COTTAGE HOSPITAL AT OTAKI

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 175, 21 April 1937, Page 7

COTTAGE HOSPITAL AT OTAKI

Request to Palmerston North Board REPORT ON COST TO BE BROUGHT DOWN Dominion Special Service. Palmerston North, April 20. Following a deputation's representations that a district hospital as a subsidiary of the Palmerston North Hospital be established at Otaki, the Palmerston North Hospital Board instructed the managing secretary, Mr. A. J. Philhpps, and the medical superintendent, Mr. J. H. North, to bring down a report on the cost of establishing a medical and surgical cottage hospital at Otaki and leaving the present maternity home to tunction as at present and, as an alternative, the cost of building a new maternity home and establishing a cottage hospital in the present maternity home. Higher wages and reduced hours had contributed to an estimated increase of £7OOO in the hospital levy this year, said Mr. J. A. Nash, acting-chairman, ibe suggestion had been ni de that a small department for out-patients be created at Otaki and also that a convalescent section be established where patients could spend their convalescent period. If the board was going to build a new hospital, however, for the treatment of patients from t bat Part °f its district, the cluin'* of Levin would have to be considered. That was where most of the population was situated in the southern area. The members of the deputation were Messrs. L. G. Lowry, M.P., T. O’Rourke, mayor of Otaki, 11. E. Edhouse, and B. Knox. _ , Mr. Lowry said that the Palmerston North board, with others, was finding difficulty in accommodating the number of patients seeking admission. It was not unreasonable to submit that if any extension were to be mada it should be made at Otaki, where the board had a sanatorium and maternity home and land available. It was regrettable that in the case of such patients as those from motor accidents they had to be taken from as far away as Waikanae to Palmerston North. There were for more motor accidents now. In 1932, in the area from Waikanae to Manakau, there had been four persons injured in motor accidents, but there had been 16 in 1936. It was time the Otaki district received back wbat had been taken from it—its own cottage hospital. Fifty miles was too far to take serious eases, said Mr. Knox, who advocated that centralisation was unnecessary for nursing cases, even though it was essential for r"ecialist cases. > Mr. O’Rourke said the population at the southern end of the board's district ■was entitle, to some consideration. From Paeknknriki to Shannon there was a large number of people who wot Id be served if a hospital for ordinary cases of sickness was established at Otaki. There would be a saving in travel and expense, and there would be some compensation for 'people of that end of the district even if the rates were raised. The acting-chairman said the board realised that costs weighed heavily. He did not suggest that money should count n sickness; health was the first, tiling. The rates were going up. and this year the estimates had gone up by £7OOO to reach nearly £1.00,000. There was a subsidy from the Government, but. the people really had to bear the burden. To erect a medical and surgical hospital in Otaki would cost approximately £lO.OOO. The upkeep would cost another £3OOO a year. Members of the board were sympathetic that something required to be done, but the matter would require careful thought. It would be brought before ‘’.e board at a later date. To keep an ambulance at Otaki cost £350 a year. Its presence, however, meant that there would be no delay in transporting cases to Palinenston North. The number of accident cases from the roads would naturally increase as the number of cars rii> unless something was done to stop that rise.