COTTAGE HOSPITAL.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2152, 19 May 1914, Page 6

COTTAGE HOSPITAL.

FOR lIUIT VALLEY.

THE PKOPQSAt BISCUSSED.

Kcprosontatives from the Hutt and L'etone Borough Councils met at the L'clonu Council Chambers last evening to discuss tho question of the establishment of n cottage hospital in the Hutt Valley. Mr. J. W. M'Kwan (Mayor of I'etone) presided, and was supported bv the Mayor of Lower Hatt (Mr. H. Bahiivm).

Mr. Baldwin explained that the question had arisen during a discussion on the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board estimates at a recent meeting of the Hutt Borough Council. On that occasion Councillor Purely had said that the time was ripe for tho erection of a cottage hospital for the Hutt Valley. The erection of such a hospital would supply a long-felt Want for the Valley. There were obstacles in rite way, but the speaker hoped that, by their deliberations that evening, they Would bo ablo to overcome these.

Mr. Jl'Ewan said that the question was one of the most- important which tjiev had had to consider of late, . The time was not far distant, also, wlioii thev would have to consider other important matters, such its the establishment of a secondary school for Petone, nml whether the Peioiio Technical School should or should not bo made into a day school.

Dr. purdy's Opfnlan. Dr. I'urdy said that the erection of the proposed hospital was of paramount importance to a district of 10,080 inhabitants, and it was ridiculous that, as n-as the case at present, the}- should have to travel nine and ten miles to a hospital. It had been proved everywhere that a small hospital was better than a large ono. With regard to e*. iMuiso, residents of tho Hutt'Valley had at present to pay very heavily Last yejir Petone and Hutt 'had to pay over £2000 as their contribution to the Uellingtou Hospital. It seeded- extraordinary that tliey should require to iavo suclra large Hospital as tin? Wellington institution for such a small population. Tho speaker knew of i>o other place with such a comparatively large hospital in proportion to population. They in the Hutt Yalloy had to pay the piper.

Continuing, the speaker said that he know of no hospital which was more understaffed. than tho hospital in Wellington. He compared it with tho Sydney . Hospital, where they had a large staff of surgeons and visiting surgeone. Turning to tiny question of expense, tho speaker stated that they were paying an enormous amount for the few benefits received at present. He was convinced that, i» proportion, to tho expense incidental on sending a patient to Wellington, at present.'-tltoy could attend to patients in tho Valley at much less_ expense with a cottagp hospital. Besides this, they could Jjaro an eye, ear, or throat specialist visiting the Valley at regular intervals. Hutt and Pefcoiao would gnin instead of losing: on (ho proposed project. They had 'open told that a few cases would have to go to Wellington, , and this, was true, but from inquiries made; not more than three from the Hutt and four from Peusno had been sent to the Wellington Hospital during tho past year. Tho speaker eta ted that ho knew that Ministers wore against tho establishment of small hospitals. "B«t I don't care," said Dr. ,Purely. "Patients ■ can be much better treated and mom care.fuliy treated at "small hospitals, and. uo matter what the Government says, it is impossible- for them to uati.Giia.lise hospitals, and adequately staff these hospitals with surgeons, They may bis able to staff one or two, but they cannot staff the lot, because surgeons'are not so plentiful at the present day." The Discission, In reply to a question by Councillor Ball, Mr. JH'Ewau said tliat, in spite of tho statements oi Dr. Purity that a cottage hospital could be run much more economically than tho present arrangements, ligures scarcely bore that out. The speaker quoted \Vostport as an example of s place where they had an average of twenty occupied beds throughout the year, and the cost was £4880, Tho speaker took Westport for an example as it was similar in size to Hutt and l'ctone. They would see, •therefore, that the'small hospital cast more, per occupied ted, than the large , olio. . As to mortality, Dr. Purdy bad submitted nothing to support his statement that the cottage hospital was superior to tho large oae- in that respect. Mr. M'JSwan said that he differed from Dr. Purdy on that paint, and he based his convictions on a. very able article by J)r. .Burdett on tho matter in tho "Encyclopaedia Britsnnica." In spite of the fact that people said that JPetone and the Hutt were excessively taxed, reference to the Year Book would show that 'the, present tax of 9s. fid, per lioad would mean that, with charitable aid added, tho Hutt Valley would have to pay £0000 per year. Oft these fisliros it must, be seen that Hutt and l'ctone were not excessively taxed. In conclusion, Mr. M'Ewau said that it was desirable that they should have a cottage hospital, that was as an auxiliary to the Wellington institution, and he was quite sure-"that it could bo run on cheap lines. The matter could be loft to a committee, and they could -afterwards approach the Wellingfen Board.

Dr. Purdy said that he.- still Loliored tlmt a cottage hospital, could be run on cheaper lines than was tlio ease nnder the present arrangt-mcnt. Kor a hospital of tea beds the test, would be HI2OO per .year, and they oftly had to look at Otaki -Hospital,' which, for" a similar number of beds, cost £1310, to see that the idea which'lie had proposed was quite feasible. Councillor Anderson: "With all these statistics. J. am in- a greater tangle than when we started. The best thing that we can do is to see if it is fietibr to iuivi) a eottago hospital for the Hutt Valley or not." Councillor Pardy: Well, to bring t.lis matter to a head. I n»vo that this conference affirms the desirability of the establishment of a cottage Wpital for the Hutt Valley. There was further'discussion on tlio matter, and eveutually Dr. Ptirdy's motion was put to the meeting and'carried. This motion is t<l be forwarded to the WfllKiißton Hospital and Charitable. Aid Board.