HOSPITAL TRUSTEES.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2508, 22 May 1909, Page 4

HOSPITAL TRUSTEES.

GENERAL

MONTHLY MEETING. The usual monthly meeting of the Hospital Trustees was held in the Countv Council Chambers last night. Present: Messrs J. W. Bright (chairman), F .Lvsnar, A. Dewing, T. Holden,’L. H. Mann, and the Hon. Captain Tucker. Dr. Carlyle Wilson was also m attendance. CORRESPOX HEX C’E. The Superintendent of Electric Lines wrote stating that free telephones had been abolished, and that it had been decided to charge Hospital and Charitable Aid Boards half the usual rates to ordinary subscribers. —Received. , Miss A. M. Cooke, late nurse at the Hospital, wrote asking for a cliecme in lieu of a month’s holiday, which she had been obliged to postpone owing to pressure of work. —After consideiabie discussion it was decided that as Miss Cooke had been in the institution for thirteen months without a holiday the amount be paid. The Medical Superintendent wrore referring to the incompleteness of the. work of installing the X-ray apparatus and painting work.—-The Chairman said that undoubtedly the work had not been satisfactorily completed. He had spoken to the contractor, who liad promised to have the matter set right. The Assistant Inspector of Hospitals and Charitable Aid wrote stating that Miss Marion Higgins would be approved as a teacher of invalid cooking to the nurses at the hospital, and suggesting requirements for the proposed course. —Received. The secretary of the Gisborne Gas Company wrote referring to an old existing; account against the hospital for fittings, etc. —The posit ion was explained bv the Chairman, anil it was decided to hold the matter over pending the amount being certified to by soine authority in the Hospital. The Inspector-General of Hospital* wrote enclosing a form and suggesting a new system in the keeping of accounts. —In answer to members, the Secretary said that lie did not think it was compulsory, and it was decided to inform the Inspector-General that- the present system of bookkeeping had always met with the approvaF of the Audit Department.

The following was the Treasurer's report for the month:—Receipts: £IOO7 18s: expenditure, £303 14s 7d; balance at hankers, £644 3s sd. The monthly report regarding the patients showed that at the time of the last meeting 20 remained in the hospital. admitted since _ 47. total treated during the month 73. Three patients died, and 30 were discharged, leaving 40 remaining in the institution. On behalf of the Visiting Committee Mr. E. H. Mann recommended the advisability of painting the two main wards and having the floor attended to. Several other minor improvements, including an extra supply of linen, were authorised and the report was adopted. Tiie action of the committee, in appointing Miss Godtrev as matron of tlie hospital, was approved. Accounts amounting to £434 16s 3d were passed for payment. Messrs Mann and Dewing were appointed a Visiting Committee for tlio ensuing month. EXPENDITURE AND ADMINISTRATION. When the ordinary business had "been completed, the. Chairman said that the administration in the matter of expenditure at the hospital had been commented upon during the mist week. In view of the remarks that.had-been made, lm had prepared a comparative statement of figures taken from the report of the Inspector-General, which he thought ought- to be made public, lest srtltK r of the misleading statements which' had been made- might cause people to thing that the expenditure at -j.be hospital was extravagant.. Tlie <1 a tomcat showed that 508 patients were treated at the hospital during the There are 53 hospitals in the Dominion, and Gisborne its 16th on the list commencing-from the lowest. Tlie daily average cost here is 5s sfd, Dunedin 5s sd, and Christchurch os 7ld. Twentv-two hospitals have a cost of /s and ever, tlm highest- being.l4s od. The average daily cost over o 3 hospitals-v-wk<~c”t at 7* Okie and it is thus seen that Gisborne is Is 7d below the aver--1 pr ess(Hl_ theirplea-