OTAKI COTTAGE HOSPITAL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3016, 27 March 1926, Page 3

OTAKI COTTAGE HOSPITAL.

SHOULD IT BE CLOSED?

MINISTER HEARS BOTH SIDES.

Sir James Wilson and Mr. ,J. K. Hornblow accompanied by the Board secretary (Mr. Phillips) represented the Palmerston Hospital Board at a meeting of Otaki and district residents at Otaki yesterday to confer with the Minister of Health, Hon. J. A. Young, re the closing of the Otaki Hospital. The conference was arranged by Mr. W. H. Field M.P., and the Board representatives attended at the invitation of the Health Department. Dr. Valentine Director-General of Hospitals was also in attendance. The meeting was presided over by the Mayor of Otaki _(Mr. Brandon) and was representative of the southern end of the Hospital district. The Mayor accorded the Minister ' a hearty welcome to the town. Messrs Field M.P., Monk (Horowhenua County Chairman), J- G. Maclean, Dr. Milne, Rata Tahiwi and Father Vibaud urged the claims of the district for keeping the hospital open. Sir James Wilson and Mr. Hornblow explained that the Otaki cottage hospital had never been taken over by the Palmerston Hospital Board, but since the county had been merged into the Palmerston Hospital district it had been administered by the Health Department and the Hospital Board had been responsible to the Department for the maintenance fees of the patients, the majority of whom could be better treated in the Palmerston hospital and the district saved considerable expense. The county had asked to be merged into the Palmerston Hospital district and had contributed the sum of £2,500 for increased accommodation at the Palmerston institution to meet the requirements of patients from the district. It was manifestly unfair that other parts of the Palmerston Hospital District should be taxed to keep the Otaki hospital open, but the Board had offered to maintain a four-bed emergency ward at Otaki and supply a nurse and ambulance, which had been turned down. In the eircumstaces the Board had refused to pay any further fees to the Health Department as from April Ist for patients entering the Otaki institution. The Board did not object to the Otaki district forming a separate district and taking over the hospital. The Ilorowhenua County had severed itself from the Wellington Hospital district and since being merged into the Palmerston Hospital district it had saved thousands of pounds in levies. There were outlying parts of the Palmerston hospital district just as entitled to cottage hospitals as Otaki, but the policy of the Board was to maintain a central institution equipped with the best and most modern that medical science could provide. The Board had been subjected to much misrepresentation as to its treatment of the Otaki cottage hospital by people at the southern end, whereas it had acted in the best interests not only of Otaki, but the whole district. In rising to reply the Hon. J. A. Young was greeted with sustained applause. He had come to Otaki that afternoon to learn something of the district’s problems and he hoped that there would be no feeling in such an important matter as the closing or otherwise of the hospital.

The local problem appeared to be a burning question and he could not give a decision there and then. There was much to be considered before a definite decision could be arrived at. By the expression of opinion it was evident those present were prepared to constitute a separate district, and thus control their own hospital. The Government, however, gave practically a £1 for £1 subsidy to hospitals, and therefore it had a responsibility to the community. As Minister of Health, though, he was determined that there should be no economy at the expense of efficiency. Continuing, Mr. Young said that there were some 48 hospital board districts in New Zealand and it was not to the advantage of the community to have too many hospital boards. If a separate district were established it would be necessary to have not only a base hospital, but several adjuncts, such as infectious diseases wards, etc. Equipment was also an expensive matter and many boards could not go in for the best appliances. He agreed with Mr. Hornblow that groper bacteriological appliances were essential and while the Palmerston North Hospital Board might have no objection to a separate district for Otaki, the Health Department had an important duty to the community. He hoped that an amicable arrangement would be come to between the parties concerned, and any assistance that he or his departmental officers could offer would be gladly given.

The Minister was heartily thanked for his attendance and the meeting closed with a vote of thanks to the chair.