OPUNAKE HOSPITAL

Taranaki Daily News, 11 August 1921, Page 7

OPUNAKE HOSPITAL

SATISFACTORY PROGRESS MADE, HOSPITAL BOARD THANKED. The proposed Opnnake hospital was again the subject of discussion at the meeting of the Egmont County Council on Tuesday, when Cr. O’Brien expressed himself as satisfied with the progress now being made by thp Hospital Board in connection with the matter. The discussion arose when figures relating to the number of Egmont County patients who were in the New Plymouth hospital during the year ending March 31 were received from the Hospital Board, the council, at the request of Mr. O. Hawken, M.P, for Egmont, having asked for them. This return showed. that 100 patients from the Egmont County had been in the hospital during the year, staying a total of 2645 days. The clerk stated that 15 of these patients, totalling 389 days, were from districts outside the Egmont County, thus reducing the number to 85 patients and 2*256 days.

Cr. O’Brien remarked that members would be pleased to learn that matters in connection with the hospital for Opunake were running very satisfactorily. He had been in to a meeting there the previous day, and tenders were to be called in a few days for the erection of the hospital on the two plans, viz., the one known as the Government plan and the other that the Nursing Associa* tion favored. It was estimated that the former would cost £7OO, and the latter £l5OO more than the board had in hand, and the board was not prepared to proceed with the building unless that amount was in hand or guaranteed at the bank. The board, he said, could not hold the tenders over indefinitely, so that it meant if the latter estimate was adopted the district would have to find £lO6O in cash, as the Government only subsidised £ for £ up to £5OO. Personally, he favored what was known as the Government plan, and in this connection he wished to contradict rumors that it had been considerably curtailed. As a matter of fact it had been modified until it was now really larger than the plan, that the Nursing Association favored. Considerable saving had been effected in two places, the expensive tiled roof had been replaced by iron, and a lot of ornamentation had been dispensed with, but nothing had been done that could in any way impair its usefulness or curtail the space provided. It was a most satisfactory building, and he was pleased to say that the Hospital Board was now heart and soul with them in their desire to have a hospital. He understood it was their intention to have a committee appointed of ladies and gentlemen in the county to run the hospital under the Hospital Board. Cr. Campbell pointed out that the Hospital Board had told them if they raised £4OO they could have the hospital, afid now the board wanted them to raise £lOOO. Ct. O’Brien remarked that it was estimated that' the hospital would cost £2BOO, whereas it would have cost £6OOO. He said they did not propose to ask the district to raise £lOOO, but its share of £7OO, less the Government subsidy, and he considered there would be no difficulty in raising this, as thecalready had £lBO, and another £lOO was promised by (i gentleman, whilst the speaker had aleo collected £32 15s in two days. Cr. Ferguson moved tnat the council thank the members for the interest they had. taken in the matter, and also thank the Hospital Board for calling tenders so promptly as requested. Cr. Trotter seconded the resolution, which was carried.