SECONDARY HOSPITAL

Evening Star, Issue 14689, 5 October 1911, Page 7

SECONDARY HOSPITAL

ANOTHER MEETING OB 1 PROTEST. A special meeting of the Iloslyn Borough Council was*held last night to consider what action should bo taken to prevent the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board from building a secondary hospital and a ward for tubercular patients iu Wakari district. Besides members of tho Roslyn Connoil there were present Mr A. H. Bridger (Mayor of Mornington), Mr A. J. Butterficid (Mayor of Maori Hill), and Messrs J. 11. Wilson, J. Torrance, and M'lntyro (members of the "Wakari School Committee). Mr J. H. F. Hamel (Mayor of Roslyn) said that he was in a position to know that there was a possible chance of a site being chosen at Thursday's mectiug of tho Charitable Aid Board, and he" had called a meeting in accordance with a promise to do so should anything transpire in connection with the question of sites that woukl bo of , interest to tho borough. Tho selection of a site was to be made next day, but in ihe absence of tho chairman of the Board it was possible, that the matter would bo deferred. He had endeavored at Tuesday's meeting of the Committee to have the whole matter deferred, but the committee thought otherwise, and tho members of tho Board intended to make an inspection of the sites next day. However, tho whole of the correspondence would bo read in open board next j night, instead of being dealt with by ! the Finance Committee, and he extended an invitation to any gentlemen desirous of being present to attend tho meeting. Owing to the keen interest aroused in this matter in the district he thought it was right that he should give to the meeting all the information he had. There were throo sites- before tho Board, and members were to inspect thera nest day—Tilburn's, Bain's, and Chapman's. The medical staff approved of Tilburn's and Bain's, and the recommendation of the committee was in favor of Chapman's. Tho only difficulty about Chapman's, in the opinion of the doctors, was that there was not enough flat land to give the buildings sufficient isolation, but there was an area of land adjacent which could be secured. The objection to Bain's was one of drainage. Tilburn's filled tho bill completely in the medical gentlemen's point of view, being in their opinion an ideal site. If there was a possibility of a selection being made at the meeting of the board next night he would endeavor to prevent any of these sites being chosen, and to have the matter deferred until tho chairman's rou.m. Cr Men/i:'.r- raid that supposing Tilburn's site 10 be suitable it would not be the only. sjiJtahl© site, and land could be got that .vould, not be. built on for the next 20 or 30 years. Ho moved—"That this council enter their protest against the proposal to establish a secondary hospital to accommodate infectious and contagious diseases in Wakari, which is rapidly becoming a thickly-populated district, and that a special 'committee ha set up to cooperate with the Wakari School Committee, the Education Board, and other public bodies who have already indicated their opposition to the proposal." Cr Washer seconded the motion. Ho thought that another deputation should j wait on the board, and that a public I meeting should be called if necessary. / The motion was carried, and the following councillors were appointed a special committee :—Crs Menzies, Black, Washer, and Megget. On the motion of Cr Mastorton.it was resolved that the representatives of the council on the board be requested to oppose the erection of a secondary hospital for infectious diseases in any borough. ~ Mr Bridger said it was a question that would affafb coming generations, and although Mornington was not affected i as far as the present sites were concerned, still tho board might go to Mornington if the sites now under consideration were rejected. The experience of Central Otago had been disastrous as regards the spread of this disease. The board should go outside the boroughs for a site. After further discussion it was resolved to forward tho following telei cram to the members of Parliament for i the district:—•'The residents of tho hill, boroughs are highly indignant at ! the proposal of the Charitable Aid ! Bonn! to acquire a site for the purpose :of housiuc! infectious diseases. Suggest ! Minister'be- approached with view of j veioiug anv such proposal, as suggested ! sites are 'in vicinity of schools and | thickly-populated districts."