MOVE TO MIDDLEMORE

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 237, 6 October 1945, Page 7

MOVE TO MIDDLEMORE

SOLDIER HOSPITAL PATIENTS MENTION IN PARLIAMENT Parliamentary Reporter. WELLINGTON, Friday. Dissatisfaction expressed in Auckland owing to the Hospital Board's action in transferring military patients from the Domain block to Middlemore, was referred to by Mr. Hackett (Govt., Grey Lynn) in the House of Representatives to-day, when the Health Department's estimates were under consideration. He said there was a lot of discontent owing to the lack of transport facilities for visitors to Middlemore, and he asked the Minister whether some arrangement could be made to keep the men in the city. The Minister of Health, Mr. Nordmeyer, said that as he understood the position it was that it was the Hospital Board's opinion that all orthopaedic cases, civilian and service, should go to Middlemore, which was equipped specially for such cases. He did not know that it was the intention to send all other soldier cases to Middlemore, but he personally thought it was right that the orthopaedic cases should be sent to that one institution. The matter was one for the Hospital Board, and although the Health Department was asked for its advice, which it gave, it did not indicate that it was in favour of shifting all other soldiers to Middlemore. It was a matter for the Hospital Board. Mr. Hackett: You are largely being blamed for it.