie Minister woul'd be prepared to consider the question of sanctioning a grant from the board to the St. John Ambulance if such an organisation existed in the district and the board decided to make a grant. The chairman remarked that it would be time enough to consider making a grant when an application came to hand.

The Department wrote in regard to the extension of tho work done by hospitals to out-patient work in any part of the district by the establishment of medical and nurses' services. The medical service should only be given free i'i necessitous eases, and, considering the benefits, the cost would not be great to Ihe board. The Minister would be prepared to pay a £ for £ subsidy. The chairman said they would deal with the letter in conjunction with an application from Whangamomona. The Whangamomona Medical Association wrote aslciug what financial assistance the board would give towards the cost of maintaining a medical practitioner in the district- It wa.s the intention of the association to endeavor to procure a* practitioner through the County Council as provided for iu the last Public Health Amendment Act, but before approaching the council the association desired to know what assistance the board would give. Supposing they engaged a practitioner at £OOO a year and his fees only amounted to £3(io that would leave £240 to be made up. Would the board refund the County Council half the deficiency? The association realised the difficulty of getting a medical practitioner at present, but wished to have the financial arrangements completed as soon as one became available. The board was also asked to renew its application for a district nurse for Wliangamomona. The Department wrote stating that it. saw no reason why the board should | decline to meet its responsibilities to] the Whangamomona district in respect to a district nurse, and pointing out that the action of the board might lead to an agitation in favor of such portion of the district being cut off and formed into a i-eparate hospital, district. This was undesirable, and it would reduce the board's revenue and increase the heavy burden on the consolidated fund. Tho chairman said the association lmd, without consulting thij board, sent a deputation to Wellington, and what had been placed before the Minister was outside their knowledge. He had invited the president and secretary of the association to attend a meeting of the board and explain in what way the board had failed in its duty to Whangamomona. They knew very little about what was being done by the Medical Association except through the newspapers. In regard to tho temporary hospital during the epidemic, the association had acted (juite apart from the board Practically none of the patients who went into the hospital had paid any fees, and the whole of the expenses had been met by the Department. He did not see how the board, on. the revenue derived from the district and with the assistance of the County Council, could meet the deficiency in fees in order to make up the salary of a medical practitioner, also a nurse. Mr. Finnerty said the Whangamotaonn Medical Association stated that they had never been asked for a list of th> expenses in running the hospital. This they were prepared to produce. They expected the board to collect the fei s. The chairman, in reply to Mr. O'Neill, said that Dr. Paget had repudiated the bottrd in the arrangements with the Whangamomona association, and yet a voucher had come before the board to be. certified for £ls 15s due to him. He had refused to sign the voucher, and still refused. - i Mr. Fimierty: And yet the Department has consented to pay- the amount! The chairman stated that, while in Stratford the fees for every man, woman, and child treated during the epidemic had been paid, the Wliangamomona people claimed that the whole of their expenses should fall upon the State. It had cost several hundred pounds to run the Whangamomona hospital, and the fees collected only amounted to £3 If other temporary hospitals could' be run satisfactorily from a financial point of view, why not Whangamomona?

Mr. Morison paid someone had blundered. He suggested holding the matter over for a month. In the meantime they could ask Whangamomona to meet them.

Mr. Walter: The epidemic matter can be dropped, as the £ls 15s has been paid. Mr. Finnerty: That is not Ihe point The board is getting a lot of pin-pricks which we cannot understand.

On the motion of Mr. Cameron, seconded by Mr. O'Neill, it was decided to invite the Wha'ngamomona Medical Association to meet the board at its next meeting.

Mr. McKay then moved that the association be requested to furnish the board with a statement of all tiie persons who had been patients in the temporary hospital, with the amounts owing and collected.

Mr. O'Neill seconded the motion, which was carried on the casting vote of the chairman,

A resolution of the Thames Hospital Board relating .to a contagious disease and the necessity for a certificate ot fitness of parties in case of marriage was endorsed.

Tlic Inspector-General wrote re motor ambulance, stating that the Defence Department was prepared to lend one on condition that it was kept in good running order, was always open to inspection by an officer of the Defence Department, and was returned when demobilisation has taken place. The ambulances were expected to arrive in New Zealand in November next. The board, howeverf was urged to make arrangements for purchasing its own ambulance.—The chairman said the cost of one of the ambulances, lie had learnt upon imjuiry, would be £7OO or £BOO, and, on receipt of this information, lie had immediately requested the Department to strike Stratford off the list. It was decided to accept the loan of n small ambulance.

The Thames Hospital Board wrote relative to the eoal supply.—Received. The chairman reported" that the effort to raise money for the X-ray apparatus had been delayed on account of the Catholic Bazaar, but .they hoped very shortly to have a ladies' committee at work. Since last meeting Dr. Lefttliam had been up with tl)p idea that the board would be 'prepared to expend £2OOO and was proposing expensive building operations. He had been informed that the board only expended to spend about £llOO and did not want the apparatus to exce«d £450 or £SOO. To provide the necessary space the nurses' room would bo extended. This had met Iwitti the approval ot Dr. Leatiuuo.

The medical superintendent reported that during July 24 patients were admitted, 22 discharged, and three died. Sixteen remained in hospital at the eud of the month. Eleven operations were performed. There were 37 soldier and 5 civilian out-patient, attendances. Three eases of diphtheria were in isolation. During the month a surprise visit of inspection had been made by SurgeonGeneral McGavin and Colonel Valentine, who had no complaints to make. —Adopted. The matron recommended Probationer I Maud Smith for the permanent nursing I stalf. Miss Dorothy Wickstead commenced her probationership on July 2i.— Adopted. BOROUGH COUNCIL. The Borough Council met as a general purposes committee on Monday evening. A letter was received from the Health Department asking if anything had been done in the direction of holding a general clean-up week.—Referred to the health inspector. The Minister of Lands notified that the necessary steps were being taken to visit the domains in the Borough Council. Murphy and Son wrote stating that the cost of dustbins for street use was £ls 15s on Ta.il Wellington.—Held over for further inquiries. It was decided to make a donation of £1 Is towards the Stratford Bailway League's funds.

The Valuer-General wrote stating that the applications for revaluations of boroughs were so numerous that it would be impossible to comply with the whole of them this year, and priority must he given to boroughs wherein ilio greatest movement in unimproved values liad taken place since the last valuation. It was decided to make a further application for revaluation and to request, if a Government valuer is not available, that a local valuer be appointed.

The Works Committee recommended that a street light be placed on the southern side of Fenton Street, near the taxi stand.—Adopted. The overseer reported on work done during the month. The Electric Light Committee recommended that another horse be purchased for the department; also a bicycle for the meter reader.—Adopted. The electrical engineer reported that tenders had come to hand for generator and switch gear for coupling the new Diesel engine now on order- He recommended that the tender of the National Electrical Company, who had quoted for a British Thompson-Houston 90 kilowatt alternator and switch gear, be accepted. —Recommendation adopted, and order to be placed for plant, costing £1897. The General Committee reported that instructions had been given the caretaker of the Town Hall to have the fire escape on the northern side of the building, which was in an advanced state of decay, repaired. The committee recommended that an extra charge of 5s be made to lessees of the hall when the shifting of the seats is necessary. It would be necessary to take some action to protect the fire brigade plant.—The report was adopted, and it was decided to offer a reward of £5 to any person giving information which would lead to

the detection of anyone interfering with the fire brigade plant. The abattoir manager reported that the following stock had been slaughtered during the month of July: Cows 53, heifers 20, oxen 45, calves 1, sheep 252, pigs 21. The fees totalled £">S 3s fid, constituting a record. Paddock rents amounting to £ls and other amounts totalling £7 10s had also been collected. The council was strongly recommended to have live fences planted along all boundaries.—Action re fences deferred and report adopted. The librarian reported that for the month 14 07 books had been issued and 1371 returned. The odd books issued totalled ISO and 15!) were returned. Eight subscribers were enrolled, land £t) 7s (id had been-received in subscriptions.

The borough inspector reported that the Town Hail had been kt 13 times during the mouth, and that 13 horses had been taken oil' the street.

It was decided that the Library Committee convene a meeting of subscribers to discuss library affairs generally. A motion of thanks was passed to Messrs Newton King, Booth Mai'Donald and Co. and Cr. Cameron for the gifts of rest scats lor the reserve at the entrance to the railway station! Cr. Jackson intimated his intention of giving a seat, for the reserve, and also one for the cemetery, where Cr. Cameron stated some were needed.

It was decided to officially welcome General Richardson on his visit to Stratford on August 22 in connection with the conference of permanently disabled soldiers.

The friends of Capt. Gaffaney will learn with regret that his father passed away on Friday, Bth inst, at Dunedin. Decqgsed was a very popular gentleman, as well as a keen business man. He is survived by three sons (Victor, Joseph, and Frank) and one daughter (Sister tli Pazzi), three soii3 (Peter, Tom, and Jim) having made the Bupreme sacrifice for the nation's cause.