Hospital Policy

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVI, Issue 14, 30 December 1925, Page 4

Hospital Policy

AUCKLAND AUTHORITY’S VIEWS BASE INSTITUTIONS FAVOURED. THE CASE OF HASTINGS. Mr. William Wallace, chairman of the Auckland Hospital Board and president of the Associated Hospitals, is at present in Hastings on a visit to Mr. and Mrs. W. Hodgson, Tomoana. Mr. Wallace to-day was shown over the Municipal Buildings and offices, by Cr. R. E. Hay and be subsequently viewed the site of the proposed Hawke’s Bay Fallen Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital. He was also conducted through Cornwall Park as well as the other public reserves and he visited tho Women’s Rest. In conversation with a reporter, this morning, Mr. W. Wallace proiessed himself in favour of one fully equipped base hospital to serve a district on the principle of economy and efficiency. “The maintenance in our Auckland Hospital,” he said, “costs 9s 2d per patient per day and, in the country hospital, it costs 18s per patient, in addition to which the patients have to pay their own medical lees to the private practitioners who attend the hospital, liecause they could not afford, in such a small district, to have a resident medical superintendent. Dr. Valintine is altogether for base hospitals.” Jt was pointed out that Dr. Valintine frequently changed his mind Mr. Wallace said that might be so, but he was at one with him on the point of base hospitals. Regarding efficiency, Auckland possessed the most highly qualified doctors wno could not, of course, afford to go out to country hospitals. A HOSPITAL FOR HASTINGS. Regarding Hastings’ claim to the establishment of a hospital, it was explained to Mr Wallace that the position in Auckland was different from that of Napier, in that the northern city had not, within a few miles of it» boundary, a rapidly growing city, expanding in population and extent at such at rate that both towfis were within measurable distance of forming one centre, in which case there would bn no difficulty in getting the doctors of either town to visit the other town’s hospital. Mr. Wallace at once accepted that view and hastened to say that Hast!n^ s WJ ! S entitled to a maternity hospital with wards for casualties and emergency cases, but both hospitals must be under one control. ‘‘lf one could have forseen things,” said Mr. Wallace, “the Napier Hospital would probably have been built somewhere about midway between Hastings and Napier, where it could have been extended to meet the needs of both progressing towns, but mi the other hand, the Napier Hospital would not have its present splendid site, with its commanding prospect and the health-restoring breezes blowing fresn from thc open sea.”