THE OTAKI HOSPITAL.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 131, 26 February 1908, Page 9

THE OTAKI HOSPITAL.

ATTITUDE TOWARDS NATIVES. AN ALLEGATION AND SEPIA'. At tho meeting of tho Hospital Trustees yesterday,-Mr. llolton said that he wished to reply to a matter which had been brought under his attention iii conncction' with the Otaki Hospital. Ho was aware that tlio Trustees had no control over that institution, but the matter was one affecting hospital management, arid ho thought that it should be brought forward. -Ho was told that tho Otaki' Hospital had been originally established, at tho suggestion of Dr. Mason, for' tho benefit, primarily, of mombers of tho Nativo race. There wero a largo number of Maoris ill the locality, many of whom suffered from fevers and other ailments, and it wasfeared that .thoy would disappear if something was not done for their treatment. 'The Hospital was, therefore, established primarily in tho interests of tho Natives, .though it was understood that Europeans requiring treatment would also be able to obtain it. Now, ho'understood that tho Natives-wero hot being afforded facilities :to enter tho' Hospital. Ho was speaking 011 tho authority of Mr. Gcbrgo Brown; formovly a member of tho District Board, who had-given'him pormis- 1 •siori to uso his name. In many cases Natives, who were nominal owners of property, though really they had 110 money, were shut out from the institution, because theycould not pay, and t-hoy went away from tho Hospital and'died. Then, again, the' Natives did not understand, liko white people, that they wero entitled . to. admission if poor. They learned that certain' of; their number had been refesed- admission, or had had to pay, and indignant, members of tho Native race (lid not go to tho Hospital,-but died'dut■sids. The matter had become a scandal in Otaki. ' .

.. Tho Chairman (the Hon. C. M.; Luke) : said that, as far as ho remembered, : a bi'g consideration leading to tho establishment of the Hospital, was tho number ; of cases, of'accidents. ' ■■ 1 ■ ' Mr; Kirk said that he was chairman of the District Board when tho Otaki Hospital was established. Its primary object was to deal with emergency , casps o) accident caused in bush-fellirig. The Hospital was found to bo too small for' economical management, and it was afterwards enlarged. The institution was largely availed of,, and. tho most ■ extraordinary statements just mado came to him. as. a surprise. He was frequently at Otaki, and was fully cognis'aut of affairs in connection with tho-Hospital. Ho would bo exceedingly ' obliged if Mr. Bolton would - give him tho' namb of any patient; Native or European, who had been refused admission to tho Hospital for .financial reasons. Natives wero frequently in tho Hospital, and tho question of payment was never raised any more than in the Wellington Hospital, It was true that some of .tho Natives 'could not be induced to enter tho Hospital, but they had always had' prejudices of their own —they would not, for example, allow post-mortoms—and it /wasabsurd to mako others responsible .for their various objections to pakeha methods of treatmont. It was • their own fault if they did not go tp the Hospital when they should. It- was not ,trup that-.tho Hospital had,beon instituted primarily .for .the Native raco, though probably they had been, considered in its ' establishment. Knowing the circumstances thoroughly, ho'was-prepared; on behalf of the Board, -to, say that there , was not tho least ground, for the statements ■'■]which Mr. Bolton had inado. '

Mr: Bolton' said that ho could namo specific instances. : , > . ■ ( ' ■■.■. v' Mr. M'Ewan thought that, tho matter concorned . tho District Board, and not the Trustees. , : . .. Tho Chairman said itwa'sa pity that' Mr. Bolton had, not forwarded his complaints to tho District Board.; Tho Trustcies 'had' nb'bbntrol over tho Otaki Hospital, and they wero looking to tho-'Districtvßbard for funds; < It would .bo -a curious' .tyiin'g, rjp"'tho-v'birenm-staiices, for. them to "censure", the Board.. ■ Mr. Kirk stated that Mr. Brown had not been a-member of the' District Board for eight or nino years. I;-.-,. Mr. Bolton' replied that ho was" a member when tho Otaki Hospital was established. He did not wish to censure tho Board; and' he thought that tho, only motivoin Mr; Brown's mind had been pity for the Natives. If patients wero. turned .away; from tho OtnK institution they'might come to tho "Wellington Hospital.. ;•.; . . ■

Mr. Kirk said ,that tho Secretary- of tho District Board could, show Mr. Bolton a. list of Otaki patients,, stating whether they coijld pay or not.' Patients were treated in to payment exactly tho same as, at tho Wellington Hospital. I Mr. London Said 'that ho was, for a period, a_ member of tho, District Board, and on'occasions;'visited Otaki, and saw Maoris, under treatment in tho hospital.' Ho was not 'aware' that'any'distinction was-made .between thein and tho Europeans., ' ; : Tho Chairman said'that the Trustees could not pass a motion oil the subject, v , Tho-discussion then dropped.