HOSPITAL FOR OPUNAKE.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 January 1920, Page 8

HOSPITAL FOR OPUNAKE.

URGENT NEED RECOGNISED, SUBSIDY PROM EGMONT COUNTY COUNCIL. At. yesterday's meeting of the Egmont County Council, the question of the proposed establishment of a cottage hospital with a maternity ward was brought forward by Cr. O'Brien, who was a member of the committee set up at the public meeting held recently in Opunake to interview the Hospital Board on the question.

Cr. O'Brien detailed what had been llone, pointing out that the Hospital Board had agreed to establish a cottage hospital at Opunake, to cost from £IBOO to £2OOO, conditional on a minimum of £4OO being subscribed in the district towards the cost. They had also promised to station a Ford motor ambulance in the district, under the control of the chairman of the Nursing Association. Cr. O'Brien said there would be great difficulty in collecting the minimum of £4OO Required, and it would be a great help if the' Council could-subsidise the amount £ for £up to £2OO. The Act already provided ways and means, and he moved that the Council subsidise any amount raised up to £2OO.

Cr. Campbell, in seconding, said that a hospital was urgently . needed. There liras no doubt that the same people who had been giving t r o everything were beginning to get tired of doing so, and voting the amount as requested would possibly be a way of getting at those who could afford to give but would not do Cr. Young supported the motion.

The chairman stated' that while hi? sympathy was with the hospital, he would have preferred it to go to the ratepayers, as the whole of the County was interested in the matter, whilst those in the outer ends were possibly not in favor of the hospital. However, if the majority of the Council favored the scheme he would not oppose it. Cr. O'Brien pointed out that the motor ambulance would be available to carry people either to the New Plymouth Hospital or to' the Hawera Hospital, and the people in the outer districts would get iiiii benefit of it.

Cr. Green thought notice of motion should have been given to enable councils to thoroughly consider the matter. la the past they had complained that the levy paid to the Taranaki Hospital Board was much too high, and now they Were wanting to give more. lie sympathised wit.li the proposal, hut favored holding it over.

Cr. O'Brien said that no doubt in the past (hey had paid too much for what they were getting, but now they were petting something worth whilp. A sum of £2OO was a very small amount spread over the county.' The chairman said (hey had to consider their bank balance, and with the side roads to keep up, he thought they would be doing very well to suhsidise the omount by 10s to £l. The maternity ward appealed to him. There was plenty of money in the district, as was evidenced by the fact that the Pihatnn Racing Club was about to expend £7OOO on improvements, whilst in Opunake money Was being raised for tlie_erection of :i new church. Cr. O'Brien asked whether the chairman would agree to give a subsidy of 10s on the full amount subscribed. The chairman considered there should be a limit of £125. j

Cr. Sinclair, in .supporting the motion, considered that all the money should have beeii provided by the Council, but in view of the straitened finances of the Council he agreed to £2OO being tho limit. Cr. O'Brien said that £SO had been raised on the Ihaia road.

In reply to Cr. Green, the chairman stated that £2OO would be the final grant from the Council Cr. Campbell pointed out that after the hospital was erected, the New Plymouth people would have to keep it going. Cr. O'Brien said they could give a guarantee that no further grant, would be asked from the Council for the next five years. The resolution was then carried.