MINISTER OF HEALTH

Grey River Argus, 29 July 1940, Page 5

MINISTER OF HEALTH

MR ARMSTRONG’S VISIT To West Coast Paying his second official visit tu the West Coast, and thg first in Ins capacity as Minister of .Health, Hon. H. T. Armstrong arrived by Saturday’s ■ express from Christchurch, accompanied by Mr. J. O’Brien, M.P., and iJfr. J. T. Waugh (private secretary). On Saturday evening, Ins Minister received private ’ deputations, and yesterday morning he visited Hokitika, inspecting the Westland Hospital, Seaview Mental Hospital and th e State Housing Settlement at 'Hokitika 1 . Returning to Greymouth in the afternoon h e attended the funeral of the late Mr. a. J. Fraser, and .was later entertained at afternoon tea by Mrs. O’Brien, in ' the evening he attended an official I reception given by the Greymouth, Branch of the New Zealand Labour Party at the New Lyceum Hall. On arrival at Westland Hospital, the Ministerial party was met by the Medical Superintendent, Dr. B. ju. Wilson, and. Mrs. Wilson, the Acting-Matron (Sister Airey>, Messrs E. W. Heenan (chairman), G. H. Chapman and G. a. Heinz, members of the Westiana Hospital Board. Spending nearly. three hours in the institution, the Minister made a thorough tour of. th e hospital, including all the wards ! and various outbuildings. i After being entertained at morning tea at the Nurses’ Home, tne Minister was welcomed by Mr. Heenan, who thanked him for his kindness in coming to Hokitika. Mr. Heenan said that the Medical Superintendent and nursing staff, together with the Board, were doing thenbest to cater for an ever-growing district. He was pleased to be able to inform the Minister that, thanss largely to the Social Security Benefits, the Board was now able to do more than it could before. The buildings, he explained, had been remodelled and made up-to-date largely at th e instigation of Dr. Wilson and Matron Anderson, and he felt that the Minister would be satisfied that they were modern in every respect. He asked the Minister to endeavour to expedite the Departments permission for the Board to go ahead with the new heating system, which was urgently needed. Th e Board, he said, had loans amounting to £7OOO maturing in a few years when rney hoped to build a modern maternity home. In the meantime, the Board wished the Minister to approve or the addition of three or four rooms at the present maternity hospital. Hon. Mr. Armstrong, in reply, sain that the credit for his visit was entirely due to Mr. O’Brien, who had long ago asked him to visit the West Coast. In recent times, said Mr. Armstrong, Ministers had had a hectic time, and it was difficult.for Them 1 to leave Wellington. “This is one of my first official visits since I became i Minister of Health,” said Mr. Arm- j strong, “and this is th e first hospital : in New Zealand th.lt I have visited in that capacity. I am agreeably surprised at the whole lay-out of the hospital, and had not the slightest idea that Hokitika had such a wonderful institution. I quite expected to find an old hospital with many additions. Instead, it is a wellplanned institution, and from the remarks I have heard to-day from patients, I find that th e work of the medical superintendent and th e nursing staff is regarded very highly by them.” . , ~ The Minister added that he would be pleased to assist the Board in any way. H e agreed that with loans maturing, the money might be required for other important works, and would do all he could to have it diverted, although the matter was one for the Minister of Finance. The Minister said that the work on tne heating system was capita; expenditure, and it would not be reasonable or business-lik e to ask th e Board to find £2OOO in a year for a work thru would serve for many years. They could depend that he would do what he could to assist them. “I am pleased to know that the benefits of th e Social Security Act;. are appreciated by the Board,” saia Mr. Armstrong. “Some of the Hospital Boards still argue that the Social Security Act does not help them, and that they would be just as well off without it, but I f|ve just reviewed the whole accounts of the hospitals, and it is no use their arguing that they have not benefittea. Their own accounts show that they have gained enormous benefit, ana that the ratepayers have gained too.” Hokitika, continued the Minister* was richly endowed, and the beautiful spot which had been chosen for the hospital would be of great assistance to the patients. He knew of no better place in New Zealand for a convalescent home- As soon as tne session closed he hoped to make ffimself acquainted with all the hospitals in the Dominion, and he could not think of a more important job than the one he now held. After giving a little thought to health, h e . felt that much could be saved if something was spent on teaching people how to live and what to eat. It wouid then be found that they had abundance of hospital accommodation. Every medical man agreed, but they all got into the habit of thinking that hospitals were needed in any case, and cha<. it was no argument against sickness. He thanked the Board for its hospitality, and said he hoped his visit -would not be the last. In company with Dr. T. J. Childs, Medical Superintendent..and Dr. C. C. Corban, the Minister then mad e an extensive tour of the mental hospital, expressing his satisfaction with the condition of the buildings ana their excellent lay-out. He was shown the site for the new nurses home, and was escorted over portion of the buildings by the SuoMatron, Miss McFarlane. After a brief visit to th e Hokitika Kindergarten, when the need for a full-time teacher was stressed bv Messr s A. H. Lawn and A. Drummond, the Minister visited the State Housing Settlement, and was told that the tenants were extremely happy in their new homes. Tne need' for still more houses in Hokitika was stressed to the Minister,

wlio s aid that 15 more were about to be constructed. Grey Labour Party WELCOME TO MINISTER There was a large attendance at the Lyceum Hall last evening when a social was tendered Hon. Mr Antstrong. Mr J. B. Kent. (president the Labour Party), in welcoming .he Minister, recalled Mr Armstrongs early association with Lie Laootu Movement in Greymouth, and said that the welcome of the Party was th P more sincere for the fact that M. Armstrong was one of the real pioneers of Labour. He was glad to te.x the Minister that the traditions of those days were still being maintained in Greymouth. . Mr J. O’Brien, M.P., joined m the welcome, stating that he and r Armstrong had lively recollection!; of the many plots hatched in the old hall wher e the Labour Party had been formed. Mr O’Brien said that tor three years he had been a benchmate with Mr Armstrong m Parliament, and he could speak with authority of th e splendid manner in which + he Minister had administered his portfolios. After referring to me war, Mr O’Brien said that it was giving the movement the testing time of its life. It was only possible to ' get through with the greatest un>ty and by doing the best under the existing circumstances. Replying, Mr Armstrong, who was received with prolonged applause, congratulated the Party on its fine new hah, and said that the years he spent in Greymouth and Runanga were amongst the happiest in his life. The Minister, after referring to the early days of the Labour Movernent said that much had been accomplished since the party assumed office in New Zealand, but some considered that much more should have been done. He could understand the feeling of younger supporters of the party, because he had been young once and had ideas which he thought could be put into operation without any delay. It was enthusiasm that was wanted, and he felt that the young people would be well fitted to carry on where others left off. When he became Minister of Labour he had drafted drastic legislation which had done much for the workers, who had received £43,000,000 a year move m wages, besides better hours and conditions. The employer had benefitted from this wage increase for a greater amount went into circulation. As Minister in Charge of Housing and State Advances he found that he had plenty to do, for the State Advances Department held over £70,000,000 in mortgages. The Health Department also played an important part, and his visit to the district was mainly in connection with hospital matters. The Minister also referred to the work accomplished by the State Housing Department, and dealt with points in connection with the war effort. An the conclusion he was given prolonged applause. Mr J. Duffy contributed songs and Jed in community singing, Mr J. Patters’on being at th e piano. After supper had been provided by the ladies, a pleasant evening concluded with cheers for the Minister. fO-DAY’S ENGAGEMENTS Mr Armstrong will attend to several Departmental matters to-day, and at 2 o’clock this afternoon he will open the new Saltzman Tuberculosis Annexe at the Grey Hospital. He leaves by the rail-car this evening for Christchurch on return to Wellington