HOSPITAL AND CHARITABLE AID.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3356, 24 October 1911, Page 6

HOSPITAL AND CHARITABLE AID.

OR. VALINTINE’S REPORT.

LESS CHARITABLE AID NEEDED.

[SPECIAL TO TIMES.) WELLINGTON, Oct. 23. Dr Valintine, Inspector-General of Hospitals states in his annual report that so far there is every reason to believe that the neiv Act is Avorlung well, and meeting the difficulties that brought it into being. That the Boards are too large, lie says, is generally admitted, but nevertheless the Boards have not taken sufficient advantage of their powers to form committees. When they have done so trouble has occasionally arisen betAveen the chairman of the Board and the chairmen of the principal committees, and in some instances an antagonism lias sprung up betAveen the committees and the Board!, Avhich has brought about that very state of affairs Avhic-h it Avas hoped could be obviated by tlie new Act. AVhen once a Board has elected a committee, presumably of competent men, to conduct the affairs of the institution, and to administer charitable aid or public health, considerable latitude should' be allowed the committee by the Central Board. _ The Department naturally did not Avish te see any committee dominating the Board, but a great deal of time, irritation and expense Avould be sa\ r cd and the Avork better done if the reports of the committees AA'ere adopted, after the chairman of the committee presenting the report had answered a- few questions pertinent thereto. On the shoulders of Boards must ultimately fall wider responsibilities Avitli regard to the public, though, for the- present it Avas Aviser to leave certain public health matters in the hands of the larger nninicipility. Tlie mayor and local authorities might, Avith advantage, Avaive all their responsibilities under the public health to the Boards of their respectfoe districts. An eminently satisfactory feature of charitable aid last year Avas the fact that less Avas disbursed tinder this heading than in any year since 1904-5, the amount, £95,899', being £7245 less for indoor and outdoor charitable aid than in the previous year, 1909-10. “This,” says the report, “naturally not’ only speaks for the general prosperity of the Dominion, but also for a better administration. A further reduction in the cost of outdoor relief may be confidently looked for now that the Boards have provided officers for inquiring into the circumstances of those applying for, or in receipt of, charitable aid.’’ As to outdoor relief, about a quarter is met by contributions from charitable aid pension recipients, and of that £336,553, or 6s 71-d per head! of the population will be expended during 1911-12, which, alloAving for balances in hand and payments from patients, is calculated to- be reduced to £233,821, or 4s 7d per capita. Of this amount £116,901, or 2s 3d per head, is to be raised: by levy on local bodies. A slight decrease will take placo in subsidy, oAA'ing to the fact that the population and capital value have not altered in the same proportion. The estimated expenditure of the Boards during the current year being £26,251 more than in 1910-11. The Inspector-General refers to the fact that our population is practically unprotected against smallpox. He does not, he says, advise a repeal of the present IaAV, but if it bo decided that the IaAV is. not to be more vigorously administered than heretofore, it Avould be better to repeal it, and in the event of an outbreak of smallpox, ordered, by Order-in-Council, that all persons Avithin a certain area be vaccinated, unless they can show satisfactory evidence of recent vaccination. Speaking of the Native medical service Dr. Valintine says that having held for some years that the gospel of sanitation among the Natives would be best carried out by trained nurses, under medical supervision, no time was lost in appointing nurses to visit the Native settlements and render aid, Avhere their services Avere required. In districts where there is a considerable proportion of Natives, special district nurses Avill be appointed. Some of these appointments have already been made, and the nurses’ work is giving general satisfaction. The Inspector-General expressed regret that Dr. Pomare has resigned liis position,_ as Health Officer to the Natives, with, a A'ieAV to -entering a Avider arena, and pays high tribute to the Avork he has done on’ behalf of the Native race.