ROTORUA SANATORIUM.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 387, 24 July 1889, Page 8

ROTORUA SANATORIUM.

"W£ clip the following from "Hansard" :—: — SUPPLY. Eotorna Sanatorium, £1,862. Hr Monk would like to know what the I'ec^ derived from this source amounted to. Mr llislop understood that the fees amounted to about £500. Mr Allen would like to have an explanation as to the difference between this year's items and those of last year. Mr Hislop said honourable irembers "would see that it was proposed to spend a large sum of money on the baths this year. The honourable gentlemen probably knew that ihe Sanatorium was burned down ; •and that necessitated expenditure on the baths themselves. Mr Marchant would like to know what I:ees were charged by the medical officer, and what provision was made for people who were too poor to pay the fees. Mr Hislop said the matter had been ainder the consideration of the Government, and provision would be made for jgiving medical advice fiee of charge to persons of the class referred to by the honourable gentleman . Mr Allen a^ked what the money was required for. Was the Sanatorium to bo rebuilt? i Mr Hislop replied, No. The money was principally requiied for the baths. Mi Monk moved, that the vote be reduced by £100 — as an intimation that tie atrangemen^s were such as the country could not afford. Mr Buchanan had been given to understand that a considerable Mim had been spent last year, or the year befnie last, on what was known as the "Blue Bath." Ihe Colonial Secretary had said that rone of this sum of £1,000 was lequired for buildings ; therefore the expenditure must be on new baths or in impiovetnent on exi->t ing baths. He did not know that this was necessary, if, as lie understood, the patronage of ths public was decreasing rather than increasing. He had no desire to object to reasonable expenditure, because he believed the place wus of preat value ; hut lie thought £1,000 was a large «urn to ask for. Sir H. A. Atkinson said this sum included taking charge of gardens as well fisrepaiis. Some of the baths coirodcd "badl}', and repairs weie expensive. X. nder the^e ciicnrn^tance^, £1,000 was the least that could be asked for if the institution was to be maintained in moderate efticiency. The Committee divided on the amendment. Ayes, 22 ; Noes, 46- Majority against, 24. V0te, £1,862, agreed to.