THE HOSPITAL.

Patea Mail, Volume IX, Issue 1069, 6 August 1883, Page 2

THE HOSPITAL.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —If the question of keeping the Hospital open is fairly put before the people, there can be no doubt that a sufficient sum will be raised to authorise the Government in maintaining so indispensable an institution when there is no other hospital for a distance of 110 miles. But it is necessary to bring it under everjone’s notice, just as is done in all other business matters, viz., by a direct and personal appeal and canvass. The Sawmill Company would not have been floated if the directors had contented themselves simply with placing a prospectus and sheet of foolscap in each of the Banks. Nor will a Meat Freezing Company make a prosperous start without a pretty industrious button-holding on the part of some one demonstrating its claims and advantages. And people are no more ready to throw their money at a hospital, or even a church, than into a sawmill or a refrigerator, without being directly asked to do so. Indeed so Conservative are the purse strings, and indisposed to seek for unaccustomed channels of expenditure, that a little moral suasion is often necessary to secure proper co-operation. Everything [depends on the canvass and wo may say “ good-bye ” to any enterprise that cannot enlist some suitable and earnest person thus to represent its claims. People cannot be expected to travel into town with their contributions and to hunt up committee men or secretaries, no matter how necessary or meritorious the enterprise may be. If this hospital matter completely fails, the real reason will be that it has not been submitted and canvassed in the way in which commercial and other enterprises are carried to success. Great depression exists in Patca and through the colony, and some who would bo glad to aid, can hardly pay their way, and can spare no mite, however praiseworthy the object may be. More prosperous residents might bo expected to act the more liberally, though the canvassers will doubtless discover a Dives or two whose shaking hands would hold on to every crumb that ho must soon leave behind him for another country where his gold would melt. It appears to bo somewhat lost sight of, that the burden of providing some asylum for sufferers from accident or disease, will still full upon us, oven if we fail now to do our duty towards them, and so lose the aid of the Government in more than seconding our effort to give the relief needed in the best possible way. Every little village now in England is providing its cottage hospital, even within a few miles of the great city, institutions with which the country

abounds. It has been sometimes urged that our country hospitals should be furnished with more luxury than the dwellings of the labouring class, or than is at all practicable with their limited resources ; but what becomes of our humanity if unfortunates are driven to endure all sorts of hardship and misery in the effort to get to New Plymouth or Wanganui, or must lie in stables or outbuildings whilst waiting for a subscription to be made up to take them where they can be looked after, and that whether they are fit to be moved or not. A little forethought a few months ago, and the appointing of a hospital committee, would probably have prevented the question of closing our hospital from arising at all; and now a little interest and business-like canvass, will avert suffering that otherwise must occur, and be endured by some luckless ones, would save our character for humanity, and in the end bo really the cheapest arrangement possible, especially when Government is ready so liberally to aid us, K it is found impossible for us to retain a hospital in Paten, the best plan then will be to arrange with Wanganui Hospital though it has very limited accommodation, and pay it £25 annually, in order to have our cases, as they occur, admitted there upon halt of the usual charges. It is utterly impracticable to send sufferers to New Plymouth ; that journey would be a trying one for people in tolerable health. — Yours, &c. Humanity.