WAIKATO HOSPITAL BOARD.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 455, 10 April 1912, Page 5

WAIKATO HOSPITAL BOARD.

PIO PIO SCHEME CRITICISED,

MOTION TO RESCIND DEFEATED

At the meeting of the Waikato Hospital Board on Thursday last the various King Country schemes for the provision of medical aid in the backblocks were subject to severe criticism.

Mr Keeley moved that the resolution on the minutes re subsidising and erecting a doctor's house at Pio Pio be rescinded, giving as his reason* that he thought the stationing of a man there unnecessary as Pio Pio was only 16 miles from Te Kuitj by a good metalled road. Mr Johnstone seconded this.

Mr Young explnined for the benefit of those members who were absent from the last meeting that a deputation representative of the Pio Pio district waited un the board at the last meeting and asked that some assistance be given in providing a. residence for a medical man. The board decided that, on the Pin Pio Medical Association handing over ,tJ2OO, the board would undertake to purchase a piece of land and erect a residence, the whole not exceeding £"00, the medical man to pay rent sufficient to cover interest, sinking fund and depreciation. Pio Pio was certainly within easy distance of Te Kuiti, but was the point at which the roads from a large tract of rough country converged. Under the decision arrived at last meeting the hoard would only have to find £'lso of its own money as the Pio Pio settlers contributed v.200, leaving XSW. half of which would be met by Government subsidy. The board would be practically only guarantors. lie thought thai the proposed scheme was a reasonable way out of a difficult position.

Mr Buddie and other members spoke in favour of erecting the residence, and on Mr Keeloy's motion being put it was defeated by a substantial majority.