TO THE EDITOR

Opotiki News, Volume II, Issue 265, 29 November 1939, Page 4

TO THE EDITOR

MATERNITY HOSPITAL Sir, —.Members of the Opotjki Hospital Board wore invited to meet Hr, Watt, of the Health Department, and listen to a statement of erecting a .Maternity Hospital. ' The'writer did not liear one word of how the building was to Ijo financed. We were 'told, that 110 .Maori children were born in the county last year and 70 Pakolia children. He said we had a four-bed maternity home for Pakehas that would suffice lor some time and the Department did not wish to interfere with private enterprise, which I took to mean the matron and doctors interested in that home. The board paid the matron £'7s subsidly and paid the rent .£BO per year. The lease has about five years to rain, however, and the Health .Department is anxious for a maternity home' for the Maoris. I asked if the Government would give a subsidy', seeing the Maoris pay little or no> Hospital rate. Dr. Watt did not think so,

stating that the home was for the people, hut the hoard finds that hall the people are a load on the other hall. (.Joe Stalin uses that word ‘‘people”). We receive about, £25 hospital rates from Maori land out of which \vc have to pay ;C1 !a) towards the To. Kaha nurse's expenses. The’ Maori nurse in Opoiiki, known as the district nurse, costs more than CIOO per year including car charges. Now the Health Department tell us to put up a £20,000 building for a maternity home for Maoris. They think we are Walter Nash with a Press printing pound

notes. It was suggested that we put up a ten-room maternity homo (o suit both .Maori and Pakeha later on. portion of the .Maori to he catered for at .‘To Kaha by the Department. They, are also putting up T.B. shelters near the Maoris’ homes on the Coast. Wo contend the ..Maoris should be a national charge and not a forced load on 605 Pakeha ratepayers (there are 572 Maori names on the rate roll) oi Opoti.ki .Cbimty. The approximate population is 1000 White and 4400 Maori. The idea of a maternity home is a reasonable one providing the Government pay half the cost and not ask 4000 people to carry 1400 people on their hack. It was remarked' l that building material would not be obtainable, but it was suggested that rooting tiles be used (another heavy cost). If a cement building was erected iron rods cannot he secured (several

tons are required for the home, stall quarters and laundry). The matter oi building a maternity home should be left till the war is finished owing to the mormons cost of materials and labour shortage. The hoard should place the‘matter before the local member, Mr. Hultquist, a lull the Minister lor Hospitals, showing tin* unfair position of attempting this expensive building at the present time, and also suggesting that the (government pay half the cost, or, in other words, the Maori share of the maternity home. Our ,hospital rate was doubled last year, but we. are unable to often, repairs or paint work, some £4oo being at present urgently required, let alone

raise a loan for ten thousand pound. Owing to non-payment of Maori hospital rates, the amount rcquiredl has to be made good from the county funds. Another question the writer asked was whether we can collect the difference- charged by other hospitals over tin* six shillings allowed by the social security. For instance a man can go to Auckland Hospital andl the Auckland Hoard.'sends a hill for ten .'.hillings a. day (they charge* 16/- per day). We have to pay the difference and we cannot claim the amount owing, no matter what the financiaj position jbl the man inirf he,- .which ' I cdfitStuV .is another niefh'o-d of hounding down the Ratepayer. v » .JOHN McDONNELL. Waiana, Nov. 22'. MORE PRODUCTION Sir.—The spring is passing and the halls arc* being rolled about for lipuv,s daily. But are We all doing oui' host.

to plant even vegetables for our own use? Verily, there will he a great dearth and all kinds of food! "ill he scarce; if we fail to try to do our part. From now on to the Ist. January is maize-planting season. Why not begin \uonf and spend, isay, twenty minutes morning and evening in digging. Even a few cobs of that grainplanted in rows near where we live, will he of some use. Maize is easy to cultivate in that way. Do not depend on the farmers to do everything i as before. M!ost,of their hard work-

Cl's lU'e hi camp—also wanting to bo loci. Given corn on the- I 'cob, boiled with a little, salt, is relished by most people. Grated maize, gi'een or dry, makes nourishing bread, cakes,, and “ puddings. Maize is the staple food of many people in Africa and America as well as other countries. Now let us stiffen our backs and begin at once to help ourselves. It is no credit to have useless, flabby hands that wo aro afraid of .soiling, while .farriers’ wives and daughters too t are- feeding ' us campers, also like M WHITE B UTTER FLIES.