OPUNAKE HOSPITAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 August 1922, Page 6

OPUNAKE HOSPITAL.

THE QUESTION OF CONTROL. MEDICAL OFFICER REQUIRED. The Opunake cottage hospital is now completed and ready to fill its part in the caring for the sick of the district, and the time has arrived for settling the mauageffient of the institiou, furnishing the building and appointing a medical officer to take charge. The control is divided batween the Taranaki Hospital Board and rhd Opunake Nursing Association, and with the object of placing the position on a proper footing, a meeting of those interested was recently held at Opunake. At this meeting action was decided on and a deputation was appointed to confer with the Hospital Board. The resolutions passed by the meeting were: (1) That the Hospital Board be requested to furnish the hospital. (2) That the Hospital Board be requested to supply the committee with particulars of its powers, duties and responsibilities, and its financial relations with the board. (3) That the Hospital Board be requested to appoint a medical officer to the hospital. As an outcome of this meeting, a deputation from the Opunake Nursing Association, consisting of Messrs. G. W. Rogers, T. H Sinclair and J. S. Tosland waited on ?. special meeting of the Hospital Board yesterday morning. In the absence of the chairman (Mr. M. Fraser), through illness, Mr. S. Vickers presided, and there were also present Messrs. J. Andrews, H. R. Cattley, E. Gilmour, A. H. Haleombe, M. O’Brien, J. Young, G. Capper, and J. Sutherland. The board dealt first with the question of furniture, the deputation submitting details of what was required, and after discussion it was decided that the board should undertake the task of furnishing the hospital. The question of appointing a medical officer was then discussed, and it was decided that the Opunake committee should approach Dr. Watt, of Opunake, and offer him the appointment, providing suitable terms and conditions could be agreed upon. The committee will report to the board lhe result of their interview with Dr. Watt, and the board will have the power of making a decision. The final matter to be adjusted was the question of the control of the hospital, charges, etc. It was decided to await information from the committee regarding Dr. Watt's decision, after which the board will formulate charges, regulations,' etc.