SOUTH WESTLAND

Hokitika Guardian, 14 November 1933, Page 2

SOUTH WESTLAND

.* ■ ~r ■" ‘ ‘ - l> ’ ' f DOCTOR OR, NURSE. adivided district. t' A,t,r the^frmeetnig.;-;ofJ :: the/ Westland Hospital Bbardffast evening, a ..deputa 1 - : >J ti°n -'waited on /members; consisting -‘ofh Hcv. > Jt. ;. Newcombe -. and Mr J. Mc- ‘‘ r y '-®ayj representing’the .'South Westland Medical . Associationj- in regard to the } appointment oi a medical, officer for r tbfe South"’.Westland district. 1 ' The chairman (Mr, W. Jeffries) welj- coin cci >.the,V ydepuU tiqn.}and (assured. >.. them thftf ,-the; Board - would be pleased j to hear- them,-place their " views bei loreimembers.. ;.v ~ . ; >j 7 -

Rev. it. Ndw.qombe-' said with. AMr McKay, he had, come again to approach the Board; ill) reference 'to the appoint-, ment: of;,a officer for South Westland.; ■ They were, however, in a‘ very/difficult.position, as after/the decision (liad ; fbe.en; made to send them as a; deputation, a new phase had arisen.’-. A.--.'.- •' v v . ;j ': j' - - /"

On-Thursday., last they had learnt that a counter : agitation to that of . the appointnterii; of! a, medical officer , had

been raised, and, there was a petition ' being . signed ' /'iii '"South' "AAhritlarid " in favour* -of / the. appointment; of.’ a resident.diptHct’nurse' in South Westland, instead; of! that of a medical officer. It was - obyipiia that with shell‘h . pro. feeding .taking place, that there was ;a good deal of feeling and difference of opinion • ov«h> the matter among the people of the district. At a . meeting of the executive of the Medfoal As- . .sociation held last week it "was decided that the. deputation, come to Holci- ■ .jtika find ask . the ■ Board to conduct a refereiidiim' of 'the pfecple'of South Westland on..“the question of the obtaining of the,: services of ' a medical officer or- a district nurse. ■'. By such a course being" followed the actual desires of the people would be gleaned. . Mr J. J. McKay supported the views put’ forward by- Mr - Newcombe, who had expressed ' the views of the. executive. They were, quite, prepared to abide by - the,; decision of "the .people', arid ■■ whatever .the-. result- - workwholeheartedly together in. the'interests of ' all ; , .concerned! „'Personally; ; 7.„he ■’ was quite' .unconcerned , as to the ' actual .4^jsionp r bpe;wiy’pr , tli©iVtKeV. :; ' :;.The clia the remarks °f -.'the;- deputation: y Personally;he i thought, 'it- - ..was' quite outside-i'of7 the : fuii^3pns;. ; pf carij.out' a ] ’.The. Board,* at all times;; h had' :pn,dbav6uricd itp. give very possible c assistance;, ; to. ,i. tlie:.requirements , - of South,..Westland.;.. He * could promise t every 'consideration 'td, the‘representa-- ) tires* of. "the"- 'deputhtibh: - A" petition t for, -the _ •appointipeht’.; of district s nurse;instead! of a; j. doctor -had been received. ... ‘ , 0 • * ■' v- -•’ • ,i linfferstboflimthat. ~ a-:; large..' number of^ had t beep Received- to 'a, petition asking for I a district nufsh to be So E would - liko'-fuller ihfprmhtiori As to • tile 4 ■ -‘X y' ' f _ y v -5 '• . % -i\ ; . *; * ' •'

desires of the signatories of the peti- I tiou.

■ .Mr •;Newcombe said some of the Signatories did consider that a nurse would be more suitable, while others signed considering if a medical officer could not be obtained, tliqn they would' like a nurse / to be "appointed.Mr Huff asked, whom it was proposed should have a vote on the referendum.

. . Mr; Newcombe said be thought that it would bo the householders. - Mr W. A. Jamieson said as country member b e had always done his best for, the South Westland people. The question should' be. decided by ' the •South Westland people and then they could come to the Board as united people. It was not in the province of the Board to hold a referendum. Mr McKay said they desired the Board to take the referendum as a central body. He was satisfied many oi the signatories to the netition had be<jn given without due consideration to the position. There would not be unanimity unless the referendum were carried out by a neutral body. The chairman said personally, that he felt the Medical Association should carry out- the referendum It was not a matter for the Board Mr McKay said the Board was more representative than the Medical Association. Personally he felt that the Medical Association was only repre-

senting its own members Mr Newcombe said it was felt .that something should be don© to bring the position to a head, and as a result of an election, the present executive were elected, and they were prepared to come here and recommend the appointment of a. medical officer They had one petiton here for a nurse and his executive‘felt that it was not advisable to present another petition. The chairman- thanked the deputation for their, attendance and information, 'and promised, to give every consideration to their representations. The deputation the n withdrew.

At the conclusion of the ordinary business the subject again came up for discussion.

The chairman said a petition had beer/ presented with 150. signatures ..asking for the appointment of . a district, nurse, for South Westland, Sister Mabel Gunn being. mentioned. The chairman also read an application from Sister Mabel W. Gunn for the, position,'- offering to do -so- at a salary -of £IOO per annum, with the provision of alsmall motor car, or £l5O and-., she-provide her oWn travelling conveniences. ! ' ’

, "Mr - Evenden ' moved that consideration of- the matter; be.deferred, to; next Meeting to- eiiable - the;people ■ to" coipe tp -some definite .decision among .themselves,/.as to what:was required. ; Mr Duff said apparently, that the applicant 'had,-made a . personal canvass-

the Board in/a'diffieut .position. The Board; was asked to take a icferendum. He did not think the Board could do sp. • There was nbt any unanimßy

among the people soutli. Even if the people decided in favour of a nurse, then the Board would have to call applications for the position and appoint the most suitable applicant. Mr Jamieson felt that the signa-tories.-to the ’ petition for a nurse were in favour of a nurse being appointed, recognising the difficulty in securing a medical man.

Mr Knights felt that < the value of the petition was not at its face value as there were different headings to the several sheets of the petitions

signed. Mr Davidson thought it was a clean wash out as far as the doctor was concerned. There was no talk of the finding of £3OO as requested by the Board.

Mr Knights said the Medical Asso-ciation-were the only people they could deal with. Mr G l . Davidson said before a referendum could be taken the Board would have to inform the deputation the actual attitude of the Board in regard to the . decision previously made, so that the question could be put plainly, before the- people voted. .

After,further discussion the Board resolved that the deputation from the Medical Association be informed that the Board did not approve- of the suggestion that it should hold a referendum on the subject of whether a medical officer or a district liurse should be appointed but feels that if a referendum was desired it should be conducted by the Medical Association; that the Medical Association be given one month to finalise their offer for a medical officer and that failing suoh action, the Board consider the contents of the petition asking for the appointment of a district nurse for South Westland; and that Nurse Gunn be notified that the petition and application for the position of district nurse bad been received and consideration had been deferred for one month, pending further action by the Medical Association.