MATERNITY HOME

Feilding Star, Volume 8, Issue 2507, 21 March 1930, Page 5

MATERNITY HOME

PROPOSED FOR FEILDING

MR SMITH’S PLANS DEPUTATION TO BOROUGH COUNCIL Mr V. E. Smith, fh*' Feliding rcv presentntive on the* Hospital Board, waited on. the- Borough Council last night and explained his proposal with regard to the establishment of !i maternity home in Fed ding. Mr Smtih was introduced by Cr. McCorkindalo. t Mr Smith said the members ol the Council were well acquainted with the object °f his visit. He hail got to a certain stage in his endea.vours to get a maternity home established in FYilding, and felt he would now like to got more support and power behind him. He had, he thought, a majority of the members of the Hospital Board and wished now fo get a deputation from Feilding to wait on the Board. Some people said thef thought he should try and get a cottage -hospital here, 'but ho was satisfied Feilding had no hope of getting such a hospital, and was Rure fhey should go for fhe maternity home, which* ho -believed they would get. Mr Nash, of Palmerston North, had offered to bring over a concert party to help to raise funds, and the Women’s Division of the Farmers’ Union had sent him a letter offering every support. Replying to Cr. Guy, Mr Smith -aid the proposed home would cost about £SOOO or £6OOO, it would bo in brick, and would require 20 rooms to accommodate six patients. ]t would require a staff of six t° eight persons. It was suggested there must be at least three* acres of land. The birth rate figures in Feilding borough were: 1925, 170 births; 1926, 161; 1927, 1735; 1928, 141; 1929, 145, indicating the probable use of flio home. There had been some misunderstanding regarding the Council’s resolution passed with regard to the Council providing the site. The Council made a. proviso* that beds should be provided for emergency general cases, but he had been informed by the Hospital Board and the officer -of the Health Department that there was no hope of getting this, and he strongly advised the Council to go for the maternity home. He asked that the Council get a deputation to- wait on the Hospital Board "and make the request. Then they would get the mind of the Board and find out exactly what was required. The Mayor asked if Air Smith had said the building as proposed would have 20 rooms, only four of these being for patients ? Mr Smith said that was so, and it would give some idea- of the cost of maintaining the home. Further to a question, Mr Smith said the homo would serve Oroua, part of Manawatu. part of Poliangina and Kiwifea. Air Smith added lie wa, sure he had the Hospital Board behind him, and the Director-General oi Healtli was very sympathetic -He hoped Feilding would take up the proposal and push it strongly. Replying fo Cr. Collins, Mr Smith said the maintainance cotss would be pooled with those of the other institution and the whole hospital district would be levied with the cost. There would not be a separate levy.

The Mayor asked what views had the Oroua- and Kfwifea county representatives on the Hospital Board on the proposal ?. Mr Smith said he had nof discussed the matter wjthi Mr McLean, but undorstoo' All* AloElroy was in support.

Cr. AfcCorkindale asked a question re garding the definite requirement of the Council. Mr Smith said if, was required that the Council should provide the site of three acres— five would be better — and the outside public, with a lead from members of the Council, should raise the £SOO

The Mayor thanked Aft* Smith, and assured him the Council fully appreciated his efforts on behalf of Feilding.

The Council decided fo hold a. special meeting next Thursday night to discuss the whole matter.