WAIKATO HOSPITAL BOARD.

Waikato Argus, Volume VI, Issue 449, 17 June 1899, Page 4

WAIKATO HOSPITAL BOARD.

The usual monthly meeting of the W aikuto Hospital and Charitable Aid Board was held at the Council Chambers, Hamilton West, on Thursday. There were present :—His Worship the Mayor, Mr Win. Dey (chairman), und Messrs W. P. Chepm 11, H. Kerr, Ed. Allen, W. M. Buukart, J. P. Bailey, R. J. McCuirk, J. B. Teasdalc, F. J. Vickers, W. H. Thomas, A. Primrose and N. I. Hunt. Waikato Patients. The Medical Superintendent of the Auckland Hospital, notified that Margaret Miller had been admitted into the hospital on May 13th, as an urgent case. She was suffering from measles ; a claim for her treatment, amounting to £2 4s, was enclosed. A second claim for the treatment of James McKearuey, amounting te £4 4s, was also received. A Sad Case.—Mr E. Fitzpatrick, of Ngaruawahia, wrote, drawing the attention of the authorities, through Constable Cavauagh, to an old man named Edward tfcGrain, who lived in that district. He hud been laid up in bed, and was in a most exhausted condition, so that it was doubtful whether he wonld ever be able to leave it again. A large part of his old age pension was spent in asthma powder, and the balance was only sufficient to provide ncceesaries. He was greatly in need of someone to look after him.—The Clerk stated that Constable Cavanagh had secured the services of an old man to attend to McGrain at a cost of os a week. The Orphan Home. -The Secretary of the Orphan Home Trust Board wrote contradicting the statement that it was drawing a subsidy from the Government each year towards the support of the inmates of the institution. No Government subsidy he said had been received since 30th November ISBS, and the home had been maintained since that time with the interest derived from the invented monies left by the late W. Costley, and other charitable minded people, and also from subscriptions collected. He referred the Board to the balance-sheet, which would show that the income derived from capital has been insufficient to meet the necessary expenditure.—This was the ontcomo of au application by the Home authorities for the sum of £8 to provide an outfit for each Waikato inmate on leaving the institution —The Waikato Board agreed to allow the Bame amount as the Auckland Board viz. £2 Ids. Valuation.—The supervising valuer wrote stating that the rateable totals of the lands in the Piako, Waipa and Raglan Counties would be supplied on the payment of £lo.—Letter received.

Tobacco Supply.—Mr E. J. Davey, the Board's contractor for groceries, wrote asking if there was any reason why he should not have the chance (as has been the case in past contracts) of supplying articles not included in the schedule, and consequently not tendered for. On April 7th lie supplied an order for tobacco, but since then had received no orders for that article and understood that since that date it had been supplied by the contractor for the previous year. —The Clerk stated that this referred to the tobacco allowed to the old men in the home. As Mr Davey had stated the article was not mentioned in the schedule and as Mr Knox still supplied the rations for the Board, he had up to the present obtained it from Mr Knox.—The Board decided to leave this matter in the hands of the secretary, with an instruction that it should be obtained from the grocery contractor, provided the price and quality were favourable.

Old Agk Pensions —Mr Edmund Mason, Registrar, wrote, asking for partiuular3 as to how many persons, recipients of out-door relief, old age pensions were granted, and what was the estimated amount of saving to the Board. —The Clerk was requested to supply the required information. Reduction.— The Board decided to accept £lO as full payment of the amount due by Mr Win, Hall, of Matamata. R. B. Fitzpatrick.—Mr R. B. Fitzpatrick, of Cambridge, again wrote a very long letter, asking the Board to reconsider his application for relief.—The Chairman Baid he had also received a long letter from Mr Fitzpatrick on the same subject.—After due consideration, the let er was received. ACCOUNTS. The following accounts were passed for payment : —A. E. Manning, £23 17s 7d ; E. J. Davey. £l6 6s 7d ; J. Bettley, £l4 5s 9d ; F. B. Jolly, £6 0s 9d ; J. C. Bay, £i 14s 7d ; J. Ridler, £l2 6s lid ; Gas Company, £l9 19s ; Parr Bros'., £1 9s Id ; N. R Cox, £S 2s 7d ; J. R. E. Hatrick, £3 10s 6d ; T. Keep, £2 9s 4d ; T. W. Maunder, £1 10a 8d ; R. F. Sandes, £1 6s 5d ; J. S. Bond. £llsld; M. A. Going, 8s 6d ; St. Mary's Orphanage, £l2 4s ; Dr. Brewis, £3 3s ; Dr. Roberts, £3 3s ; Mr* Peake, £2 8s ; Mrs Hayes, £5 ; Orphan Home Trust, £6 12s 6d ; J. Knox, £4 13s ; salaries, £BO ; Charitable Aid, £25. Total, £263 7s lOd. Secretary's Report.—ln his report the Secretary stated that Joseph Maxwell, who had left the institution of his own accord on Wednesday last, was brought up at the Police Court and committed to Mount Eden for three months on a charge of vagrancy. Frederick Brilliard, an old man of G 7 years, originally of the Fourth Waikato Militia, who was entitled to a pension, had applied for relief. He had sent the old man to the Refuge pending the decision of the Board.—lt was decided to admit Brilliard to the institution for a month.— Another man, named J. Donovan, applied for admission to the hospital, but his case not beiug suitable, temporary shelter was given in the refuge. He is in receipt of an Imperial pension of Is per day and an old age pension of Is per day, and he did nob consider him, under the circumstances, a fit inmate for the refuge. —The Board took a similar view of the case, and decided not to admit Donovan to the refuge.—The Secretary also referred to an old man named Evan Gill, a resident of the Te Awamutu district, who was in receipt of an old age pension, but was helpless, having lost a hand. Gill was married, but his wife was not qualified for a pension.—On the recommendation of Mr Teasdale, the Board decided to assist Mr Gill to the extent; of 3s per week. —The report was adopted. Surgeon's Report.—ln his monthly report the surgeon superintendent stated that two deaths had occured during the month, a native baby aged 7 months, and Eva Harris aged 6 who died from burns. Both cases came from Te Rau-a-moa.—James Stevenson, he reported, was not a fit subject for hospital treatment. He was suffering from cataract in both eyes and becoming rapidly blind, but would not be fit to operate upon for some months.— He recommended that Stcvenßon should be admitted to the Refuge, as he was quite unable to do auy work, and appeared to be destitute and should be kept there until the cataract has ripened. Allocations.—The Secretary read notice of motion rendered necessary by a slight error made in the allocation of contributions towards the support of the institutions. The Secretary had explained that the mistake was due to the fact that a telegram had been misread. The alteration would have the effect of reducing the Raglan County contribution by £46, and this amount would be distributed among the other bodies. —The new allocation was as follows : Piako County, £406 10s ; Waikato County, £316 10s ; Waipa County, £256 5s ; Raglan County, £lB3 15s ; Hamilton Borough, £7l 10s ; Te Arolr- Borough, £4B 15s ; Cambridge Borough, £4l 15s ; total, £1325. Heating the Wards.—The Chairman said the House Committee had inspected the ward which contained a chimney which was practically useless. The Committee recommended that the chimney should be removed from the centre of the room to the side and cou-

verted into a double one.—This report was adopted. Nurses' Quarters— The Chairman roported that Dr. Douglas had drawn the attention of the House Committee to the unsatisfactory state of the new room lately added to the nurses' quarters. It was very damp and everything it contained in the shape of clothing went blue mouldy in a very short Bpaco of time.— I'he committee recommended that a small chimney should be built to remedy this defect. —This was unanimously agreed to. Endowment.—Mr H. Kerr called the attention of the Board to an eudowment in Duke-streefc, Cambridge, which was covered with furze, and which was the cause of no end of annoyance to settlers driving ftock. On behalf of the Cambridge Borough Council he offered to take a long lease of the allotment, have it fenced, clearod of furze and planted with trees.—The offer wasaccepted. A nominal rent of Is a year was fixed, the deeds, etc., to be supplied by the Borough Council.