WESTLAND HOSPITALS AND CHARITABLE AID BOARD.

Hokitika Guardian, 12 October 1920, Page 3

WESTLAND HOSPITALS AND CHARITABLE AID BOARD.

A special meeting of the Board was held last evening to deal with the medical service at Kumarn. Present:— Messrs Wild (Chairman), Chesterman, Duff, Davidson, Breeze and Blank. -A deputation from Ktimara attended consisting of Mesdames Seebeck and Passmore, Messrs Rochford, Pamment, Evenden, Burrell, McFarlane and Murdoch. Mr Pamment said they had been de- 1 puted to wait on the Board to urge the appointment of a doctor for Ktimara. Several deaths had occurred that reasonably might have been avoided if a. doctor had been resident in the place. The residents were prepared to guarantee voluntary contributions of £l5O a year, if a- doctor were resident in the place. | In reply to the Chairman, Mr Pamment named three people whose lives he , was of opinion might have been saved if a resident doctor had been there. | Mr Evenden and Mr MaeFarlane sup- j ported. Mr Burrell said a doctor was urgently required as there was a great deal of sickness in Kumara. Mr Rochford spoke forcibly and feelingly explaining that lie had recently lost his brother. They were prepared to contribute £l5O and would probably 1 increase it to £l6O if necessary. In reply to Mr Blank, it was stated that the £l5O contribution did not include any payment from the Lodges. Mrs Passmore and Mrs Seebeck each quoted instances of distress owing to the absence of a resident doctor, and urged that a doctor should be provided to the place in the same way as at Ross. Mr Breeze said that they would not be able to get a doctor under £SOO per annum. He thought they should take the matter into their own hands by forming a Medical Association. He was desirous to help them in every way possible. Mr Blank said that if it cost the Board £l5O a year, he would certainly say “help Kumara.” Mr Duff said the financial point is the one. He did not think a doctor could be got to stay, and that it would probably be better to subsidize a doctor , to go to the place once or twice a week; unless they could guarantee a private practice of £3OO or £4OO a year. . 1 Mr Davidson reviewed the financial position of the Board, which showed a heavy overdraft, and said it would be difficult to get a Medical man at £4OO a year, but he was willing to try and see what could be done. Mr Chesterman was in favour of a half-time doctor between Hokitika and Kumara. The Chairman reviewed past experiences of the Board of medical men and pointed out that the mere feet of a man having a medical certificate did not make him either a gentleman or an able practitioner. He thought that tho endeavour, to get a doctor for Kumara would only result in getting a fifth-class man, since the first-class man would only go to places where there was plenty of practice. He suggested that a second doctor would be in Hokitika m the very near future; in fact a seeon doctor would have been here long ago, but some had been discouraged to await the chances of getting a really firstclass man. In Dr Teichelmann we have a medical man with no superior m New Zealand, and we are looking forward to a. man about liis equal being here to co-operate with him. He thought that Kumara would he better off if it could be arranged for one ot these good men to visit Kumara once a week, charging on such occasions the ordinary fee, and for urgent calls a fee not to exceed £3 3, rather than place a man of a. lesser class m 0 town. The position of the residents m Kumara was a difficulty that he did not see could ho well got over. In the alternative they should form a- medical Association and engage their own medical officer, the Board in that ease, giving a subsidy of equal amount. Mr Evenden thought that would piobablv he better, but the rest of the deputation pressed for the appointment of a doctor. After long discussion, (for opinion to see the classes of application), the Chairman moved that with the Minister’s consent, an adveitisement be published in the four centres for a doctor for Kumara, at a salary of £4OO per annum with private practice. Applications returnable on the 25th inst. This was seconded by Mr Blank and carried unanimously. The meeting then terminated.