BACKBLOCK REQUIREMENTS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 446, 9 March 1912, Page 5

BACKBLOCK REQUIREMENTS.

DOCTOR FOR PIO PIO. Regarding a former application by King Country settlers for a cottage hospital in the King Country, which was referred back fur further consideration, Messrs Elioti: (Pio Pio) and Moore (Mahoenui)again waited on the Waikato Hospital Board on Wednesday, when they intimated that the settlers were prepared to raise £2OO for the residence of a doctor at Pin Pio. one room of the residence to he available as mi emergency wa-.1. They suggested that the board should contribute £:500, which, with the Government subsidy, would amount to £7OO. The district, they said, was a wide and scattered one, and it was dicriiult to get medical assistance, and the hardships the women had to endure were, very great. The set Iters were also prepared to raise £],iO a year for two years and to hand ihis over to the board in order that the Government subsidy might bo obtained, thus guaranteeing a doctor £.'iO<i a year for two years,after which time the. speakers felt sure ho would open out privately. Trie districts were unanimous as to Pio Pio being the centre, though it was understood that Tangitu and Aria were agitating for a separate doctor, hut it was thought these districts were unaware of the Pio Pio scheme. A very pitiful story was told of the sufferings many ot the backblocks women had to underge, especially in cases of childbirth, where no doctor and ever, the assistance of women could not b" obtained. In certain districts, where vehicles could not be driven within miles of the dwellings, and where the women were unable to ride, some of them had not been away from their homes for over ten years.

The board sympathised with the representation of the deputation and premised to consider very carefully the claims advanced. The deputation also asked for a nurse to be stationed in the district. This the board promised to consider also, and the question of remuneration being mentioned, this was fixed at £l-50 a year. At the evening sitting of the hoard the request of the Pio Pio Medical Association was dealt with and it was decided that on condition that th< j association handed over to the board the sum of £2OO, the board will undertake to procure a site and construct a building as a doctor's residence at Pio Pio, provided the cost of the same does not exceed in all £7OO, and that rent will be paid by the medical association for the use of the building.