HOSPITAL FOR OPUNAKE.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 December 1919, Page 8

HOSPITAL FOR OPUNAKE.

BUILDING TO BE PROVIDED. SCHEME ADOPTED BY BOARD. There is every probability that the proposed cottage hospital at Opunake, which has been a vexed question for some time past, will soon become an established fact., Considerable advancement was made at yesterday's meeting of the Hospital Board, when the report on the the visit of the members of the Board to Opunake in connection with

j the proposed cottage hospital, as already I published in the Daily News, was read. Later in the afternoon, a deputation comprising the Revs. Strand and Palmer and Mr. M. O'Brien, members of the Committee appointed at the Opunake meeting to go into the matter and confer with the Board, waited on thfc Board. The Rev. Palmer stated that it was felt imt the sketch plan submitted by the Board did not quite meet the requirements of the district, whose very great nee:' was l a maternity ward. They felt that there would be no difficulty in raising funds in the district to carry out a slightly enlarged scheme, which comprised three wards and a maternity ward, which he considered should be fully equipped so as to enable the hospital to be efficiently worked by as smali a staff as possible. I

t The Rev. Strand submitted the amend. «Ed plan. He stated that after the meeting at Opunake, the Committee had met and Mr. A. O'Brien, architect at Opunake, had given his advice and prepared the plans. It was also felt T that they should assure the Board that ? iSj lrtnct COuld raise an amount of I £3OO possibly more. He underr stood the Board's proposed scheme would s cost £I6OO. This would cost £I7OO [ or £IBOO. It was felt in the district . that something should be done to per- • petuate the memory of Mrs. Palmer, ; wife of the Rev. Palmer, who had saerii heed her life during the epidemic. It was therefore suggested that the mater- , nity ward should be named in honor of her memory, and that subscriptions from the district should be utilised for that purpose. This would give the district some definite aim and would stimu-

late the matter. It was possible that £4OO or £SOO would be raised. Contributions to the memorial would be forthcoming from Mrs. Palmer's friends in the Old Country, as well as from all parts of the district. Regarding the site, the Rev. Palmer had been instructed to take the necessary steps to secure the police reserve suggested He pointed out that'though there had been talk of separation, in their sober moments they recognised the vaiue of the splendid institution at New Plymouth, but they required an institution tbat could take cases that now went to Kaponga, which it was felt would largely pay the expenses of running the institution. Mr. M. O'Brien, in endorsing the remarks, said that if thev were given the scheme they had suggested, there would probably be over £SOO collected. Mr. Campbell paid a great tribute to the work done by Mrs. Palmer, who had undoubtedly given her life for the people there, and the people were anxious that her memory should be kept green Mr. Young endorsed this, stating' that Mrs. Palmer had worked day and night for the people 'of the district, having worked at Oaonui and Rahotu as well as at Opunake. The Rev. Strand alnd Mr. O'JJrien spoke in a similar strain.

The chairman r (Mr. M." Eraser), said that it was very gratifying to the Board that such a manageable scheme had been brought forward. He promised that the Board would favorably con?ider the matter and place it before the Department at the riijht time. The Rev. Palmer said that thev would not like to feel that the memorial portion was built by anything but public subscription. The subsidy on it could be utilised, for the other portion of the hospital.

The chairman said that one could sympathise with the idea as submitted' by the people of Opunake, but there was no reason why the Department should not appreciate that action, with no reflection that the subsidy had been utilised in connection with the erection of the memorial portion of the building. fle could assure the deputation that their request would have their entire sympathy. J

In reply to Mr. Campbell, the chairman said that in order to obtain the Government subsidy the building would have to be erected on a freehold reserve or a Government reserve. Mr. Halcombe read a letter from Mr Massey in connection with the site showing that in 1913 the Board had been taking steps in the matter. He suggested that the Board should take steps to secure the site. The chairman said that the Board would be willing to push on with the application providing the Nursin<» Association were agreeable. Personally, he favored combined action. This was agreed to. After the deputation withdrew, it was resolved -on the motion of Messrs- G. Young and S. Campbell, that upon the Egmont County Nursing Association giving the Board a guarantee that it would subscribe a minimum sum of £4OO, the Board will proceed with the erection of a cottage hospital as soon as possible.

The resolution was commimicated to the deputation, who expressed their thanks.