The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1903-12-31
BOARD Of HEALTH FACES
The RETRfNCHMENT AXE
Government Physicians and Hospital Subsidies
May Be Cut Out-Board In Conference
With Governor Carter.

of prevention might save a great deal
of trouble and expense
AT the same time we must do some
thing. WeN cannot sit still and let the
thing drive. There are some items that
can be dispensed with, but the question
is whether cutting out subsidies for
hospitals all over the Territory, also the
salaries of government physicians in
all the districts. would not be the most
feasible reduction of expenditures
which could be made without impair
ing the efficiency of the health depart
ment
Some other savings of a minor kind
might also be effected, such as COM
bination of duties, reduction of expen-
ditures, etc. There is no doubt consid-
cradle waste in supplies of rations to
the lepers. Last Legislature increased
the ration of paiai from twenty-one
pounds to twenty-five pounds week.
which is considerably above what the
average Hawaiian outside consumes.
There are many instances where they
draw rations and do not use them.
There is no disposition on the part
of the administration or of the Board
of Health to deprive those people of
what they need, but we cannot tolerate
extravaganza and waste Of necessarie5.
Regarding the question of district
physicians, the Cohnty Act allows the
supervisors to appoint a county health
officer. 1t is thought that, under this
authorization, the counties may pro-
vide medical assistance for their own
INDECENT people,
The Governor, replying to question,
said that no cutting of appropriations
was done in the conference, the mat
ter being left to the deliberations of the
Board of Health.
THE REGULAR MEETING.
There was full attendance at the
regular meeting and the conference,
namely: DR.. C. B. Cooper, president; !;
Mark P. Robinson, Fred. C. Smith, DR..
w. II. Mays, E. c. Winston, John C.
Lane and Attorney General l.. An
drews, members; besides DR.. H. c.
Sloggett, medical superintendent of the
Insane Asylum; j. D. McVeigh, super
intendent of the Leper Settlement, and
c. Charlock, secretary.
In the course of the preliminary dis
cussion of expenditures at the regular
meeting, DR.. Sloggett stated that the
Asylum patients numbered 1870, some
being out on furlough. There were $50
within the grounds. The expense of
maintenance, DR.. Sloggett said, was
fifty-four cents per capita per diem,
which included his own salary, the gen.
eral payroll and everything. No asy-
lum in the States, he maintained, was
run so cheaply.
Further time was granted to Superin-
tendent McVeigh to report on various
personal petitions, also to the commit
tee on cemeteries and to the Attorney
General on Hilo condemnation proceed
ings for their respective reports.
Petitions for kokuas by KIM Kama
mu, Ioane NJ and Kainuwai We're
granted on favorable reports by Mr..
McVeigh.
DR.. II. E. Cofer, chief quarantine Of
ficer, reported on health conditions in
the Orient as follows, two weeks up
to latest date in each case: Hongkong,
1 case and deaths smallpox, 2 cases
and deaths plague; Shanghai, cases
smallpox; Nagasaki, Kobe and Yoko-
hama, all clean.