THE UPKEEP OF OTAKI SANATORIUM.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1835, 22 August 1913, Page 3

THE UPKEEP OF OTAKI SANATORIUM.

HEAVY CALL ON FINANCE,

FURTHER RUSH FOR STATE AID

"That, owing to the continued heavy expenditure involved in connection with the Otaki Sanatorium, and tho resultant drain upon the resources of the local bodies which have to assist in maintaining the institution, it is desirable, in the opinion of the board, that application be made to the Government to have the Otaki Sanatorium closed down or that otherwise it be converted into a national institution,

and bo maintained by the Government."

This was the text of a resolution moved by Jlr. B. R. Gardener (Levin) at yesterday's meeting of tho Wellington. Hospital and Charitable Aid Board. ■ Mr. Gardener stated that, since tho sanatorium had been opened some six years ago, its cost had been .233,000. Fees coiiected during tho same period amounted to ,£2OOO, leaving a deficiency of .£21,000. In all ((here had been 30C cases, cach patient having cost t-62 board (after deduction of few) '.£75. For the last two years there bad been something like thirteen employees at the sanatorium to look after seventeen to twenty; patients. He quoted figures with a view to showing that one-fifth of the expenditure in tho Wellington Hospital District was on consumptives. Till is was an extraordinary position. His own iden was that more benefit would result if the work were dono by tho district mirses. He had held pronounced opinions on the whole subject for some considerable time because lie had been closely in touch with the cases. Very few of them really benefited, becuuso the sanatorium treatment was not followed up in the homes. Jtr. G. Nash seconded the motion. He stated that he had long hold the opinion that the maintenance of this institution was "extravagant expenditure." He would not object if any good had resulted from the expenditure, but the board could not point to-day to one case of cure. The chairman (Rev. W. A. Evans) remarked that Dr. Woodhouse knew of several. Mr: Nash replied that that was not his experience. Lean on the Government. Mr. F. C'astle maintained that Sir. Gardener had not looked at all aides of tho question. It was not easy to get statistics showing good results in these cases, but, if the institution was doing anything in the direction of decreasing tho spread of tho disease, the expenditure was justified. Ho 'thought that it would bo better if (instead of closing down the institution) the Government wero approached for a further subsidy. He moved .that tho motion be amended by deleting tho words after "opinion of the board,", and inserting the following:—"That application be made to the Government for a special subsidy in respect to expenditure on. the Otaki , Sanatorium, in addition to the ordinal 1 }" subsidy now received." Dr. Al'Keuzio seconded. He stated that the amount that had already been spent in suppressing the disease was very small as compared witll tho amount spent at race meetings, on the golf lihks, and other places. Mr. J. W. M'Ewan spohD in support of the amendment, declaring 'thnt the diseaso was decreasing, and that this was ciue, not to tho mcdical attention that had beeiii bestowed on the patients, but to tliQ. education of tho people and tho improvement of sanitary condition. Jlr. J. Smith a'lso supported tho amendment. Ho considered that although district nursing was a good institution, still it was not fair to say that a!! patients should bo treated in their homes. Ho was in favour of nationalising tho means of suppression, so that every member of the community should bear tho share of tho expense. Tho R-ev. H. Van Staveren was of opinion that from a humanitarian point: of view they wero bound to do anything' that could bo dono to assuage this disease. They must not look at pounds, shillings, ami pence. Their institution was a charitable institution from beginning to cud, and should ho treated as 1 such.

Jlr. H. Freeman agreed with those members who favoured nationalising the means of suppressing tho disease. Ho considered that the carrying of Jlr. Gardener's motion would force tho Government to take over the institution, and ho would therefore support it. Decision to do so. Tho amendment, on being put to the meeting, was carried, and the motion lost. Messrs. Gardener, Nash, and Freeman wero tho only ones voting against tho amendment.