OTAKI HOSPITAL.

Levin Daily Chronicle, 28 February 1928, Page 8

OTAKI HOSPITAL.

MR. FIELD AND THE PREMIER. “NEGLECT AND STARVATION.” “NO WONDER HOSPITAL RUN AT A LOSS.” The following letter, which speaks for iisr.f, has been .sent by Air. W. H. Field, ALP,, to the Prime Minister: — “Adsorbing to my interview with yourself and the Aliuister of Health on Aloud ay fast, I now enclose, in case the actual contents of same may have been lu.-a sight of, copies of your and the Health A 1 mister's telegrams to me of: the ,14th .Tune last. “The statement repeated by the Minister of Health at our interview, that I have been inhuming tin* minds of the people at Otaki on this question, is of course, grossly untrue. I have simply done my best to carry out the expressed and reasonable demands of the people, and nothing more. When delays began to occur after receipt of those telegrams, and the local committee which had been sot up to watch the interests of the people of the district inquired of me the reason for such delay, I simply replied that the Director-General of Health had his instructions from the Government, and the promise would be fulfilled. “1 purposely refrained from taking any active steps whatever, even when I read in cold print the Director-Gener-al's needless and falsp accusations against me of making mis-statements and using loose language. I have not troubled publicly to refute this official's observations, nor has he retracted same, though both you and the Alinister of Health are aware that his accusations were utterly unfounded. ■ “At our interview on Monday, the Health Alinistcr mentioned that a conference was to be held at Otaki at an early date. I said that the local hospital committee should be represented, and should be supplied beforehand with a- note of any proposals to be made thereat. The Alinistcr of Health for some reason demurred to this, but you agreed with my view. It was suggested that I should be present, at this conference, and I acquiosed; but on reconsideration, particularly in view of my reputed inflammatory views and actions, I think it would be better that a member or members of the committee should attend. It is true I might speak very strongly, for I am utterly sick and ashamed of the backing and filling thqt has taken place during all those long months, and I would simply insist on the immediate ending of the delay in the performance of the Government’s deliberate promise, unless the people of the district, through their local committee, are satisfied with something less. If there had been a will to do this, a way would easily have been found, but there has been no such will.

“I cannot help fearing that the resolution of the Palmerston North Hospital Board, moved by Mr. Nash, M.P., that the Otaki hospital be closed, still expresses the wish of the majority of that body, and that as they find themselves unable to accomplish their purpose in one act, they propose to arrive at it by the slow and expensive process of gradual neglect amV starvation. •‘The Health Minister complained of the annual lo'ss on the hospital. O. course there will be loss so long as the hospital is purposely conducted on lines which will ensure loss. Economy is urged. At Otaki we have an excellent cottage hospital, beautifully situated in delightful grounds, which for years, when the population was far less than it is now, was quoted as ah' example of what a country hospital should be; and it is now, or was until recently, proposed to destroy it in order that thousands may be spent in additions to the Palmerston North hospital for the accommodation of Otaki district patients, 40, 50, and 60 miles away, by far the greater number of whom would have better attention and more comfort in their own little hospital if properly equipped and conducted on business lines; that would be the true economy. “With respect to the proposed allocation of a certain area of land for the purposes of the hospital, I should say at once that the area originally given and acquired for the hospital should remain undiminished; but that is a matter, as indeed is the general question, which the'local committee is fully competent to discuss. —Yours faithfully, (Signed) W. H. FIELD.”— February 22m1, 3928. TO BE KEPT UP FOR MINOR CASES Other letters, sent some time ago, arc as follows: — “W. H. Field, Esq., M.P., Wellington. —Re Hospital: Minister of Health telegraphing separately. Trust proposal will be satisfactory in the circumstances.—J. G. COATES, Wellington.” Wellington, 14/6/27. “W. H. Field, Esq., M.P., Wellington. Sir,: —With reference to Otaki hospital: So far as Health Department is concerned I propose to take steps to recommend Palmerston North Hospital Board to put Otaki Hospital into a proper state of repair so that it will be available for eases of accident, illness and minor surgery. All cases, however, requiring urgent surgical attention necessitating major operations to be sent by ambulance to Palmerston North hospital so that there may bo available a .sufficient stuff of medical men and nurses to deal effectually wii such cases. I have instructed Dr. Valentine, Director-General of Hospitals, to arrange with Palmerston North Board accordingly and action to give effect to this arrangement will be taken forthwith. Arrangements will also be made in regard to the medical staffing of the Otaki hospital to meet the situa-