SANATORIUM SITE STILL VEILED IN SECRECY

Chronicle (Levin), 13 December 1946, Page 6

SANATORIUM SITE STILL VEILED IN SECRECY

Press Again Excluded From Committee Talks With tlic zcal of a jealous Indian prince keeping his xvives in purdah, ,tho Westorn • Districts Joint Hospital Boards' Sanatoriuni Committee persists in cloaking in the utmost secrecy its progroaa or otherwise in the matter of seiecting a suitable site' for the long-projccted new sanatorihm, variously cstimated to cost between £o0(j,000 and £500,000. The questiou has been beforo the committee for nearly two years now, and tho indica tious are that it is now iio nearer to Teaching linality than it was at the beginning. When the committee met in Palmers ton North yesterday, itern 9 ou the agenda stated: "Itis anticipated that the report of the spocial committee on sanatoriuni site will be available." - The decision to set up this latest special committee Was 'taken at the last meoting of the joint committee, .started in the niorning at Otaki and linished in the aftcrnoon at Levin. Prior to that mceting a special sub-coinmittee of the general committee, including eertain . expert advisers, luid carried out a survey of the nominatcd sites in the western districts area, and the chair man, Mr. J. A. Nash, of Palmerston North, had publicly expressed the hope that J-lie committee would arrive at a dociSion when the report and recommeudations of this sub-connuittee wero considcred. At Levin the committee promptly weut into committee to discuss the report and recommendatious on site, but according to a statciucnt si&se: quentiy made by a Hawera delegato, parochial interests prevcnted the committee from comiug to a decision. The only ofiicial statement made to the I'ress was that the committee had decided to set up a special committee of "outside" experts to investigate the wliole position and report t'o the joint committee. When the committee arrived at itein 9 on the agenda paper at yesterday 's uieeling, the chairinan stated: "1 lliink we should go into committee on that otlier ljiatter. " When he aslced for a motion to tliat effect, Mr. T. C. Kincaid ( Wanganui) moved that the

committee should go in.to committee. "Will vou secoud that?" Alr. 11. F. Toogood (Welliugton) asked of Mr. It. J. Brokenshire (New Plymouth). " N'o, 1 won't second it, " replied Mr. Brokenshire, whereupon Mr. Toogood, siinultaneously with his Wellington colleague, Mr. It. H. Parton, indicated his willingness to second the motion. Asked whether a statement would lie made to the press after the iaeeting, the chairmaii said he did not think so because tlic matter would still be in committee. llowever, aftcr tlic Session in committee, a statenieiit was released tliat tlie. committee lmd reccived tlic report of tlie special committee and that Jl vya4 now to be forwarded to Ihe Health bepartmeiit for consideration. The nanies of the indepcndciit panei of experts wero also disclosed for the iirsL limc. Tliey were Urs. C. McHoweil (T.B. ofliccr at the Auckland Hospital;, i. (J. Macintyre (T.B. officcr at the Cashmere Sanatoriuni ), A. Kidd (T.B. ollicer at the Waipiata Sanatoriuni;, Messrs. A. Prentice (secretary of ihe North Canterbury " Hospital Bbard, Christchurch; aud 11. A. CanipbclJ (civil cngincer of Christchurch). The only otlier refercuce to sites at the mceting was contilined in th'o report of the managing-secreta'ry (Mr. A. J. Pliillipps; who stated that arrange nioiits were made for the special committee to meet at Palmerston North on Friday, Dectynber (3. iii this eonnection, lie said, the tlianks of the committee were due to JDr. C. Tayiof, Director oi the Hivision of Tubereulosis, JLleparLinent of Health, Wellington, who, at considerable inconvenieitce, came to Palmerston North and spcnt some time with tlie Dislrict Medicul Otiicer of Health (JJr. T. C. Lonie) and Mr. Pliillipps in going through the draft reL'erenee statement for the special committee. The coinmitlee passed a resolution recording its tlianks to I)r. Taytor. A letter was received from the Health Departinent statiug that the Works Department desired to obtain an estimate of hospital ■ building pro grammes, togcther with approximate costs, to be started during the next few montlis, being prepared for start. in 1947, or work in vicw to be started after 1917. "1 can give thorn full details of otir progranune for Otaki, but whai about the new sanatoriuni?" asked Mr. Pliillipps. "Let tliem do the guessing abont tlie costs," said Mr. Toogood. "Just-teJJ tliem that we intend lo build a sana Lorium to hold so mauy patients and let it go at that." The committee decided to adopt this course. Mr. J. A. Nash presided over Messrs. C. 11. Honeyiield (Patea), A. L. Caniji bell (Hawera), It. J. Brokenshire (New Plymouth), T. C. Kincaid (Wanganui), H. F. Toogood and K. H. Parton ( Wellington ), T. It. Anderson (tttratford), J. Waldegrave (Taumarunui) and JJr. T. C. Lonie (Histrict Alcdical Ollicer oi Health).