SEVERANCE APPROVED

Evening Post, Volume XCIV, Issue 47, 24 August 1917, Page 3

SEVERANCE APPROVED

HOROWHENUA'S HOSPITAL

DISTRICT

TO JOIN PALMERSTON,

Conditional approval was given by the Wellington Hospital and Charitable Aid Board yesterday afternoon to the proposal of the Horowhenua County Council to have that county and its contained boroughs severed from Wellington Hospital District, and attached to Palmerston North.

The matter was introduced by a letter from 'tho County Council, in which it was urged that the Government, by taking over the Otaki Hospital and Sanatorium, had removed the chief obstacle in the way of severance, and made it more desirable 1 that Horowhenua should be attached to a hospital base very much nearer than Wellington to the bulk of the population. It was understood that the Government would offer no objection to the proposal, which had the approval of Palmerston. The district to be severed extended from Waikanae to Tokomaru, and included the Horowhenua County, the Levin Borough, and the Otaki Town Board. ■

In moving that the proposal be approved, Mr. G. A. Monk said that the nearest point of Horowhenua to Wellington was forty miles distant and the furthest eighty miles, while the nearest point to Palmerston was nine miles and the furthest forty-nine. More of their patients were treated in Palmerston North 1 last year than in Wellington. The main centres of population in the county—Levin, Shannon, and Tokomaru (representing, with the adjoining districts, 4700 persons)—were nearer to Palmerston .than to Wellington. Wellington Hospital at present -was overcrowded, and the board should be pleased to be relieved of a portion of the district.

Mrs. Neill seconded the motion, and an doing so said that from her acquaintance with the district she believed it would be in the interests of the women and children requiring treatment. The Chairman (Mr. H. Baldwin) considered the time was not ripe for severance. The board had not parted with Otaki Sanatorium, but bad handed over the control to the Government till two years after the war. At the end of that time dt might be back in their hands. At present the board was liable for the maintenance of civilian patients in Otaki Hospital and Sanatorium. He would consent to severance only^if Horowhenua took over the Otaki institutions . and if the district severed extended to Paekakariki, so that the board would not have to convey patients over the hill.

Mr. F. T. Moore said there did not seem to be much in the contention that the strip betweeu Paekakariki and Waikanae should be included.

The Chairman : There is more than that. They do not take the Otaki Hospital and Sanatorium. Mr. Monk : Oh, no!

Mr. Moore said it certainly appeared th*t the hospital and sanatorium would go into the Palmerston district when •the Government ceased control of them. The Wellington Board could make that clear in giving its consent. To make the boundary at Paekakariki would mean the inclusion of a small portion of the Hutt County. Mr. J. W. M'Ewan said that if the Government agreed to the redistribur tion of the districts in this case, it would lead tojmdless patching in other districts. People between Palmerston North and Otaki could go to Otaki, which was only forty-two miles from Palmerston. They should also have the right to go to Palmerston if they wished, by means of an arrangement between the respective authorities. The Rev. H. Van Staveren said he would agree to the severance on the conditions stated by the Chairman. Mr. ¥. Castle said he had opposed severance previously because there was a proposal to net up a new hospital district; but he thought the plan of joining up with Palmerston North was quite a wise one. It was a question of adjustment as to who should bear the burden of the Otaki Hospital aW Sanatorium. The view taken by Mr. J. Smith was that, while the Horowhenua County Council should not be held up on the point, it would only be fair that the district should extend down to Paekakariki. It would be better, he suggested, if an arrangement were made whereby patients from Horowhenua could go to Palmerston North and be paid for. Then after the war, when they knew where they were, they could make a more permanent arrangement. The Chairman said that, the , Otaki institutions had cost the district £7000. If severance were agreed to other portions of the district would be entitled to ask Horowhenua to make good the money they subscribed. Mr. Freeman: What about our share in the Wellington buildings?

The Chairman: You can put one against the other if you like, but you have a share only in the Bacteriological building. The others were here when you cam© in. ■ ■ Mr. Van Staveren moved as an amendment that the question stand over until they had a written statement from the Horowhenua. County that the Hospital and Sanatorium would be taken over.

Mr. Monk said this was merely a quibble. Horowhenua was prepared to give an undertaking to take over the Otaki institutions; in fact, ■ they had an arrangement with Palmerston North to that effect ; but they did not want the matter delayed. To show that they were sincere in seeking the good of the people and not financial relief he stated that they were prepared to pay £500 a year for five years to build up the Paimer'ston institutions. If, after severance, Horowhenua patients, came to Wellington, they would be paid for. The suggestion that the Whareroa Riding should also be severed was the la/sfc straw to which the old members clung. Whareroa 1 Riding could be served best by Wellington, as the train service was better.

Mr. Van Staveren's 1 amendment meanwhile had been written in altered form, as follows :—"That this hoard accepts the suggestion of- the Horowhenua County Council in terms of its letter, subject to the council taking over the entire control of the Otaki Hospital ana Sanatorium."

Mr. Monk at once accepted this amend ment, and it was carried on the voices.