PROPOSED EKETAHUNA HOSPITAL

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 10713, 5 December 1912, Page 5

PROPOSED EKETAHUNA HOSPITAL

DEPUTATION TO HOSPITAL BOARD.

REQUEST FOll COTTAGE HOSPITAL REFUSED.

A deputation now tJio Eketaiiun; Hospital Establishment Committee consisting of Messrs. l<\ C. Turnoi (Mayor of Ekctahuna), B. Morriss, J G. U. Wales and W. B. Matbeson waited upon the Wairarapa Hospital and Charitable Board yesterday, in support of a request for permission tc erect a cottage hospital at Ekctahuna. Mi- A. H. Herbert, in introducing the deputation, stated that -through an unfortunate oversight in dates, the •deputation had not waited upon tlio 1 Board at its last meeting. The EketI ahuna people were asking for the ap- [ proval of the proposal to establish a ' hospital in the- district. The movement had been started about ten years ago, and a sum of money had ! been raised prior to the establishment of the Pahiatua Hospital. When the ' proposal was made to establish a Hospital at Pahiatua, it was decided to wait and see if this would meet the requirements, The growth of the district had proved that the Pahiatua institution did not supply the re- ' quirementsi. There was a population of about 5000 people which was not served, excepting by inconvenient ( train and coach travelling. The deputation did not ask the Board for a financial contribution. They had in Ekctahuna a block of three acres of unencumbered land, besides a ■-.urn of over £IOOO in cash. It was estimated' that the cost of erecting and furnishing the building would bo £9OO. At the present time, the districts interested, including a portion of Maurice- j ville, were contributing a sum of £843 per annum to the Hospital Board for ! Hospital maintenance. Mr Herbert asked that the. matter should not be looked at in tho light of Ekctahuna alone. He proceeded to quote a number of cases in which great physical suffering and inconvenience had been caused through there being no-hos-pital in Eketahuna. Ho asked the Board to view this aspect of the question seriously. Tho maintenance of the proposed hospital would not involve an increase in rates. If such an increase were necessary, it would not be more than three-sixteenths of a peu'.iiv in the pound. Taking Taumarunui and other hospitals as an example, the upkeep of the institution would not be more than £.500 per year. The districts affected wero thickly populated, and by a class of people whom it was the intention of the Act to servo. To show 1 that the people wanted the institution, lie j pointed out that within fourteen days ' a sum of £550 had been subscribed j in the district. Ho estimated that, I with the revenue available, the upkeep of the hospital would not be wore I than £3OO ner voar. >

Mr F. 0. Turn or said they were not asking for a. Lip; institution, Lnt a small hospital. An institution with four hods would, it was thought, ho sufficient in the meantime, Dr.Frengley had .estimated that the cost of the hospital and its furnishing would ho £OOO. This amount was in hand, and they had the land. Mr Tumor explained that, in approaching the Government firs>t, the people ',f Eketahuna had no intention of slighting the Board. Tlioy recognised that the Government was finding a portion of the. money, and that its sanction wa« necessary. The speaker pointed out that the population of tho district Lad increased very considerably of late. Tt wa« very desirable that patients should bo under the eye of their doctor.

Mr W. B. Matheson urged the pressing need of the institution. There were, no doubt, objections; but these were to be expected, and could bo overcome. It was recognised that Masterton had an up-to-date hospital, and that the greatest good was being done for the greatest number. Still, there was a minority that could not avail itaalf of this institution, and lie asked that this minority be considered. The backblocks felt that they were at a very serious disadvantage.. All that they wanted was a cottage hospital. Mr Wales stated that they would be unable to keep a clever doctor in the district unless that doctor had facilities for dealing with his own patients. The Minister for Public Health had stated that the Government did not oppose the growth o* the hospital institutions. To show that the Government recognised- the necessity for the provision of a hospital for Eketahuna, it had some years ago purchased three acres of land for the purpose. Mr B. Morris.s asked that the matter I bo viewed from a settler's standpoint. I Most of the settlers in the FortyI Mile Bush were dairy farmers, and p they could not afford the time to come to Masterton to.see their friends who might be in the hospital. Mr Morriss emphasised the growth of settlement around Eketahuna. Mr Herbert again urged that the , matter be looked at from the point of suffering humanity. He felt very , keenly on the subject, and he asked , that the matter bo given serious consideration. The Board had accepted the charge of the Buchanan Home, which was the contribution of one man. He, now asked that the contributions of hundreds of settlors should be considered. J The chairman (Mr Eton) thanked I the deputation for the clear manner in I which it had placed the matter before the Board. The information Jn ! regard to urgent case® was quite new i to members of the Board. The matter would be given careful cons-idera-tion, Mr Eton pointed out that the I question of finance had to be considered. I It was decided that the matter be deaJt -with forthwith, and Mr .T. O. Ewington moved that the request for the construction of a cottage hospital ! at Eketahuna be granted, subject to consent of the Minister,' and provided that the residents of the disI trict found the necessar- site and the money required for the construction of the hospital. Mr Ewington said ho bad no brief for Eketahuna. He was moving in the matter purely because he regarded it as bis duty as a member of the Board. He noiuted out that they had instituted schemes for district nurses and ambulance. They had also taken over h tihe Buchanan Home. He considered that the time had arrived when thev should provide a cottage hospital in Eketahuna. This would serve a greater number of people than tbe Buchanan Home, although be did jiot wish to depreciate the value of the latter. Mr Joseph Dawson seconded the motion, and stated that the way in

which the deputation had urged the claims of tho district had convinoed him of tho necessity of the institution', ; Mr W. Fisher quoted the export onoe of Pahiatua to show that no sooner was a cottage hospital ostein lished than a demand was made foil fully-equipped institution. Ho thought that, suffering would bo alio* viated to a. greater extent if they ox* tended their system of district nursos and ambulance. Mr Fisher ventho opinion that if a cottage liosj)ital were provided in Ekotahuna, n similar reouest would come from: Martinborough, and possibly from Featherston. Mr A. 1). McLood said lie had oploosed the establishment of a cottage hospital at Martinborough. He did not believo in small hospitals, he-* cause they did not receive the medical attention required. For himself,ho did not think that tho Greytownt hospital was a necessity. Tho tiond! in older countries had been tc centralise the hospitals. Mr It. B. Robertson opposed th'o resolution. Ho did not think that a cottage hospital at Eketahmia would be of any great value to his district. He sympathised with the deputation,, but pointed out that the cost of administration had been increased enormously in recent years. The nun* ing scheme had been of great value to Pongaroa. He was very sorry that he could not support the resolution, but ho did not think that he was justified in increasing the cost of ad- . ministration. Mr Herbert urged that tho district nursing scheme was-insufficient for the purposes of accidents. If Mnrtinborough wanted a hospital, it should lie given one. Ho emended that' there was no comparisoii-'oetween Eke-i-ahuna and Martinhorough. There ivere no large holdings around Eketamna.

Mr McLeod pointed out that Martinborough had a population of 'i early 1000. and the roads were very bad.

! The chairman stated that during .the jear. 1911, twenty-one patients : from the Eketahuiia, district had come j to the base hospital, and during 1912 ; tho, number was twenty-three. 1 Mr Herbert: The rest died an,! were . buried before they got to the liospi,tal, and others went to Pahiatua. I Mr F. TV. H. Kummer recognised . the financial aspect of the question. , The Eketahuna people were not responsible for the increased expendi- , turc of -the past few years. He conj sidered that the deputation had made . out a very strong case, and he felt compelled to support the motion. Mr Murray Jackson did not see his j -way clear to oppose the motion. He I considered that the deputation had i made out a very strong case. I Mr Ewington. in reply, said he did not think there was any danger of the cottage hospital developing into a fully-equipped institution. Ho looked upon Eketahuna as a first-aid centre.

The resolution was then put, and lost, on la show of hands, by ten' votes to six. The chairman advised the tion to institute a system, of district nursing and ambulance. Mr Herbert expressed disappointment that the Lower Valley members had voted against the resolution. Ho ■stated that the request would be renewed at a future date. Mr Tumor stated that the money had been collected for a cottage hospital, and it could not bo, diverted. Jt would have to be returned to the contributors. The chairman <\u'd lie was nere'y throwing out a suggestion. Mr Tumor: What shall v.e 'io with the tbre" «rro*? The chairman said that nnru/oi'tly thi.s belonycd to the Health Department. The deputation then retired.