MANAWATU HOSPITAL

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 131, 20 February 1918, Page 8

MANAWATU HOSPITAL

SCHEME OF IMPROVEMENT /

DEPUTATION TO MINISTER

A deputation- from the Manawatu Hospital Board waited upon the H.on. G. W. Russell to discuss with him curtain schemes which the board ha S in hand for the extension of the institution to meet the growing needs of tho district.

The deputation submitted to the* Minister proposals for tho borrowinrj of a considerable sum of money for th<> extension of the Palmerston North Hospital, and after consideration the' Minister approved of the following proposals:—The erection of a no-fir ward to accommodate 40 beds, £151,000; a new kitchen block to accommodate the domestic staff, £800(1; the flstablishmont of a maternity home in 1? aimerston, £5000; {Tie purchase of lfltid to bo ndded to the present property, £2000; a foundry. :f:(5000; doctor's residence. £500; miscellaneous works, £>400; and for the second year, additions to the nurses' home, £8000; and for tlip third year, the establishment if necessary nf another ward to nccomJnodnte 40 heds 'more, to cost, £12,00(1. It was urged that the necessity for the increase in accommodation liad become marked of late, nml it won/ d bo accentuated by the fact that the Horowhemia district was about to be_ aiided to Vlie .Manawatn TSnswtal district, bringing in a population of. betamen 8000 and 9000 people, amd making; the total population of the Manawatu. district 43,000 people. The deputatio'n also discussed with the Minister the irmmorwl to bo erected to the memory of the late Dr. Martin, for which the sum of £2000 had been collected. The Minister declined to admit that this work was urgent at present, and suggested that the money should bo put at irfterest until the war was over, when h<? would be prepared to pay half the cast of the buildings required, to the amount of £1500.. It is intended that these buildings shall bo devoted to X-ray Treatment, and other scientific branches of therapeutics.

Tho question of electrical supply ;for tho lighting of tbo .institution and :For providing electrical treatment was considered, and tho Minister agreed to pay half tho cost of this up to the amemut of £1000.

The question of dental lireatment was also brought undni the notice of the Minister, who stated that ho had already promised a subsidy for the working of a dumtal clinic in. Palnierston North for one year. Ho suggested that the clinlic should bo in tho town of Palmerston and not at the hospital. Tho board would be required to provido tbe equipment, and the subsidy from tho Government would bo maintenance only. Tho total subsidy given to the board for tho dental purposes would bo £200, a/nd the Minister suggested to the boa.rd that the unexpended balance not required in Palmerston should bo uned to provide for dental work for school children in ot'/icr parts of the district. This work would have to bo done by local dentists* on condition that there should be a feed charge of not more than 4s. per patient, that work should be dono only on the recommendation of a medicaf inspector of schools or a headmaster, and that the benefits should be open only to tho children of parents receiving not more than £4 per week in income. This, said the Minister, would he a new departure in the treatment of school children in country diist.ricte.

With regard to the establishment of the proposed maternity homo, the Minister stated that he was not in favour of the -erection of a building for the purposo at the hospital, tie considered that it would be far better, instead of spending £8000 as the board proposed in this way, to purchase a suitable building for this purpose. It was stated by tho deputation that they believed such a property would bo available at a reasonable price, and tho Minister suggested that the board should get into touch with the owners of the property, and communicate with him Inter. He said that he desi:rod the establishment of a strong and efficient hospital, not only for the purpose of reducing the cost of child-birth, but in order that it might be m.ado a training school for maternity nurses for the West Coast district.