HEALTH DEPT.

Hokitika Guardian, 22 March 1933, Page 4

HEALTH DEPT.

AN IMPORTANT STATEMENT

transferring institutions.

WELLINGTON, March 21. An important statement regarding the transferring of certain institutions including the State Tuberculosis Sanatoria and the St Helen’s Maternity Hospitals, from the control of the Health Department to that of hospitals boards, was to-day made by the Minister of Health, Mr Young. “The Health Department maintains certain institutions,” said the Minister. “These •include two sanatoria for the treatment of early cases of pulmonary tuberculosis—one at Otaki for female patients, and'tlie other at Pukeora, near Waipukurau, for male patients. There are seven St. Helen s maernity hospitals-one in each of the following centres: —Auckland, M ellmgten Christchurch, Dunedin,. .Gisborne, Wanganui and, Invercargill. In'addition there is the King George _Gefierni Hospital at Rotorua. Finally there is the institution all .Hnnmer, the Queen Mary Hospital, for the accommodation vof incipieutvanuous

cases.” , . The Minister quoted a reference to these institutions in the report of the National Economy Commission. He said that the Government has decided that the steps proposed therein shall he approved of as a matter of policy, and the Health Department, under instructions, is to work towards that had been entered into with °the Palmerston North Hospital Board he said, in respect of the Otaki Sanatorium, with the Waipawa Hospital Board, with respect to the Pukeora sanatorium, and with the Wanganui and Cook Hospital/ Boards in respect to the St. Helen’s Hospitals in W anffanui and Gisborne. Already the Palmerston North Hospital Board had ao-reed to take over the Otaki Sanatorium «s from April 1, Approaches were to be made to the several boards concerned with a Mdew to entering into negotiations for the transfer of control.