FALLEN SOLDIERS’ MEMORIAL

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume X, Issue 45, 5 February 1920, Page 2

FALLEN SOLDIERS’ MEMORIAL

[to thb editok.) Sir,—l hate tead a letter signed “Citizen” in last night’s “Tribune.” Ab chairman of the committee ? I merely wish to say. that.it is a. pity he did not make himself acquainted with the facts before making foolish statements of. this -kind. It ha.s never to my knowledge been suggested that the Emergency Hospital which it is proposed to establish should be restricted to any pafticu-r lar class. The fise of the Maternity Home is restricted to the wives of those Who are the least able to bear the expense of such an event, and I think under the present circumstances it should be. so. It is clear that thre is not hospital accommodation nor room in maternity homes for every member of the community yho has need of them. Very well. “Citizen” argues thtat persons o* every class should ..be admitted.- I agree that the principle may be right, but it means this: A . person may be brought to' the hospital, homeless and friendless and ill. He must be told he can die Oil the road because a rich man, , well able to pay for medical attention in his own home or in a private hospital; "Was given the last available bed the day before. The same with a Maternity Home. A woman may easily be penniless, perhaps 0 widow; or she may be one whose ■ husband, through no fault of his own, is unable to provide medical attention or even the simplest comforts' for her. He must be told she dan do where she likes because the wives of the richer class are already in occupation. “Citizen” can argud as he likes, but until we can provide ample accommodation for ajl; that is the position and we must face it as it is. I. hope he’s protid of his Sentiments. Ishould be thoroughly ashamed of them,, and .1 understand why he. doesn’t'sign his name. lam proud that although it may be in a small ,way I am able to assist my brother who is hot able to obtain tnese things for himself, io have the benefit of them. Surely thb time has fully arrived when mdSt .of us at any rate recognise that While there can be ho actual'distribution of wealth there must be a more even distribution, so that- the community will provide those things which every, man is rightly ehtitlea to. “Citizen ’ then maintains that, a memorial should be purely sentimental. That is a matter of opinion, but if he had J any idea of fairness, he would have pointed out that the public have determined that a part of this memorial shall be purely sentimental. 1 think the happy, medium was struck when we determined .that fiotae portion (still to be determined) of the money collected, shall bfe devoted to the erection of monuments. . ' This gentleman then' argues that tirese institutions an? not necessary. He evidently does not know that not infrequently lives have undoubtedly been lost o.wing tb the delay entailed' in bringing a person 20 or 30 miles to the Napier Hospital and that the Maternity Home in. Napier is not sufficient tor Napier’s • own require- ! meats. The pity of it is that there | cannot be a Maternity Home m 1 every centre of population in the Dominion. • Mr. “Citizen ’ is an individual who will of course contribute nothing, and we know full Well that we have always got/bis class in every community, but I hope when we come to the public tfiey will show with no uhcertaifi sound that they are solidly behind the memorial and that we won’t find many who will seek to* evade their proper responsibility bv pettv quibbling as to the detdiiS. -I am, etc, GEO . EBBETT. Hastings, Feb. 3rd, 1920?