Sanatorium Committee In Outspoken Mood

Chronicle (Levin), 3 June 1948, Page 3

Sanatorium Committee In Outspoken Mood

"They talk all this 'hooey' ahout superior training for nnrses 'and encouraging more young women into the protession yet they Dlock all our endeavours in the main thing — the huilding of a sanatorium — and leave the patients to languish in in'^dequate accommodation. Egypt never imposed a greatej hurden on the Israelites. At' legst 'the Israelites were shown where to get straw with which to make their - inud bricks, but we are refused even the straw.." This eomment vvas voiced by Alr. H. P. Toogood' (Wellington) at'th'e quarterly meeting of * the Wes'terh -Hospital . Districts' Joint Sanatorium Committee in Palmerston -North yesterda'y wh'en consideration was being given t-o a letter frbm the Director-Geheral of Health proposing a new se'heme oi postgraduate training in tuberculosis liursing. ' . ■ The committee which is fepresentative of the Wellington, Manawatu, Wanganui and Taranaki districts, has been striving for three years to make soine headway in its proposals to .build'' a £500,000 sanatorium, but to date has not evem overcome the initial difficulty of obtaining a suitable site. Members ' Petrol Crisis. T-he r.e|j^ai of the Oil Fuel Controlfer in Wfflfington to grant licences to membeis who have to travel 160 miles from the norfh and 100 miles from the south to attend meetings led Mr. R. J." Brokensliire (New Plymouth) to propos'e talcing immediate steps to arrange for the passing of accounts in case the committee failed to get a quorum for its future meetings. It was stated that the Taujnarunui mamber was . away from his home for • three and four days if lie did not use his own car, due to icduced rail services and ' other considerations. If petrol ' allowauces were not qvailable meetings would be almost impracticable. The managing-sec retary (Mr. A. J. Phillipps): They do.not seem to regard members ' time with sufficient seriousness. It is ridiculous that a member should be required to spend three days away from his home and business for a two-hour meeting. Mr. T. R. Anderson (Stratford) : They disregard the hotel and other expenses involved. Mr. C. Brenton-Rule (Taihape): Their attitude is that you can use your own petrol allowance or stay away. They have adopted the same stand in regard to soine hospital boards. 'Ihe chairman (Mr. J. A. Nash): This committee represents tlie policy of the Government. We caimot cease to func- | tion, nor would the Government allow us to do so. j Messrs Toogood, W. J. jGaudin (-Wellington) and the secretary are -to make personql representations to tlie , authti ox-i'ties in Wellington next week with. a vievv, to i obtaining , the. 'necessary^ . licepces: fov niembers to atteiid meet* 'wgs.- " M