"DUMPING" PATIENTS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 167, 14 July 1916, Page 2

"DUMPING" PATIENTS.

A PITIABLE CASE.. PENNILESS AND FRIENDLESS. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) HAMILTON, this day. ■ A.case of "dumping", an incurable patient as a charge upon the hospital district came before the Waikato Hospital Board yesterday, when • 1C- E. McLean, writing from the vicarage, Rotorua, asked tho. Board's favourable interest in a young woman who had been "dixnped" there by the Palmerston North Charitable Aid Board for treatment. The woman waa sent to the Sanatorium, although the institution had been closed to women patients for over 18 months. The Board paid her fare ta Rotorua, but would do no more, as she had only been in Palmerston a few months. She was, therefore, penniless and ill in bed at a boardinghouse, dependent on promiscuous charity. The writer pointed out that the woman was previously resident in Wellington for about eight months, and prior to that she was in Auckland for a longer period. It was, the writer went on, unfair that the local Board should be at the mercy of these "dumping" tactics. Meantime the poor woman was in a most unenviable position, and some authoritative action was urgently needed. He asked the Board to take up the case and see that the people liable were debited with her medical fees. Mr. Laurie (member for Rotorua) said the caec had given him a tremendous amount of trouble. The woman had no home, and no money. She was well brought up, and came to New Zealand about five years ago with her brother, who died, since when she had earned •her own living until she became ill. If the Board' accepted claims dumped on them in this way they might be called upon to pay out thousands of pounds. Mr. Boddie said the case iwas a most unfortunate one, and he did not see iwiat else the Board could do than give the woman 6ome relief. The case was appaTently one of genuine distress, and it wae the duty of the Board, being one of charitable aid, to give the poor woman some assistance. Mr. Ryburn agreed with Mr. Boddie that the woman should be granted assistance, but at tihe same time the In-spector-General should be written to regarding this and similar caees. The Waikato Board was in -an unfortunate position by having Rotorna. in ite district, and charges of this description β-hould not be thrown upon the ratepayers. Mr. Laurie said the Board would probably have to maintain tho woman for the rest of her life. He agreed that she should have some relief, but objected to the Board establishing a precedent to accept the responsibility for the upkeep of patients dumped in Rotorua from other districts. ■ At present a subscription was being raised to assist the woman. It was decided to approach the In-spector-General on the matter. In the meantime, Mr. Lawrie •will grant the •woman such relief as he considers neceseary.