REEFTON COUNTY-WIDE PROTEST

Greymouth Evening Star, 31 July 1946, Page 10

REEFTON COUNTY-WIDE PROTEST

DELAY IN BUILDING NEW HOSPITAL URGENCY OF NEED STRESSED (C.C.) REEFTON, July 30. A county-wide protest concerning the delay in the commencement of work on the building of a new hospital, nurses’ home, and the related buildings at Reefton, i§ planned. The proposal was advanced at a meeting heid in Reefton last evening, which meeting the county chairman (Cr. J. J. Coghlan) called at the request of the inangahua District League. Invitations to attend were extended to representatives of the Hospital Board, the County Council, Progress League, miners' unions, the Farmers’ Union, and other interested local organisations. A resolution was passed that a public meeting be held at Reefton on August 8 to voice a county-wide protest at the continued delayf, and to consider further steps to bring the urgency of the question before the Government. Mr J. K. Patterson, who, with Mr J. Dellaca formed, the Progress League delegation, said' that the league hoped that the results of a meeting of delegates would be of help to the Hospital Board in a concerted vigorous movement in the whole of the county to stress to the authorities the need for the new hospital. X Estimated Costs Tn a report tabled by Mr Patterson it was stated that the plans for the new hospital were first prepared in 1941 by the Health Department and were finally approved in the middle of 1944; The present hospital buildings are beyond repair, the maternity annexe excepted. The sum of £279/10/- was being spent annually for board and lodging for the nursing staff. The cost of financing the new hospital scheme would be approximately £lOO,OOO as follows:—New hospital block £53,880; nurses’ home £20,957; boiler house and laundry £8,146; furnishing and equipment '£17,017. On September 20, 1944, application was made to the Local Government Loans Board for approval of a loan of £lOO,OOO for 25 years, interest to be 35 per cent., repayable in biannual instalments. To date no advice had been received from the board as to the fate of the application. The present hospital rate was 21d in the £ over the whole county. This brought in some £2OOO annually. On 1945 rating values, which were £242,153 (unimproved), a 6d rate would bring in £6054. ' The Progress League, said Mr Patterson, had made approaches to the Health Department, but like the Hospital Board, had received evasive replies. Mr F. W. Archer, the Hospital Board representative, said that the Health Department had been . very helpful in the matter, and they fully realised the need for the new buildings. Departmental visitors had also been impressed with the bad state of the buildings. Several deputations to Wellington sent by the Hospital Board had received only promises, and although the working plans for ■ the nurses’ home were in Wellington the board had not yet had thes§ perused by a Health Department/ architect. He paid a tribute to the loyalty and splendid service of the hospital staff who kept the hospital functioning under such difficulty. Mr J. Dellaca said that the Progress League was anxious to have the full support of all the people of Inangah.ua. It semed that the Government was deliberately stalling until a decision had been made as to the future financing of hospitals. Miners’ Support Mr E. Riley, a delegate from the Inangahua Coal and Gold Miners’ Union, said, that some features of the report tabled by Mr Patterson were a surprise to him.He felt sure that full support, would be forthcoming from the union. He asked permission to send a suitable message to the Government from the union emphasising the need for a new hospital, and asking for a quick decision. The chairman said that the union would be well advised to send a message to the Government. Such a message would strengthen any protest made. Mr H. Smith, representative of the Burke’s Creek Miners’ Union, said that he felt sure that his union would also lend its aid in bringing to the notice of the authorities the need for a quick decision. The hospital badly needed, replacement, and as the Government had sufficient faith in the district to purchase Burke’s Creek colliery and to plan for developments in a big way at Garvey’s Creek, it should have sufficient faith also to give the district a new hospital. Mr P. J. O’Regan, delegate for the Inangahua Valley Farmers’ Union, said that one factor which he felt sure had a bearing on the question of a grant was the small population and the low rating value of the county. His union was only a small voice, but he promised to bring the matter to the notice of the union, and. he felt sure that the matter would be supported by his union. Mr Archer said that the hazardous nature of the district’s principal industries made a good hospital a vital necessity. The high accident rate made speedy hospital treatment an urgent need. It was decided to write to the Reefton Women’s Institute and the Plunket Society, and to enlist the aid of the women of Reefton in planning a move to bring before the county residents thp need for the hospital. The county chairman and Mr J. K. Patterson were deputed to make arrangements for a meeting on August 8 at Reefton to protest against the long delay in making a decision concerning the hospital and the commencing of work. The motion to hold the meeting was carried without dissent.

MINES DEPARTMENT’S PLANS FOR HOUSING

It is understod that a decision has been made by the Mines Department to build 25 houses’at Reefton for departmental officers and employees of the Burke’s Creek and Garvey’s Creek State Coal mines. The coal mining industry has been severely hampered by the housing shortage.