THE SANATORIUM SITE

Chronicle (Levin), 3 February 1949, Page 9

THE SANATORIUM SITE

Committee Calls For Action ToEnd Years Of Delay Disearding the mantle of inactivity forced tm them by the eontinuous delays, obstacles and frustrations whieli have* beset their endeavours over the past four years to find a suitable site for a 200-bed tuberculosis sanatorium, inembefs of the Western Hospital Distriets ' Joint Sanatorium Committee at a meeting in Palmerston North yesterday took steps designed to briug fmality to. their problem by the date of the next meeting on April 7. Mr. H. F. Toogood (Wellington) led the way by moving that the Palmerston North Hospital Board, as a loeal authority witliin the meaning of the Public Worlcs Act and as trustee board for the committee, be requested to take immediate steps to secure to the comimttee for tlie purpose of buildiug a new sanatorium the area of land aiready selected at Levin. Unless the Levin Mte is availabie to the .committee by its next meeting, a site elsewhere might be ehosen. Mr. P. E. Stainton (New Plymouth) in a forthright and vigorous survey of the situation gave notice of his intention to move at the next meeting that the previous resolution of the committee approving the Levin site be reseinded if for any reason the chosen area is uot availabie either through lack of consent or by failure of the Government to take it under the Public Works Act. ''I make no apology for asking that som'ething definite be done to overcome the delay in Teaching finality, ' ' he declared. "Had. this been an industriai matter> handled by a militant union with a monetary issue involved something would nave been done by nov? even to the holding of a strike. According to the statistics three people a day in New Zealand die as a result of tuberculosis'. • Because of the insidious nature of the dis^ase and the tinie I'roni contagion until death intervenes, the dis,ease is striking at large niunbers of people, weekly, if not daily, yet nothing Is done to meet the position by providing adequate faciiities to treat people in their sickness." Responsibiilty for Delays "There is a reflection on all of us for the delays that have oceurred in this projeet of ours, " he continued. "This committee. has been discussiug tlie problem with the Minister ot Health and departmental ofiieers for live years and 1 am compelled to admit that the prospects of finality today are no more definite than they were 12 months ago. If we take the measure of time required to provide the proposed building it will be a matter oi a few more years yet before tlie new sanatorium will be readv for oceupancy. [f Ave'-gOaon-.afethe present rata^-of progress the youngest member of tlie board will be an old, old inaii by the lime tlie projeeted building is a reality and the scourge will liave a mucii greater hold on tlie commuiiitv makiug it more difiicult to grapple witli." Indicating his intention to givc notice of motion to withdraw the com'mittee's approval of the Lyviu site if further obstacles and hindrauces were placed in tlie way of obtaining the re quired site, Mr. Stainton said he had been a supporter of the Levin area because on tlie advice of tlie best medical opinion the site was the most suitable botli for tlie patients and administration. However, if the coinmitloe was to be delayed indefinitely, and possibly for ever, it must make up its mmd tu look for some other site. Futility of Meetings Ile expressed his disgust at the futility of meiubcrs travelling up to 100 uiiles for eacli meeting of the committee, just to pass accounts. Membori attended meetings at considerable personal inconvenience and at no little expensc. He wclcomed tlie constructive and forthright resolution tabled

by Mr. Toogood. In support of his motion calling upon the Palmerston Nortli Hospital Board to take the Levin site under the Public Works, Act, Mr. Tnogood said that as the santorium was a loeal worlc tlie first steps must be taken by the loeal authority which in this case was tlie hospital board. Agreement Pails " Attempts have been made to secure possession of the site (now Iield as holding paddocks for stock- by Borthwick and Sons Ltd.) by agreement, but tlie conditions of agreement have beeii found ditticuit to fulfil.and a staleiuate has been reaclied/' he said. "It wouid appear that tlie compulsorv clauses o'f the Act may now have to be impleuiented. ' 1 Tlie object of his resolution Avas to remove from tlie committee any imjih cation that further delay in securing the site rested witli it. Action by the hospital board as indiacted would take tlie matter the full steps provided by law and, if JMinisterial objection was raised, the blanie for further delay would not rest on tlie committee. It would have beeu more astisfaetory to liave secured tlie site by agreement but tliere was no obligation, cithei moral or legal, on the committee to seareli for and secure other suitable laud for the displaccd owners. No legk! povvers to purchase lands other than those required for a public .worlc existed and, while the committee luid spent i.ime and troublc in trying to meet the owners in finding other suitable lioluing paddocks, it could not go any ftirtlior than the voluntary actions indi cated and 'this had failed. Tlie Minister of Health ivas in full agreement as to the suitability of the site. "Any further delay in securing this desirable site will make it appear that a good deal more consideration is being given vested interests than to the health of the community we serve," said Mr. Toogood. '"The powers given by the Public Works Act nave been used too long for public benefit to he lightly set aside. The test whether these powers should be used is the public good and common welfare, and surely this test can be equitably applied in the present case." Botli Mr. Toogood and Mr. Stainton received (lle wholeliearted support oi the coinmittee and upon Mr. Toogood V motion bcing put to the vote it was carried unanimously. It was decided to send copies of the motion direct to tlie JMinister of Health to indicute tlial' the committee now desired immediate action.