HOSPITAL FOR OPUNAKE.

Taranaki Daily News, 6 July 1921, Page 5

HOSPITAL FOR OPUNAKE.

THE LOCAL VIEWPOINT. DEPUTATION TO MINISTER, TENDERS TOO HIGH. During the visit of the Hon. C. J. Panround the coast yesterday, a deputation waited upon him at Opunuke in, his capacity as Minister of Public Health to again urge the necessity of expediting the erection of the proposed cottage hospital at Opunake. The chairman of the Town Board (Mr, C. A. Trotterj, in welcoming Mr. Parr, said that the district’s most urgent need was the hospital.

The chairman of the Nursing Association (Mr. G. W. Rogers) pointed out that the district was isolated on account of distance, and it was really essential that they shoula be provided with some means of treat.ng patients, either for small accidents or those who needed Kt* tention for some days. The main point desired, however, as far as the cottage hospital was concerned, was to make provision foi maternity wards. From the correspondence and the various negotiations which had been going on the Minister would be quite well acquainted with the facts of Opunake’a ease, and the people wished him to get the hospital building commenced as soon as possible. Materials were decreasing in price, and the present was a favor* able opportunity for making a start.

Mr. M. O’Brien, County representative on the Taranaki Hospital Board, said the district was an old one from a military point of view, but settlement was just advancing, land, which had been locked up by natives and the Government, having been released. By sub* scription the people had raised which was paid over to the board—the amount they asked for—and a further’£2OO had been subscribed and was lying in the bank. It was an opportune, time to start the hospital, and h«s though he was warranted in saying, on) behalf of the people in the district, tbattthey would not only give the now in the bank, but would also raise j a little more, and, in fact, would render' assistance in every way pezsible. They had been buffetted with promises, but none of these had materialised. Referring to the County Council’s a/uoa in withholding the subsidy, Mr. U’Brien said they did not do this act in defiance of the Public Health Department, bub merely as a protest against the treatment received.

Replying, Mr. Parr said he was glad, to learn that the district was making progress, and he wished them the best of luck. Having devoted nearly a quarter of a century of his life to local body work he had a great respect for the 1 cal governing bodies in New Zealand. Reviewing the position in regard to the Hospital, Mr. Parr recalled that the sum of £2809 was previously in sight andtenders were called for the contract of building the hospital. Unfortunately, however, the lowest tender was nearly double the amount available, and there lay the whole difficulty. He had made representations with a view to getting the Public Works Department to undertake the work, but without success. He then tried the Education Board, with a view to securing their staff, and the board could not help as they had their hands full. He could not approve of letting a contract at the tender price, as it wn> dimply preposterous to pay £5OOO for the building whvA was required at Opunake. There was every sign now, Air. Parr said, of a very considerable decrease the cost of building, and he was hopeful they might yet make the cost of the hospital fit thfi amount available. He •was not going to critiu’..;e. the board ox? offer any opinion a 3 to the present position as between the council and the beard. He had no doubt that the board had acted in what they though 4 was the beat interest, and he had the highest respect for the chairman, Mr. Fraser. Air. Parr said that as Minister of Publid Health be sympathised with the peopled of Upunake entirely in their desire to provide a maternity home He would go into the question again on his return to Wellington and see if there was an£ way out of the difficulty. Air. O’Brien said he desired to bring, under the notice of the Minister the factf that though the board had stated origin* '.Uy that they had £OB<K) available’ falK' the proposed hospital, they only showed! the sum of £1405 as liability the building in their latest balance*' 1 sheet. Mr. Parr promised to look into thi< question also.