MEDICAL SERVICES

Hokitika Guardian, 14 November 1932, Page 4

MEDICAL SERVICES

AT KUMARA AND MATAINUI.

DISCUSSION IN PARLIAMENT

WELLINGTON, November 12

AA'heii! the Health Department’s Estimates came before the House, Air ,}. O’Brien, AI.P. for Westland, brought under the notice of the Aimister of Health the position of two medical associations in his electorate. He stated that the South AVqstland Aledical Association had gone tp considerable expense providing medical attention for themselves and their families, bi:t the legislation passed last year,, abolishing the subsidy on voluntary bequests, made it impossible for the. Association to carry on.

The doctor, secured by so much sacrifice, had been given notice by the controlling Hospital Board, and had left the district, and the people were now without medical attention. He said these people justly felt tlipy had been harshly treated. They had gone to the expense of building a doctor’s ■residence which cost them in the vicinity of £IOOO. ■ This building would be left oil thei r bands if some assistance w’ere not giv en them in the place of the subsidy withheld. Air O’Brien further said that he held it was the duty of the Government to provide medical attention to those settlers who went into the backblocks an'd blazed the trail for others, and urged the Minister to make some provision on the estimates to allow the people of South Westland and Kumara to retain the. services of doctors, particularly when it is well known both of these centres have sacrificed so much already to keep the doctors near them.

The Hon. J. A. Young, Minister for Health, in reply to Mr O’Blien, said he appreciated the earnest plea the Member "for AVestland»had put forward for, bis constituents, but the subsidv was abolished by Statute, and he was powerless to re-establish it. AVhat was required if the South AA r estland settlers wanted t 0 help themslves, was cooperation between the South AA 7 estland Aledical Association and the local Hospital Board. The Department must look on the local Hospital Board as the’controlling body.