OPOTIKI SHOWS FIGHT

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 421, 1 August 1928, Page 11

OPOTIKI SHOWS FIGHT

CHALLENGE TO DIRECTOR. GENERAL OF HEALTH trouble over x-ray plant (From Our Own Correspondent) OPOTIKI, Tuesday. A spirit of fight was shown at a meeting held in Opotiki last evening to consider the ultimatum fssued by Dr. Valintine to the Opotiki Hospital Board, that unless ♦he board secures the services of * radiologist the £l,lOO X-ray plant recently installed at the Opot;ki Public Hospital must be removed and replaced by another plant not costing more than £SOO. Mr. J. Armstrong, chairman of the \-ray committee, said that the purpose of the meeting was to see if the Government could not be influenced to assist the Opotiki Hospital Board to over-ride Dr. Valintine. He (the speaker) knew for a fact that other boards were using similar plants without employing a radiologist. Gisborne had a bigger plant than the one installed at the Opotiki Hospital. Opotiki residents had found £7OO for the \!-ray plant, and he wanted to know why they could not use it. Dr. Valintine should give proper reasons why they could not use the plant. Dr Valintine had said that a £4OO plant would be suitable. This was all tommy rot! One hundred per cent, efficiency was given by a large plant. It had been said that when Duller wanted to instal a small plant, Dr. Valintine said a large plant must be installed. Yet when Opotiki installed a large plant he said “No!” You must instal a small plant.” A letter was read from Dr. Bertram, of Rotorua, stressing the need of the Opotiki Hospital ‘having a good plant, owing to its isolation, and the danger of moving serious cases. Dr. Budd, hospital superintendent, said that he was prepared to spend a month at the Auckland Hospital to receive X-ray instruction. Dr. Candy, who had been employed at the Cook Hospital as house surgeon, and who had worked a larger plant than that installed at the Opotiki Hospital, was now in Opotiki and available as a fully qualified operator. Other speakers considered that the board should fight until it got the plant which was now in the hospital. SUPPORT FOR BOARD On the motion of Air. Baigent, the following resolution was carried unanimously: “That this meeting of residents of the Opotiki Hospital Board district emphatically protests against the decision of Dr. Valintine in insisting on a radiologist being employed to operate the X-ray plant recently purchased by the board, and fully endorses the action of the board in its endeavour to have an up-to-date and efficient X-ray plant installed in the hospital; and urges the board to continue its efforts, especially considering the fact that other districts are allowed to use similar plants without employing a radiologist.” A strong committee was set up to wait on the Opotiki Hospital Board and present the decisions of the meeting. It was decided to have a petition drawn up and circulated throughout the Opotiki district. The petition will then be presented to Parliament. It is likely that members of the deputation who will present the railway petition to Parliament during the middle of August will be also asked to support the petition in connection with the X-ray plant.