Little Rivet to lose its doctor

Press, 1 May 1981, Page 10

Little Rivet to lose its doctor

Dr Lorna Martin, who has provided a full-time clinic service in Little River for two years, is leaving because she says the service has not been able to pay for itself.

From the end of next week, Little River residents will be attended only once a week, at first, by a doctor from Lincoln.

“My going is not a reflection on the people of Little River," she said yesterday.

“The population is'small, and although people should be free to seek medical attention where they like, I still feel that if they had given total support, it might have covered the costs of the service.

“I have worked as a doctor in ■ Christchurch as well to keep the service going for two years, but I would not like to do it for 20,” she said. There was not enough employment in Little River, to hold the young people there. The Barrys Bay cheese factory had provided only three or four jobs for Little River people, but the closing had been a blow.

The telephone exchange provided jobs for three or four full-timers and about half a dozen part-timers, but jt was going automatic. Farmers could not afford io employ as much labour so the area had lost its casualworker population.

However, there was a great potential for cottage industries, Dr Martin said. Before Dr Martin, Little River had not had a resident doctor for many years. A doctor had come out from Christchurch for two years, then for about 15 years a doctor at Lincoln provided the service.

Dr Martin is moving with her family to a farm in the North Island.