Maternity Service for Pahiatua

Manawatu Times, Volume 69, Issue 64, 18 March 1944, Page 6

Maternity Service for Pahiatua

AIASTERTON, March 10. The lack of maternity service at ; Pahiatua was given urgent consideration at a meeting of tho Wairarapa i Hospital Board. Miss C. AlcKenny, Pahiatua, said the situation for mothers ; was desperate. The other day a baby , was born in an ambulance while the mother was on the way from Pahiatua to the maternity hospital at Danncvirke. Fourteen expectant mothers were waiting for a decision. Tho position arose when tho Wairarapa Hospital Board was notified that the proprietors of the maternity homo at Pahiatua intended closing tho homo. The board was advised that no more patients would bo taken other than those already booked in. It was decided that ATiss H. Grant, tho finance committee and tlio three Pahiatua members be empowered to take any steps necessary to ensure that the maternity service was resumed. It. 1 was indicated that the board was to lease the maternity hospital and pro- ; vide assistance for Sister Struthers. > Air. J. F. Thompson said that appar- ; ontly tho board was in* bad odour in Pahiatua. Tt had been stated, most in--5 correctly, that the board had made “belated’’ attempts to provide mater-

3. ■■ ■ ■■ L=- TJ^-STT^r nity accommodation. That was not so. The board had been trying hard for . months to get someone to take over. , “If the Department ot' Health had ° stirred themselves before, we would .. have had a new hospital half up by , t now,” observed the chairman, Mr. H. 0 H. Mawley. DTREE TO PILE SUFFERS