SATURDAY, APRIL 22, 1922. COUNTY MATERNITY HOSPITAL.

Ellesmere Guardian, Volume XLIII, Issue 2568, 22 April 1922, Page 2

SATURDAY, APRIL 22, 1922. COUNTY MATERNITY HOSPITAL.

"Whether the North Canterbury Hospital Board decides to change its policy with regard to providing maternity ho-: pitals for country districts or not, it seems to us that the request made to the board on Wednesday by a deputation from this county, headed by Mr J . Cunningham, the county chairman, wns a perfectly reasonable one. Mr Cunningham quite rightly contended that as the district is called upon to pay a very large annual levy to the Hospital Board (the levy for the year ending March 3.1. 1921, was just on £3,000) it had a right to expect better hospital facilities than the board was providing. There is no denying the fact that the district gc';s very little in return for the large sum it is called upon to pay every year to-

wards the maintenance of the institutions under the control of the North Canterbury Hospital Board. We have expressed, the opinion on more than, one occasion that it is the business, of the Hospital Board, which is charged with' the duty of providing adequate hospital facilities in the North Canterbury district, to establish maternity hospitals in those districts where the need of such institutions is apparent. If the board fails to provide these hospitals then it is-failing to properly cany out the functions for which it was constituted. The-fact that certain other districts

may have raised a third of the cost of maternity hospitals erected in their, neighbourhood is no excuse why a much needed hospital in Ellesmere comity should not be wholly paid for by the Hospital Board. The- main question i* one of finance. In this connexion w< would point out that the Hospit?.] Board has very wide powers. It maket up an estimate of its receipts and ex penditure for the ensuing year aml calls upon all the local bodies in its district to make up any deficiency thai may be shown in the estimates, on a pre rata basis. Mr S. Andrew, of Kai koura, was right when he said at the meeting of the board on Wednesday that the time was coming when a dis trict would be called upon to pay r

levy according to the hospital benefits ii received. The benefits this district re ceives from the institutions in Christ church would not run into more than ; few hundred pounds per annum. AT that the district needs at- present is

maternity hospital with accommodation for about six-patients, ami a .small war. 1 in which two or three urgent medica 1 or surgical cases could be dealt with. The'district does not warrant the build ing- of a general hospital just yet, for the number of cases to be dealt with would make it impossible to have the institution properly equipped and efficiently staffed. But a maternity hospital is an urgent necessity and no opportunity should be lost of impressing that fact upon the Hospital Board. We are heartily glad to note that the county chairman is moving in the matter and is determined that the district's need shall be- met. As we have said before, persistence on the part of the Ellesmere County Council Avill be rewarded. ,' ,'