“STORM IN A TEA-CUP.”

Otaki Mail, Volume 26, 12 May 1919, Page 3

“STORM IN A TEA-CUP.”

STATUS OF OTAKI HOSPITAL. DISCUSSED BY HOSPITAL BOARD, (From Palmerston “Standard.”) There was a discursive discussion at Thursday’s meeting of the Hospital Board on an old subject in the shape of the status of the Otaki hospital, in the cours'c_of which it was made evident that the policy of the board is against the establishment of eottage hospitals. The matter was broached when a communication was received from GovernlllGllt relative to the treatment of Palmerston patients-in the Otaki hospital desiring to know if it was desired that any particular class of patient be advised to enter the Palmerston hospital instead of the Otaki institution. It would, it was pointed out, be difficult to persuade ordinary patients from the immediate neighbourhood who required treatment to journey to Palmerston instead of going to the nearer institution at Otaki.

Hr Hornblow pointed out that the letter was the outcome of the system of dual control, ovci-_whicli he knew there was bound to be trouble. He had always understood" that patients would not be taken into the Otaki hospital

except iii urgent cases. Hr Penn contended that it was clear]v understood by the Otaki people that their hospital would be retained for general purposes, but- that the doctors could send patients to Palmerston North when they deemed this nccess-

Sir James Wilson emphasised that the policy of the board was against the establishment of smaller (cottage) hospitals, as the general hospital at Palmerston was equipped with the proper accommodation and appliances for more efficient and efficacious treatment. Hr Broadbelt, in endorsing Sir James Wilson’s expression of opinion, said that understanding at the time the change in control was made was that Otaki hospital was not to be used except- for urgent cases. Otherwise the board would have not had anything to do with it.

Dr. Whitaker also pointed out that the arrangement made at the time was that only urgent cases should be sent to Otaki.

Sir James Wilson remarked that the board objected on principle to cottage hospitals. If they favoured the utilisation of the Otaki institution as a cottage hospital there was no reason why they should not have one at Foil ding, and that would never do. He was entirely against encouraging such a step. As a matter of fact the understanding so far as the hospital board was concerned was that should the Government hand over the control of the Otaki hospital to the board it was in the power of the board to close it. Hr Penn said he agreed that the understanding was that the hospital should be used for urgent cases, but he questioned the statement that it was contemplated closing the institution down as a hospital in event of it being handed over to the board by the Government. The residents of Otaki and surrounding districts had been given a distinct understanding that their hospital was to be retained. It was simply understood that the board objected to smarter hospitals and that they did not wish the Otaki institution should be used more than was necessary—that was all. Otherwise they would have vigorously opposed 'the amalgamation of the district with Palmerston. Sir James Wilson: That is for you to fight out later. Hr Hornblow referred to the difficulty that arose with the Department when patients treated at Otaki did not pay their accounts. The Department endeavoured to throw the onus of paying the accounts on the board, whereas it "was purely the Government’s own

look-out. Sir James: The Government have got the whip hand over us, and I don’t think it would be much use protesting about the matter of payment. Hr Penn again returned to the subject of the*debatc with the remark that it would be a distinct breach of faith with the Otaki district, people if the board ever closed the hospital down, Rir .Tames: It must be quite clear that if it comes back to our jurisdiction then it will be for us to consider the question of closing it. down. I that we will do it, but merely that wo would.have the right to do so. Concluding, Sir James remarked that the discussion was largely in the nature of a “storm in a tea-cup.” He had gathered in the course of a conversation with Dr. Valintine that ihc Government would probably take over the hospital permanently and use it in connection with the sanatorium. The discussion then closed.