"Get out and save our hospital"

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 6, Issue 291, 20 June 1989, Page 4

"Get out and save our hospital"

It was with dismay that I read of the drastic cuts that will be made by the Wanganui Area Health Board, although it was not entirely unexpected with the same thing happening all over the country. Everyone in the Waimarino will be anxiously waiting to see just how far these cuts will go and how it will affect us all. I have heard that the Waimarino Hospital has until October to prove to the Board that keeping our hospital open is justified. We all know what that means, that they will most likely close it

any way, regardless of what proof is provided. It is imperative that it remain open due to the distance between us and Wanganui and as well as the immense area that this hospital covers. The clqsing of this hospital will only place further hardship on our area which is still reeling from the Post Office cjosure and many other businesses. It is the sick, children and the elderly who will be most affected. Due to the economic climate there are many families who cannot afford to run a car in this area and where does that leave

them when a member of their family will have to go to Wanganui for hospital treatment? If the Wanganui Area Health Board have to start making drastic cuts in spending then I respectfully suggest "that they should look at reducing the administration staff and fleet vehicles first. I read in last week's Chronicle where administration cuts will not take place at this stage. It is obvious to everyone that there are far too many chiefs, plus their offsiders (and probably with Board cars), and not enough indians, (ask any of our overworked nurses). You only have to have a good look around the City to see how many Board vehicles are parked outside supermarkets, hairdressers etc, during working hours and I think you will find they are not doing hospital business there. Only recently I met a ward docter in a city shop and she told me she had just ducked out from the ward to do some shopping. The mind boggles when you realise how much of this goes on in New Zealand, no wonder it costs a lot to run our hospitals. Many years ago the Waimarino Hospital had one of the largest vegetable gardens in the district and it managed to keep our hospital in vegetables for a great part of the year and in fact sent all the excess down to the

Wanganui Hospital. That ground is now lying idle but no doubt the Board is still paying rates on it. I wonder how many otlier pieces of land there are lying around empty in the Board's area, perhaps these could be sold. Check it out - you might be surprised how much money could be saved without having to resort to clos^ng much needed hospitals. I respectfully ask the Wanganui Area Health Board when they start their slashing in October, to leave the Waimarino people with their hospital intact and start the slashing in your administrtion and fleet vehicle sections. I think you may be surprised just how much you can save from your budget in these ,sections.

Faith

Wise

Raetihi

The most important question: if the business generated does not cover the above costs where is the balance coming from? This question is fairly easily answered - the ratepayer in the community concerned, It is quite obvious to any regular user of the former Raetihi

Post Office that the majority of business was generated by the Post Bank Agency and not NZ Post. This particular service has been withdrawn regardless and I would suggest that the Mayor and Council have not applied good business sense to the emotive issue of keep-

ing a N.Z. Post Agency open at any cost. There is, however, an election due in October and with further amalgamation due at the same time there are fewer vacancies around for the present office holders. Realists not Idealists