HOSPITAL AND CHARITABLE AID BOARD.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1891, 14 May 1889, Page 3

HOSPITAL AND CHARITABLE AID BOARD.

The monthly moating of the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board was held on Friday in Timarn. Present—His Worship the Mayor (in the chair), Dr Lovegrovs, Messrs Hay hurst, Moore, McLaren, Jackson, and Slee. [ A letter was received from Mr W. Collis, Anskißg that the boaid would accept 20s u week as payment for the lime his wife was in the hospital, which was all that he could afford.—The secretary to reply forwarding a copy of the board’s general resolution that 4s per day be accepted, if paid promptly. Mr Jowsey, hospital steward, wrote that the end of the hospital sewer on the beach bad for some time been buried in the shingle, causing the sewer gas to escape into the building. He thought the sawer should be lengthened 20ft.—Shingle to be kept clear of meuth of sewer for a time, to see whether accumulation continues. Hospital accounts amounting to £231 11s 6d were passed for payment. The overdraft was stated to be £562 3s lOd. On the first of June, however, a demand will be made on the local bodies for £llOO. On the accounts, Mr Moore tnoyed, and Dr Lovegrove seconded —“That the salary of the head-nurse be raised to £4O, and that of nurse Clarke to £3O per annum, to commence from Ist June.” —Carried. Mr Moore brovght up the complaint of the Geraldine Road Board, that no notice had been taken of their recommendations respecting reduction of hospital charges in certain cases. This board had agreed in one case, that of a person named Wood, to reduce the claim, nnd yet the return was sent back to the road board without alteration of the claim. Mr Moore explained the position o t the Road Board.— The chairman said the secretary had been Aver-worked, and the matter complained ''siif.had arisen from want of a little system. Charitable aid accounts to the amount of £136 5a 3d were passed for payment. A number of charitable aid cases were considered. A girl who had gone to Christchurch to be confined bad been fetched back, and a Christchurch girl had been sent back. An offer had been received from a country resident (a distant relative) to take, at 6s per week, five children of one faeeily now costing 7s 6d each per week in the barracks. —The offer was accepted. Mr Jackson, referring to a return prepared by the secretary, said there were 30 children from this district at Burnham at 7« 6d each. That was too much. The Government paid the unemployed 5s a day, and expected a man with a wife and six children to keep them on the 30s a week. At Nelson there were seven children from this district costing 8a each per week ; at Tirnaru 19 at 7« 6d each ; besides £1 a week apd fuel to the barracks-keeper. There were some boarded out at 7s each at Tirnaru and Waimate, and some at Geraldine at 5s each. If the charge of Ts 6d could not he reduced, he would be in favor of boarding out the children, with a

committee of ladies to visit them, and sen that they wore properly brought up. The children now cost £1042 a year._ H« noticed that two or three of the children at Burnham were over 13 years of age. They ought to be out of the school now. Were the board to pay for them till they got married ? Mr Moore approved of the boarding-out , system. The chairman said Mr Hialop, Colonial Secretary, had visited Timaru, and the desire of the board to have the barracks f vested in (hem to form a Destitute Children’s Home had been laid before him, and he promised to give it careful • and favorable consideration. Mr McLaren said the charge of 7s 61 a week was absurd, but he did not see how the board would do much good by setting up a home for the children themselves. At Burnham there was a farm, and the children were taught outdoor work as well as trades. They could leach trades in Timaru, but not ontdoer work. After some further remarks, he moved, and it was carried—“ That the chairman, Dr •■/Lov.pgrove, and Messrs Jackson and Slee be appointed a committee to report to 1 next meeting upon the best and cheapest way of dealing with the destitute children of the district.” , Mr Jackson moved, Mr Mooro seconded, -.and it was carried—“ That this board ■ considers the charges made by the authorities at Burnham of 7s fid per week : v excessive, and respectfully ask that the charge ba reduced to 5s per week.” ■ It wos decided that the chairman should arrange, if possible, for forwarding an old and troublesome female patient of the board to her husband in Melbourne. It was agreed to send an old man to a married daughter in the Taieri ; to grant £5 towards the passage money of a ‘ Temuka woman who desires to return to her friends in Ireland ; that a wheel-chair be obtained for a paralytic iumate at a cost of £6 (£5 was voted at a previous meeting, but this was not sufficient); and ■ a month’s rations were granted to a woman has gone from tho barracks to Dunedin to look for work, to give her a better chance to got something to do. Mr E. H. Lough, wrote resigning the secretaryship.—lt was resolved that appli-

cations be called for by nbxt meeting. Tho sa'ary was fixed at £IOO a year. A letter was read from Dr Lawson, resident Burgeon, nsk'ng for the privilege of attending consultations wilh tho other doctors when called on by them within a radius of about two miles.—The application was granted, after considerable discussion ; the chairman to be always applied to for consent. The meeting thou terminated.