SANATORIUM SITE DELAY

Chronicle (Levin), 1 March 1949, Page 4

SANATORIUM SITE DELAY

" Dog In Manger " -Attitude Of Board Criticised The contentioHs that the Wellington Hospital Board had adopted a ' ' dog-in-the-manger ' ' attitude in the seleetion of a' sanato'rium site wijth a consequent long and iinneCessary delay, and that the amount of progress made by the Westem Hospital Districts, Joint Sanatorium Committee did not warrant its continiiing in office, were made by Mr. J. Hodgens at a meeting of the Paimierston North Hospital Board yesterday. It hadxbeen a sorry day when the Wellington Hospital Board had become^ involved in the matter, said Mr. Hodgens. It originally had e'ome into tiie scene when it failed to have its tuberculosia Wing at McKayfS' Crossing establishpd. Since then it httd impedecl progrdss With its elforts to have the sanatorimu established somewhere betweeil Otaki and McKay's Crossing Without consideration for the wishes of the ofcher bodies concerned. It had adopted a. dog-in-the-mangef attitude all along. he contended. II it had iiot been for the Wellington Board Vinelusion in the Western -Dist- . tricts and its subsequent obstructioU, in all probability the sanatorimu would have been established years ago on the site originally suggested at Boberts Linej Palmerston North. Competitive Issue Mr. Hodgens stated that the site issue had become a competitive matter between Levin, Otaki and McKay's Crossing with the consequent waste of a considerable amount of time. Mr. A. J. Gimblett criticised the Sanatorium Committee 's failure to supply the hospital board with all the information to which it was entitled. | How could the committee expeet the board 's full support when it . had ' ' gone from one site ' to another all 4 dovvn the piece" without furnishing. the board with reports of its progress? i He added that he was dissatisfied with I the way in which the Levin- site position had been handled. jRepiying to M^. Gimblett, the chairman (Mr. J. A. Nash) stated that he was very surprised by his statement as the board had always been kept informed of the committee 's progress. The Sanatorium Committee had made its greatest mistake when it brought the Wellington Hospital Board into the scene before definitely setting a location for the sanatorium site^ eommented Mr. W. Howell. Mr. Nash pointed out that. when t(h© proposal of establishing a sanatorium had been raised originally, ratepayers were faced with the problem of bearing the cost. The inclusion of the., Wellington Board had subsequently reduced the proportion which would haye f allen on the ratepayers in the other boards' districts. The chairman stated that at its last meeting the committee had resolved to ask the Hospital Board, as the trustee board, to take over the Levin site under the "Public Works Act. The letter would not come before the board at the meeting, however, as the committee/s decision alone had had the effeet of rousing the Government to action infhe xnatter of the acquisition of the site. • ' 'Satisfactory Progress" Though 'he could not furnish the board. with details, he could say that satisfactory progress was being made. Tuberculosis Talks Mr. Hodgens also criticised the Wellington Hospital Board 's failure to make known details of its tuberculosis facilities and requirements, following a letter from the sanatorium committee inviting the board to send representatives to a conference to be held in Palmerston North to consider needs for tuberculosis aceommodation. The Wellington Board had "been the nigger in the woodpile all along," he said. The Palmerston North board should make known the fact that the delay in^ establishing further tuberculosis facilities had been due, not to the State, but to the Wellington Board, and that the letter applied only to the , Wellington Board. The Palmerston North Board had furnished all the information that it was expected to ascertain at the conference but the Wellington Board had failed to do so. Failed to Convince Governmeiit Progress had been delayed from the start, oommented the managing-secre-tary (Mr. A. J. Phillipps) beeause of boards' failure to convince the Government of the need for additional tuberculosis aceommodation. It was hoped the conference would do this. Mr. Hodgens referred to a reeent statement by Dr. C. A. Taylor, tuberculosis officer of the Department of Health., in which he pointed out that at the end of last year there were 9871 registered tuberculosis cases in the Dominion. Of this number 2463 were Maoris and the balance Europeansj 1072 of the registered cases were inpatients in hospital tuberculosis units and 648 in sanatoria. The board resolved to be represented at the meeting.