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THE OTAKI HOSPITAL.

MEETING Or COMMITTEE. The committee appointed to keep in touch with hospital matters with, a view of having the institution brought" met,. at the request of Mr. G. Alex, up-to-date and properly maintained, Monk (Otaki's representative on the Palmerston North Hospital Board) at the Otaki Council Chambers on Friday afternoon. Besides Mr. Monk there were present Messrs J. P. Brandon (chairman), L. G. Lowry, A. W. Broadway,. E. Looser (secretary) and the Rev. Moir. Mr. Brandon explained that the committee had been ealled together at the request of Mr. Monk on account of the Department not carrying out promises as expeditiously as some of the Board's members desiced. The committee, being anxious to do its best in the matter, had agreed to meet Mr. Monk and give him every support, also to support the Board, of which Mr. Monk was a member. . Mr. Monk said all would remember the position between the Department and the Board, and that e working agreement had been arrived at, ,the Department .agreeing to repair and bring the hospital up to a modern state and to erect a maternity ward. There had, however, been a difference of opinion between the Board and the Department relative to an area of land to be transferred to the Board. The trustees of the property had transferred 39 acres, but the Board had been unable to secure this so had compromised and agreed to accept between 10 and 11 acres of land. The Board «ould not take less. There was now a proposal that the Government take over all sanatoria and this would probably affect the matter, and if the area wanted was not transferred to the Board they may find the , hospital without land. The matter had been placed before Dr. Valintine on February 4th but up to the present no reply had been received. There were two questions that had to be settled, one being the one regarding the area of land, and the other of furnishing of the maternity ward. All had understood that the ward would be built and made ready for occupation. The Board w r as to arrange for the staffing. " Unless fiaality was soon reached the hospital would not be opened on April Ist m proposed. The Board, said Mr. Monk, was doing its best. The matter had been one of long standing, and the hospital still remained cllosed. The people of the district wanted to seo it used, and many were anxious for the maternity ward t» be opened, but this could not be done till an agreement was arrived at relative to the land and the furnishing of the ward. As soon as this was arranged the Board would attend to proper staffing. In view of this Mr. Monk suggested that (the committee get into touch with Mr. Field, M.P., who could take up the matter with the Minister of Health. The Minister had recently visited Otaki and was cognisant of the position, and the Committee should urge the Department to take immediate action. If there was a reason why matters should not be expedited the committee had a right to know. In answer to a question by Mr. Lowry Mr. Monk said that he could not say anything of the medical staff but other staffing would be attended to fcy the Board. He -assured all that the hospital would be efficiently staffed as far as the cursing was concerned, and that there would be a qualified sister in charge. The chairman made reference to the deputation that had recently waitedon the Minister at the Otaki hospital,and the Rev. Moir desired to know on whose behalf they had acted. Th-.r chairman stated that all he .knew was that he had received a telephone message to meet the party and with Messrs "Wellington and Looser (mem- ; bers of the Chamber of Commerce) had done, so. The Minister and Dr. Valintine had met them fairly and had given an assurance that matters i». connection with, the hospital .would be up-to-date, and also led them to believe that everything would be in readiness for the opening on April Ist. Mt. Monk maintained that no time should be lost over the matter and urged that an agreement be immediately arrived at between the Board and Department. The Rev. Moir, who was told that the land had been given 'by the Church mission, asked if there were any deeds, and if given to the Department had that body any right to give the land away? The chairmaji said that he had seen no deeds but he had.reason to believe that the land had been given unconditionally for hospital purposes. In answer to the Rev. Moir Mr. Monk said that he presumed, that the Sanatorium belonged to the Wellington Hospital Board, while Mr. Lowry stated that accounts for Xmas cheer for tho Sau. came from the Board. In answer to another question Mr. Monk said 10 or 11 acres were wanted, but that the Government only wanted to give 4 or 5. This area the Board was not prepared to accept. He conrtAered that the Department should be asked to expedite the carrying out of the agreement immediately, and thought that the best thing to do was to place the position before the Minister and ask him to hurry matters so that the hospital eould be opened on April Ist. The Rev. Moir asked if it would not be a good idea to send a deputation to the Minister; he did not think any good would come by writing. It was pointed out that both Mr. Field and Mr. Monk had been very energetic over the hospital and it was . deemed advisable to ask Mr. Field to again wait on the Minister. J. The Rev. Moir then moved that th( j_ secretary write to the Minister ol f r Health, through Mr. Field, calling . upon him to immediately arrange s td settlement with the Palmerston North r ß ,Hospital Board so that the institution «ould be opened on April lstr—Agreed

to. - Mr. Monk suggested that Mr. Field ,be told that a' deputation was willing to make the trip to-Wellington if necessary. , The Rev. Moir, in speaking of the ambulance, stated -that the late MinisJer of Health had come to o*akl about three years ago and then promised that Otaki would be supplied with an up-to-date ambulance, but the promise had not been fulfilled. The vehicle,, he pointed out, was one of the fairly early models of Fords, and he did not know who to sympathise with mast—the driver or the patient. He asked could they not, througfh Mr. Monk, , make representation to get decent and .efficient, transport? ■■■.-■ , The. chairman stated that Dr. Valintine, on his recent visit to Otaki, had promised a proper ambulance. Mr.. Lowry said they were promised' that the whole matter relative to the hospital would be finished in six weeks, but evidently that ■ promise was not made in sincerity. The matter had been under way for about three years, and it was time, he maintained, that an amicable settlements was arrived at. Both Mr. Field and Mr. Monk had made personal sacrifices, and he considered there was no more suffering community than the Otaki one. The whole matter was a disgrace to a civilised country and the ambulance was one that would not be tolerated by the roughest army—it would be thrown away at once. Mr. Lowry further stated that the Palmerston North I Board now rightly demanded land, but the Department would do nothing. He could now see that the Boa,rd was the aggrieved party and not the Department. Otaki, he maintained, was being unfairly treated by those who should know better, further he would not be satisfied till the hospital was made efficient and able to cope with both minor and major operations. It was agreed that the personnel of the deputation, if wanted, be tho Rev. Moir, Messrs Lowry and Looser. Reverting to the ambulance 'the chairman thought perhaps the Palmerston North Board could be approached on the matter at a later date, but-Mr. Monk thought if the people wereV&ssatisfied now was the time to Jlijcixsfl it. It would be, he said, a majpjr-of finance, and he considered an ambulance would cost up to £IOOO. He thought it might be as well to place the matter before the Board and let it be threshed out. Mr. Broadway agreed that the present ambulance was out of date, despite the fact that Otaki had been promised something up-to-date. He agreed something' should be done to improve matters. » The Rev, Moir eventually moved that the Palmerston North Board be approached and asked to fulfil tire promise given by the late Minister of Health, substantiated by the DirectorGeneral of Health, and re-affirmed by the chairman of the Palmerston North Hospital Board, that a modern ambul--9 anco be provided for Otaki and diaf trict. —Seconded by Mr. Broadway, and carried. i A hearty vote of thanks was accorded to Mr. Monk for the interest taken in-hospital matters generally, »> ✓

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/SNEWS19290319.2.20

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Shannon News, 19 March 1929, Page 3

Word count
Tapeke kupu
1,507

THE OTAKI HOSPITAL. Shannon News, 19 March 1929, Page 3

THE OTAKI HOSPITAL. Shannon News, 19 March 1929, Page 3

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