PROPOSED CASUALTY WARD.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume I, Issue 54, 14 February 1911, Page 5

PROPOSED CASUALTY WARD.

HASTINGS CLAIMS SUBMITTED.

CONSIDERATION DEFERRED.

A special meeting of the Hawke’s Bay Hospital and Charitable Aid Board was held at the conclusion of the ordinary meeting yesterday, for the purpose of considering the proposal to erect a casualty ward in Hastings. It will be remembered that at the last meeting of the board a deputation of Hastings doctors and business men waited on the board to put forward a proposal to build and equip a casualty ward at Hastings, and the matter was deferred until the next ordinary meeting. Yesterday, Mr. J- A. Miller (Mayor of Hastings) was the first speaker, and he urged the board to erect a small casualty hospital for such cases as could not be removed to Napier. A gentleman had given the necessary land, and the people of Hastings felt sure the money could be raised for the rest. There was a feeling that if Hastings gave the land, erected the ward, and equipped it, the hospital board should then take over the control,. Based upon this proposal, the case for Hastings was a strong one. A four-bed hospital would probably be all that was necessary, comprising two rooms, bed and sittingrooms, etc., with' a staff of one or two nurses and a servant. It was hard for him to estimate what the annual upkeep would be. Cr. Garnett (Hastings Borough) said he would like to have more information on the subject. It seemed to him to involve a big expenditure, and he would like to have some idea of the expenses likely to be incurred in the upkeep before he felt competent to - speak on the matter.

The chairman: £3OO a year at least.

Mr. Cranby '(Napier): A great deal more than that, sir. The chairman explained that he referred to nursing only. It was inevitable that the ward would some time become a burden on the rates. It was hard to define exactly what was a casualty ward. Pa tients who were brought in would get better, but they would not turn out, and they would soon find out that a dozen beds were The casualty men would get well in a few days, they would not turn out, and it would grow into a hospital to be maintained by the district.

Mr. Miller: You look far ahead, sir.

Mr. Shrimpton replied that he did not think so. "i’ll give you five years,” he said. He- read a letter from Dr. Valintine, Inspec-tor-General of Hospitals, who strongly opposed the suggested casualty ward. He thought casualty cases in Hastings could be dealt with either by subsidising their treatment in some of the local pri vate hospitals or providing 1 quick ambulance motor service.

Mr. Large (Napier) suggested that the board should find out the cost of treating cases at private hospitals, and they would then have data to go upon. It was a big question to start another hospital at Hastings, and he urged that they should see how far they could use the present facilities before incurring further expenditure. Mr. Simson (Hawke’s Bay County Council) said he was not in a position at that juncture to speak upon the matter. He had not noticed the special meeting on his order paper, and had come quite unprepared. He favoured Mr. Miller’s motion, but would like to see the matter deferred for one month. He moved in this direction. Mr. Miller seconded, and the motion was carried.