UREWERA PATIENTS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 1, Issue 68, 29 September 1939, Page 5

UREWERA PATIENTS

RIVAL HOSPITAL BOARDS

r WHAKATANE OR ROTORUA

The question of the admission of Te Whaiti and Galatea district patients to thc Rotorua Hospital, to "vwhich the Bay ofi Plenty Hospital - Whakatanc, objects, and which is bound up with the question of improved access Avith Whnkatane AA T as again before the Wliakatane "County Council at its meeting on Tuesday, Avhen a fairly long discussion AA r as initiated by the reading of .a letter from the Whakatane board.

This letter quoted the relevant section of the Hospital Act dealing with the admission of patients from one district to other hospitals, and •continued: "In view of the alarming amounts which this board was being called on to pay under the section quoted in respect of admissions to the Rotorua Hospital of patients from Te Whaiti, Kopuriki, Galatea, IVlurupara and Ruatahuna, the Waikato Hospital Board was written to ion August 24, 1935, and asked as far as possible to restrict such admis- . sions to urgept cases only. The position has since then, improved, but "for the information of your council 3 would point out that during tha year ended March 31, 1039, no less than 51 bona fide residents of the tlistrict referred to were admitted -to thc Rotorua Hospital, and for the treatment of these patients this board was called on to pay £401 17s <£d to the Waikato board."

A PETITION

"People right up to Ruatahunfi were anxious to meet the hospital board and the council and a petition had been signed by practically everyone in the area asking foi* the district to be transferred to the Waikato board, said Cr T. G. H. •€awte ? who is the riding member. It "was quite clear very few hospital board members realised the difficulties and the dangers of bringing patients over the road. It was im- ■ possible even to put an urgent phone call through to Whakatane as the Public Works Department would not get off the line. There was a daily '"bus service to Rotorua.

Cr Cawte added that he had been In the Rotorua hospital rcccntlv and the medical superintendent had shown him a case in point. A man from Murupara was admitted to hospital ?nd really needed treatment. His friends were in Rotorua -,nd he wanted to remain there, but the medical superintendent was told to send him to Whakatans. However "the man would not go to Whakatane. The doctor asked what was he .to do? This sort of thing was hap-

-pening every day

Cr J. L. Burnett, chairman, said the Bay of Plenty Board's attitude "was reasonable enough. It cost them £400 last year.

The petition should be sent direct to the Government, said Cr C. T. Smith.

The boundary could be changed, said Cr L. W. Luxton. The Whakatane rate collector could still collect the hospital rates for the district and pay them to the "YVaikato board.

ROTORITA ATTITUDE,

Cr Burnett thought there would be no objection from the county t but there might be an objection, ®rom Rotorua. The Rotorua county would probably said Cr Smith. The •addition of hospital board territory meant an additional burden on any Cr Cawte said the petition was go~ing forward to the Minister and he asked for a motion supporting it. Before the county could support at 1 they would like to know the of the petition and who •signed it, §aid Cr W. A. McCracken, •and Cr Burnett agreed. He told Cr CaAvte to see that the petition was sent in to the council which would then, consider it.