COTTAGE HOSPITAL

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 117, 19 May 1914, Page 10

COTTAGE HOSPITAL

FOR HUTT AND PETONE MATTER CONSIDERED BY CONFERENCE Tlie much-discussed question of establishing a cottage hospital in the Huttand Petone district was further gone into last evening, when the two councils interested met in conference at Petone. Both boroughs were well represented, and the proceedings were presided over by Mr. J. W. M'Ewan (Mayor of Petone), who was supported by Mr, H. Baldwin (Mayor of Lower Hutt). In introducing the discussion, Mr. H. Baldwin said that the question of establishing a cottage hospital arose during a discussion on the yearly estimates of the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board. Personally, he was in favour of the proposal, but they had to remember that there were many obstacles in the way. Mr. M'Ewan said that it was desirable that thetw& council* should meet together to discuss - varioue matters for the benefit of the district. He understood that Councilly Purdy (Lower Hutt) had first brought the matter of a cottage hospital forward, and upon him should rest the onus of bringing the matter before the conference. In doing so, Dr. Purdy said he would like to hear the views of other members. No good purpose would be served by his reiterating that a hospital was a paramount_ necessity in the district. They were in the middle of industries, both mechanical and farming. There were many accidents in the place, and/ it seemed to him that to have to go nine miles to the hospital was very wrong. It had been proved, he said, that small hospitals were much better than big ones, as they not only served the districts better but were also cheaper. With regard to expense, he contended that they had to pay very heavily, Lower Hutt and Petone together last year paying £2000 He referred to the Wellington Hospital, which he characterised as huge in comparison with the size of the city. He knew of no place where they had sucli a large hospital as in Wellington, and he was further of the opinion that 100 beds should be sufficient. When they came to the question of expense, it was therefore shown that they had to pay the piper. The expense was running up, and would continue to run up. The Wellington Hospital, too, was, he contended, more understaffed than any such institution he knew. Continuing, Dr. Purdy said that when people got up and said that they would be heavily burdened if a cottage hospital was established, they had not weighed what they were saying. It had been said that, in any case, most of the cases would have to go to Wellington, but he had learned from reliable sources that practically all the cases could be treated locally. They were, in his opinion, paying an enormous sum for the benefits they received, and it was ridiculous to say that they could afford £2000 for one year. Many of the cases treated in the hospital had no claim on the Hutt and Petone. Taking into consideration the fact of the long distances they had to shift patients, and the expense to relatives going into Wellington to see them, they could run the hospital at a reasonable rate. Patients could get as good, or better, treatment as in Wellington. He knew the Government was against small hospitals, but that did not worry him, as small hospitals had been proved to be better than big hospitals. He was also strongly of the opinion that the hospital should be absolutely free of charge, and he condemned the practice of harrying poor people in order to obtain payment of fees. If a cottage > hospital were established Petone and Hutt would save money instead of losing it, besides getting something tangible back for their money. Mr. Baldwin admitted that there was no hospital in the Dominion as large as that in Wellington, but the difference was very small. In answer to Dr. Purdy, Mr. M'Ewan contended that the former had not submitted figures to support many of his statements. For instance, Dr. Purdy had said that the mortality rate in cottage hospitals was lower than in big hospitals. This assertion had not been proved by figures. The evidence of experts pointed in the direction that larger hospitals were more efficient to-day than ever before. What was the reason for the increase of patients at the hospital? The explanation was that the people were beginning to have more confidence in the public hospital. . It was said that Petone and Hutt were excessively taxed for the hospital, but he found that the average cost per head of population was 9s 6|d. It must be evident, he contended, that Petone and Hutt wero not so heavily taxed after all. Continuing, Mr. M'Ewan said that he thought the discussion should be confined to the question as to whether a cottage hospital was desirable. In his opinion it was desirable, but he thought that the proposed institution should only deal with accidents and minor cases, leaving the people free to go to the main hospital. He referred to the site purchased by the Hospital Board some years ago, and characterised it as badly drained, and entirely unsuitable for a cottage hospital. Mr. M'Ewan hoped that the conference would agree on the matter in a general way and leave all details to the committee. Dr. Purdy : We could run 'a hospital with ten beds for £1200 a year. It the ten beds we had here did not reduce the number of beds in Wellington we would only have to pay about 1-40 more than at present. Councillor Anderson (Petone) said they should get down to the main fact whether they should have a hospital. Dr. Purdy : In order to bring the matter to a head, I move "That this conference affirms the desirability of establishing a cottage hospital in the Hutt Valley." In the course of a lengthy statement, Mr. Baldwin said that the stumbling block in tHe whole thing was that Dr. Valintine (Inspector of Hospitals) was in favour of the centralisation of hospitals. What should be done, he said, was to establish a maternity home, with a small hospital attached. After further discussion, the motion was agreed to. It was further decided to forward the resolution to the Wellington Hospital and Charitable Aid Board.