TE WAIKATO SANATORIUM.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 967, 7 November 1910, Page 4

TE WAIKATO SANATORIUM.

■.?;=;SirySaVith reference to the recent suggestions of Hon. Mr. Buddo, Minister for Public Health,' that my statements as to the present administration ■#.. Cambridge Sanatorium-were-mialeadr. ing, I think the enclosed will prove of interest." It will bo seen' that'thoSo who are nearest'to. the seat of interest havo no very great for. tho present .;policy,..' and, that -they, .alsoVh'ave ideas- that ;the. Government)' wishes to dispose bf the 'institution'.'-,-Thepersis-tent '-assertion of the, Minister that everything .is. as ,if should be-,is very obviously incorrect, "where ;the true facts are'.known!' ".''*"■•''

..Thanking you. for your courtesy in publishing this letter.—l:am; etc., .'.'-..'■ WILLIAM TELL. Hamilton, October 31.

[The enclosure referred to is a report of a meeting-of tho Cambridge Borough Council, at which one of the councillors, in the course of a protest against ' dumping consumptives" at Cambridge, said, it was detrimental, to the town of Cambridge that the sanatorium should bo,even seven miles'from it. The present state of the. sanatorium was deplorable, so far as tho financial aspect, was concerned, as there .were only 13 patients, but a staff of over 30. On tho score of economy, and as a general policy, such a state of things should, not be allowed to continue. It was a wasteful, tinkering policy, and as a council they should : protesfagainst any attempt to make the- 'institution a dumping ground for consumptives. The proper .-course waa for ..every.-, hospital to provide for its ownJ.quota'-'of pati•ents: He moved that,'.the;council protost- against the ; Maungakaws Sanatorium being made tho.dumpingl'ground of incurable patients. ":The Mayor said Councillor Tudehbpe was labouring under a misapprehension. The hospital, boards throughout the Dominion,wemnow providing for their own'consumptives. Ho had it on the best possible', authority that the offer of tho Auckland Hospital i Board was not likely" to be ontettained I for a moment. Speaking as a member of the Waikato .Hospital--Board, ho stated that institution, was-providing its. own shelters and dealing: with its | own. consumptive patients. In the old 'days advanced cases were sent to Cambridge because of ;its excellent climate, but since the. establishment of the Mau- ; ngakawa Sanatorium ho did not know of a single case that had occurred looj ally or a death,.so, in his'opinion, Cambridge was better off than ever before.' He understood -that -the-'Govenimem; had no intontion of selling the sanatorium, and he-advised Councillor Tudehope "to let sleeping dogs lie.'" Councillor Tudchope said he wag pleased to \hear the Mayor's statement, but at the same timo his ; remarks'in. regard to tho costliness of, tho. .institution still held good. Ho was at a loss to understand why an institution,'-tho fruits of which were so small, should have been continued so long. However/ : tlio Government was willing to sell'the institution, and, if not, at any rate surveys were being carried out on the'...property. Tho Government was wasting money on the sanatorium,, but,.refused.a. paltry £100 to drain a swanip in the borough i]