Qui Nhon Problems

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31111, 14 July 1966, Page 3

Qui Nhon Problems

(N.Z. Press Association) TAURANGA, July 13. “Our greatest need here is money—it is as simple as that,” says Dr. D. P. Short, medical superintendent of the Tauranga Public Hospital, who is on leave of absence for 12 months to lead the New Zealand surgical team at Qui Nhon, Vietnam.

In a letter to Mrs C. F. Best, of Papamoa, near Te Puke, Dr. Short said that goods sent did not reach their destination unless they came by R.N.Z.A.F. aircraft direct from New Zealand. Old linen and sheets were like gold where he was. If there was an opportunity to produce a really big parcel of old linen (for use as washing material, cleaning rags or

wrapping for instrui-ierts) it could be sent to the air movements officer, R.N.Z.A.F. station, Whenuapai, and addressed to “Dr. D. P. Short, via New Zealand Embassy, Saigon—Qui Nhon N.Z. surgical team.” However, money was most urgently needed to provide a simple cooking area for relatives outside the hospital buildings. At the moment they cooked anywhere and the smoke and heat from their little cooking pots did untold damage and kept the place dirty. He had proposed a very simple building with a concrete table for cooking and a shelf beneath for storing wood, charcoal and the cooking pots. However much was stolen it. was an unwritten law that ■ cooking gear was inviolate. Dr. Short said he did not know yet what his proposals would cost, but no United States or Vietnamese funds were available. He would very much like to

see his proposals implemented before he left and he was sure the team could obtain materials and labour locally to build what he wanted. Dr. Short said life had been less hectic at the time of writing, with no local battles and more staff, but the expected monsoon offensive by the Viet Cong had not begun.