COTTAGE HOSHPITALS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2126, 18 April 1914, Page 2

COTTAGE HOSHPITALS.

THEIR PROS & CONS 0I&&&S&D.

The,- question of a cottage- hospital for Puteno canio up .-at last ■eraimg'j incotiug of tho Borough Ceunejl. It flrbso o-v'or a letter from tlio Wellington Hospital Board, notifying tho council that its ceiitttbntfon to tho board i'sr tho current year would bo £860 7s. 4(1. or .£47 Ms. loss fen Inst year's contribution A councillor: Why tho tjcertascv? Tho Mayor (Sir. J. W, M'l\vo-»> Stated that as far as no ct>ukl seo it was pa.rt3y (Ib<> to a decrease in the bourn's <?.x.paiidit).(H3, ai-ul also in isomd resjieofcs to tho iiioreascft in yaho of portions ef lniid in tho hospital dis. triet. The Mayor t-heii woflt on to ■states that' same tmio ago fclm cottage liospital proiMsition was moot<jfl lit Pctotic, aiid £30 was lying ■in ■ n'trtisS fund towards this object. Jto was iji favour of such a Jrospital, biff, only if ifrWewvuftildr tivo direction of tiro nreseni Hospital Konrd, It eouid acal with mhwr opcratieiis and cases of sickness.

Councillor Cox asked whether the council's poHtrilnition- to'tho hospital wonlij bo inci'-essedi i)y tiio «rCctio!i of a cettago hospital at. Poteiifc TW Mayor replied that; tie did noS tliink SO'. PorsonaHj - h» thought that, aji : yio* of the Increasing uiiititesF .o| patients requiring ti-eatofihfc si tile W«iini.gi<jn ' Hospital, the HofeDital Board would favourably con-sider the cottttgo hoepital propo.sal. Patients of course- lvsturally dflsw-ed tho best treatmettt p»Sfiibio, mid thai )vas obtainable at tfee WelfiiifrtoH Hospital. Co'Uftoillpr TdWnsend. SttfOiigly etsted Sta-fe-owiied hoSp.it.fels. A t»ttago Rospital at Ptitefto could cnly deal witfl jnifla'f easesj arid tho htiiopgii wanted .aj-rangdilients . whereby serious cases-could' be dealt ititih 'frfthout acy long tfttflsi Ho *as- opposed, to tlio cottage hospital idea, .because it would hot bo aible- to deal with serious casess

Oattnml'tor ttMay considered that the eoiincil's -present contribution tfistoo high, mid ; as 'sooit as tho Hospital Jfoari required new buildings the- .ratgi ami levies would go up ag.aitin tSotmellloj Anderson also expressed this opinion that tho State'should, take over the oorctrol <rf- the- hospitals,. Councillor Tew.-nsend; Wo should iiojb hii-ro to .pay for treatment of patient* who feaußl not pay.- - ■ • • $ho Jlayor; Who is going to pay? , Sir. TovfEScnd: Mate the Stg.to Look aftef them. ■

The Mayor: I. agree that the treat* men* ftf the sicic ejf anv ooutttw.wto eantw-t pay shotiH be tafep up by tne Stato, TiVo shmild attack our politicians ami ftinkc thejn .bring sucii matters heforo Parlianifent-. Obtitiiming, tho Mayor went on ,fo say ilf.it if liospHals wcro nationalised, tho |ndiv#«al nioJnWs of the commuflity bo effected j«St the' s:tfflie fts' at present, Soive'ver, tbo council was to- fay loss this .year, aH.d he totild asSUro councillors that. an. ■■ hoJiost ati tempt was being made by the Hospital Bottril to cut da«-n tspenses. _ . , Tho cfimaiffiication was rpeeivfid.