S.C. HOSPITAL AND CHARITABLE AID BOARD.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2660, 17 May 1894, Page 4

S.C. HOSPITAL AND CHARITABLE AID BOARD.

The monthly meeting of the South Canterbury Hospital and Charitable Aid Board was held on Tuesday. Present — Messrs J. Jackson (chairman), Moore, Coltraan, White, and Hill. The chairman said there was not much to report, except perhaps with regard to the epidemic of fever. There were now 17 patients in the hospital, convalescent or approaching convalescence. The last patient received was admitted on the 9th, so that it appeared they were through the worst of it. Timaru was not alone in suffering from this epidemic. Napier hospital when he was there was crowded with fever patients. He visited also the Nelson and Auckland hospitals, and tried to get a little insight into their working. He made special inquiry into the arrangements for treating abdominal surgical cases, and found in each case a simple room such as this hospital has, but with a second room for the nurse, and both rooms were varnished from top to bottom so as to be washed. In neither case was the special room in use at the time of his visit. He also made inquiries as to the use of ice, and found that the hospitals obtain ice from the freezing works, as is done here. The inmates of the barracks were increasing in numbers, there being now 13 men and three women there — two men and one woman being admitted last week. As to their finances, there was £565 17s 9d in the bank, and accounts to pay £41112s 3d, leaving only £154 5s 6 d for the June accounts, but no doubt some of the local bodies would be sending in their contributions, and save the board paying interest on overdraft. On the usual report on patients who have exceeded the standard time of stay — one patient had been in 147 days—the chairman said he inquired into the rules of other hospitals on this subject, and learned that after patieu ts had been in 60 days they were drafted to the old men’s homes, and given medical attendance there if necessary. A letter from the Napier Hospital requested some information as to the working ol the hospital under an honorary medical staff.—lt was agreed that the rules for the staff, and other information be sent.

Mr Hill drew attention to the chemist's bill for the month, aud said the charitable aid prescriptions should be tendered for. A long discussion took place on the question of dispensing to charitable aid patients, and it was agreed that the matter should be kept in mind when tenders are being called for next month. At the previous meeting a man named Green asked the board to pay the passages of himself, wife and child to England. Inquiries had been made, and it was ascertained that the three could be sent Home for £45. The Secretai/ said that £45 would be equal to giving the faurly charitable aid according to the present scale—not full relief but assistance—for eight years, supposing the man cculd jcutinue to do something for himself And the girl was now old enough to go co service—After a discussion it was resolved to offer a subsidy of £ for £ on •subscriptions raised for the purpose of paving the passages of the family. It was considered that to pay the whole of the passage money would be an expensive precedent. A few c ises of charitable aid were dealt .vith on correspondence. Sergt. Major McDonald reported that Michael FaUon had been arrested aud put in prison for s?x mouths at New Plymouth, for not complying with with an order made here. A communication from the police at Aucklaud stated that F. Hooper, who iwos the hospital £2O 13s 3d, is now .vorking at his trade in Auckland, but h ;iot earning more than enough to keep himself. He lodges with one son, who iias nothing to spare, but another son, .iving with them, is unencumbered and well-to-do —Mr Hill expressed surprise that this son refused to pay anything— L'ho chairman; You need not be surprised at that. The argument of such people is—" We are ratepayers and pay taxes aud have a peifect right to go to the hospital." Was this claim to be dropped or pressed ?—lt was decided to place the claim in tho hands of the solicitors for collection.

The secretary reported that he had dealt with a sad case at Epworth, where an old man of 78, with his wife aged 70, partly paralysed, had been poorly maintained by a son, who latterly had been unable to go out to earn anything, his helpless parents taking all his time. The old man die!, aud there was §oine difficulty about funeral expanse?, which he specially went out to settle. The widow had been brought to the barracks.

It was resolved to authorise the steward to send Home for a dozen iron bedsteads of ap^ design f° r tfte hospital. It was ro ""^ ve( * to P a y tne cost °* buying pipes" for a aiu on * h ° east side of the barracks section; mstruc Mr Marchant to prepare plans -. Ca * tenders for erecting water closets at this institution. The mayor assured the board that the Borough Council would withdraw their opposition to the connections being made.

The secretai/reported that the blankets ordered for the barracks had been received from the local m ; U, and the inmates were yeiy thankful for them. The matron had inspected them and was much pleased with them.

The house steward asked for directions in dealing with a rather delicate matter. Oomplaiuts had been made to him by patients that certain women who visited the hospital on Sunday afternoons and at other t'mes as ' religious instructors ' in their zeal go f/om bed to bed, regardless of the wishes or feelings of the patients. Many patients did not like this, but the women disregard that fact. The chief official ought to have power to check such annoyance. Dr Lawson did so as resident surgeon, but it had grown up again.—The steward wis instructed to see the by-law carried out.

The copy of Mr Cadman's consolidating Destitute Person's B'l was then discussed. Most members had not seen it and it was arrange! to have it handed round. Mr Moore, who had seen it, proposed as a preliminary for further discussion at next meeting—" That tlrs board approves of the principles of the proposed new Bill relating to Destitute Persons, especiflUy of cHuses 9,14,15, 21 aud 44, but desi :e to recommend also : (1) That seme provision be made for persons who being habitual drunkards or idlers aud destitute leave their families to be maintained wholly or in part by charitable aid boards, such provision to take tho form of some where such persons cau be committed and composed to work, and the v?lue of thoir work after deducting cost of maintenance, to bo paid co the board which has maintainoJ such person's fami'y, or if such person is unmarried, to the board of tho district to which they belong, towards the maintenance of other destitute-persons. (2) That persons who have- detortod thou-families and have been brought back to answer chargesns in section.-! 14 ; , "id 1:», .should be also sent to such establishments, instead of a gaol; an order for maintenance being also made to tajio effect after release

from such establishment. (3) That with regard to clause 21, provision should be made if possible, whereby persons summoned for desertion in other colonies, could instead of being sent back to suffer imprisonment, be ordered to pay a certain sum for maintenance, such sums to be collected in those colonies and sent over to the Charitable Aid Board of the district where the family resides. (4) That the Minister be asked to consider the advisability of giving power to Stipendiary Magistrates to grant separation orders ivith maintenance (as is done in England) whore husband or wife lias sufficient grounds for separation, and to enforce the order for maintenance if necessary by committal to the establishments mentioned above instead of to gaol."