OPUNAKE HOSPITAL

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLI, Issue XLI, 10 August 1921, Page 4

OPUNAKE HOSPITAL

A SATISFACTORY POSITION.-

TENDERS TO BE CALLED

At the monthly meeting of the Opunake County Council yesterday, Cr O'Brien, who is the Council's representative on the Taranaki V Hospital Board, intimated that the question of the erection of a hospital at Opunake had now reached a definite and. satisfactory climax. As councillors knew, the first plan had been turned down through insufficient funds, but at the wish of the Opunake people tenders were again to he called. An amended plan had also been prepared, so that tenders for two plans would he called m a few days. Both the speaker and Mr Young favoured the amended plan, which, contrary to false reports which had been circulating, was in no way a less efficient proposition than the first plan, although it would cost close on £1000 less to carry the second plan into effect. The saving in cost, he said, would be brought about by doing away with unnecessary expense, such as the substituting of a tile roof by an iron roof. /When the hospital was completed the Board proposed to nominate a committee of ladies and gentlemen residing in the county, who would be a body operating the affairs of the hospital under the jurisdiction of the Board. The question of finance was still an important factor, and more money would be needed, but he <J.d not think they would find much difficulty in this connection, as the extra amount was almost all in sight already. Cr Tosland, in addressing the Council, congratulated Cr O'Brien on having brought before them such a satisfactory report. -He moved that a vote of thanks be accorded their representative for his services in this connection. The motion was seconded and carried. Cr Green then drew the attention of the Council to a circular which^had just been handed to him. He wished that he had seen it before the discussion, as it clearly rebutted the assumption that the Egmont -County had only sent a few patients to the* New Plymouth Hospital. He pointed out that the number of days occupied by patients from their county during the year was well over 2000.