NEW HOSPITAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 26 October 1915, Page 7

NEW HOSPITAL.

READY FOR WOUNDED SOLDIERS. GOVERNMENT DILATORY. NEW PLYMOUTH OWBR NOT REPLIED TO. It appears as though the Government is not going to avail itself of the offer of the Taranaki Hospital Board of the use of the new hospital at New Plymouth for wounded and aick soldiers, for the chairman (Mr. P. C. J. Bellringer) has not received any reply to his telegram offering the Government the hospital until the end of the war, providing the Government arranged for the furnishing and staffing of the institution. Mr. Bellringer's attention was drawn yesterday to an impression that was abroad that the Hospital Board wag not encouraging the Government to send soldiers to New Plymouth, and he emphatically stated that this was an erroneous interpretation of the Board's action. The Board, he said, was particularly anxious that the hospital should be taken over by the Government, for it was recognised that if this were done the arrangements for dealing with the returned soldiers would oe simplified. The Health Department had asked how many beds were available in the present hospital, but this is now overcrowded and the staff is taxed to its utmost, so it is impossible to render assistance in this direction. But the new hospital is completed and, except for furnishing, is ready to receive patients. Contracts for furnishing the building have been let, but they cannot be carried out within a month or six weeks, and the Board suggest that temporary furnishing should be done by the Government. In regard to the staff, Mr. Bellringer has received an offer from a New Plymouth doctor to act as superintendent, and, in addition to nurses, the doctor only asks for the assistance of one or two medical students. It is difficult. to understand the hesitation of the Government in accepting the offer. Here is a splendid new building, constructed on the most recent plans, which will comfortably accommo date all the 240 hospital cases returning to New Zealand this week by the Willochra and the Tofua. There are a number of nurses on these steamers, and they could form the nucleus of the nursing staff, while any further nursing assistance required could be supplied by the Government from the nurses available for service. The furnishing is a matter which might be dealt with by rapid organisation and financial assistance. The chairman of the New Plymouth Harbor Board has assured Mr. Bellringer that the Willoclna and the Tofua could be berthed at New Plymouth without the slightest difficulty, and all the patients could be sent to the hospital with a minimum of inconvenience. If such an arrangement as this were mads by the Government greater efficiency in dealing with the men would be attained at a small expenditure, but apparently the Government will prefer to divide the wounded into separate quotas and distribute them throughout the Dominion, adding to the burden already carried by public hospitals. Mr. Bellringer also mentioned that the East End Pavilion had been offered to the Government as a convalescent home, and it is admirably suited to be used in conjunction with the new hospital.

BOWLERS WANT TO HELP. The necessity of offering the Government every inducement to take over the new hospital has appealed to bowlers in Taranaki, and we understand a meeting of delegates to the Taranaki Bowling Centre will be called for the purpose of taking some action in the matter. Bowlers throughout the Dominion have expressed their desire to tangibly assist wounded soldiers, and they were asked by the Minister in charge of Hospitals to provide funds for the establishment of a convalescent home at Rotorua. Some centres agreed to this, but Taranaki stood out, contending that it was not right to spend money as was suggester, when the new hospital at New Plymouth was empty. This action was taken by New (Plymouth in no parochial spirit, and the attitude is one that should readily be appreciated. Now that the Government has appealed for accommodation the bowlers see an opportunity to assist.

One prominent bowler stated yesterday that he thought the matter was one in which the people of New Plymouth should take prompt action to provide the Government with every facility to induce them to take over the new'hospital. It was absurd, he said, to allow the question of furnishing to stand in the way, for all the necessary bedding and linen could be procured in a few days, while an appeal to the people would, he was confident, result in sufficient beds being obtained. In regard to nurses, he pointed out that there were many qualified nurses residing in Versnaki who would be only too willing to come forward if they were appealed to. As to the financial side of the question, he felt certain bowlers and the public generally would quickly provide all the required money. "This is a matter in which Taranaki should sit up and take notice," he added, "and no stone should be left unturned to persuade the Government to make use of the excellent facilities offering at New. Plymouth," The wishes of Taranaki bowlers in the matter was mentioned to Mr. Bellringer, who repeated his desire to assist the fiovernment, and stated that he would be pleased to meet delegates from the Bowling Centre and discuss the matter with them. He had asked the Health Department to send a representative to confer with the Hospital Board, but up to the present the Department had ignored his offer.