RESIDENT DOCTOR FOR LAUDER.

Dunstan Times, Issue 3149, 25 December 1922, Page 5

RESIDENT DOCTOR FOR LAUDER.

BIG MEETINGS CLEAR THE ATMOSPHEREThat much interest was, and is manifested in the question of securing a resident doctor at Lauder, was eloquently demon-strated-on Monday Last, when residents and settlers from all parts of the district assembled in large numbers at Lauder to consider this important question. It is now a matter of history that both the St Bathans and Ophir medical clubs have failed to retain the services of a resident doctor and the reason is not far to seek. The want of an up-to-date residence had been one of the chief drawbacks, while the practice at either end was not apparently sufficiently attractive to induce any medical man to stay- Appreciating this fact the Health Department, after exhaus tive inquiries, came to the conclusion that the only solution of the difficulty was to get the two districts to join forces and establish a resident doctor at the most central place- Lauder was chosen, and the settlers were asked to provide a guarantee of Through the good offices of Mr John Wilson* of Downshire this guarantee was readily obtained. The matter was then taken up by the Hospital Boards of Vincent and Maniototo, and a conference of the two decided to give the necessary support to the project. What is generally consid ered to be an ideal site for the residence is under offer and with a view to getting the whole business on a proper basis meetings of the Boards delegates, of the guarantors and of the subscribers "and intending subscribers was culled for Monday last Those present at the conference of the Hospital Boards were Messrs J. Smart and/as- Ritchie (Vincent) Messrs C Inder and Morgan (Maniototo) and Dr McKibbin and Inspector Cameron of the Health DepartmentAt this conference Dr McKibbin explained that it had been discovered that the raising of the necessary loan for the residence would have to be done through either of the local county councils who would have to str&e a special rate over the effected area, to comply with the act only, as it would not be necessary to collect itAbout 30 attended the meeting of guarantors. Mr J- Smart who was voted to the chair, explained what had been done up to the present time. The subscriptions of members required was per annum which with the Government subsidy meant £O6O- - this it was suggested they would pay a doctor £SOO per annum, with tree house, and £l4O interest, etc on the residence, leaving a balance of tor other expenses- The proposed hospital district had a population of 1,6000 and he was satisfied that if they pulled together and sank all parochial feelings for the common good, success was assured- What was wanted now was for a representative committee to be appointed to canvas the whole district. Dr McKibbin endorsed the chairman's remarks explaining that his Department had decided on Lauder as the most suitable site. He urged the people to sink any little difference, believing that the result would be satisfact orytoall. In reply to a question he said that the Government would subsidise the subscriptions to the extent of 24s in the £ but would not subsidise the buildings- He thought it reasonable to ask that subscribers sign a guarantee for ten yearsMr John Wilson said that the district was unanimous regarding the requirements of a doctor and in his canvas for a guarantee he had not met with a single refusal- The district was quite willing to be rated for the keepMr J- Beattie, in support said that he and Mr T- H- Mee had met with a similar experience in their canvas of the upper end, not meeting with a single refusal. ' Mr McKnight questioned the yakte of the list of guarantors rprriaxking tnat ul s experience many of them were not worth *- —anything. M r ]• cl f lc sa ln *' ll HPPareplly Moa Cifcuk and Poolburn had been ignored- The Govt had spent sometning like a quarter of a million pounds there aad it would soon be a prosperous community. Had these people been consulted about the location of fch'e si'te* ; The chairman interjected that the question of site had been decided and it was useless to pring it up ag**h«. Mr Fr«meis that th^

Lauder district was prepared to give the necessary guarantee irrespective of Moa CreekDr McKibbin replied that the guarantors had to be thanked for what they had done, but added that it was desirable to bring in the whole districtThe chairman suggested that the meeting should appoint a provisional committee but on Mr J. McKnight's suggestion who said there would be a representative attendance at the meeting at night this question was held over and the meeting closed. THE GENERAL MEETING In the Schoolhouse at night was attended by about 80 people— Ophir and Omakau being well represented, while shortly after proceedings started a contingent arrived from Moa Creek- Mr Smart, whose unanimous appointment to the chair was received with applause, recounted what had previously been done, and again strongly urged that any little differences be sunk- He called on Dr McKibbin who gave particulars (already reported). Regarding the membership of the association he thought this should be a straight out membership affair with a fee of (say) 2 guineas for married men and one guinea for single. Each subscriber would have a vote in the election of a committee of management, etc- lie again stressed the necessity for making the guarantee for ten years, and added that any member who removed from tne district or found it impossible to pay could be relieved- The committee would be appointed annually; it would select its own doctor, and generally manage its own affairs. At this stage he made complimentary reference to"what the two Boards had done and particularly to the energy displayed by Mr John Wilson in connection with the whole nessIn reply to Mr B- Flannery, the chairman said that the £2,000 loan for the residence would he obtained through the County Council, and the interest and sinking fund would be paid out of the money raised by members fees and subsidy. Messrs lnder and Morgan both strongly favored the project and urged those present to combine. Mr Ritchie said he had always recognised that the district was not getting its share of what it was entitled to. They thought that if by combining the districts they could secure a good doctor which would be in the best interest of all- It was up to the Boards to support people who were preared to help themselves. A good residence was necessary. Perhaps some of the residents in the Omakau district were up against the site but they would have to give and take. In the opinions of the Dept- and the Fo.irds Lauder was the best site. They were doing the best under the circumstances. Mr 13. Flannery Avas satisfied that there were few people*in Vincent who desired to have anything to do with the Maniototo Board There were also few who wanted the doctors residence at Lauder. Moa Creek and Poolburn were being ignored, and 30 miles populated country being shut Tout- ft was moonshine to say that the Dept. could force people to do something they did not want-He suggested that the clerks of the two counties circularise the people to sec if they were in favor of the establishment of a doctor at LauderDr McKibbin said that the Department's attitude was that there 'could not be two doctorsThere might be outskirts that would have to go elsewhere, but with a doctor at Lauder they wotdd have two choices. Mr J- McKnight said one of the points lost was that they had two doctors already, and it was all piffle to say that they wotdd get a better doctor at LauderThe cost of travelling was the trouble. The Health department based their claim on statistics which were wrong He wanted to see a doctor where they had I the population, and where he J would have the least travelling, j in ic.ply to Dr McKibbin Mr! Flannery said he wanted it at; either Omakau or OphirThe doctor further said that Si Bathans wauled a doctor'['hey agreed tug/... to Becks 1 and had them consented to conic to Lauder- They could not have two doctors as that was impossible. He welcomed the discussion ,13 the Department had all tts"cards on the tabic [vlr ClaYe'pointed out the Moa Creek end oi the district had paid intp the Ophir Club and the Dept had decided to cut \hem QU[. j Mr Webster said Moa Creek had given two thirds cf the sup-

port of the Ophir Club- Moa Creek and Poolburn deserved consideration and were against the site at Ladder. They were better catered for from \Alexandra than' they would be from Lauder. Dr McKibbin remarked that out of the 140 at Moa Creek it was expected that 40 would come this way. In reply to Mr Taylor-Cannon Dr McKibbin said that there was no possibiljty of getting a doctor for Maniototo and one for VincentMr G- Alexandra said St Bathans friends had agreed to come 20 miles while Omakau people would not go 5 miles. He hoped they would sink all differences and accept the suggestion of the Dept. Mr C. White said that the fact ovc looked was that from a social standpoint Omakau was along way better for a doctor to live at. The surroundings were betterRev- Mr Chandler said he would prefer having two doctors in the district but he saw that it was imperative to compromise. St Bathans had come 17 miles surely Omakau could come 5Mr Morgan, Cambrians, said the residents of Omakau and Moa Creek were selfish and wanted a doctor -in their own backyardMr Webster and Mr Flannery: "That's just what we want." On the motion of Rev- Chandler and Mr Huddleston it was decided to appoint a provisional committee, and the following were appoinied — G. Francis, JBeattie, G- Morgan, T. Mee, T. Lewis, J. McKnight, J. Clare, JHuddleston, R. Webster, J- Wilson.

On the Chairman's invitation Dr McKibbin was accorded a hearty vote of thanks. Dr Mc Kibbin thanked the boards for what they had done and a vote of thanks to the chair closed the meeting. The committee met after wards and arranged for a canvass of the district.