The Marlborough Express PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. Friday, November 5, 1897. HOSPITAL AMALGAMATION.

Marlborough Express, Volume XXXII, Issue 242, 5 November 1897, Page 2

The Marlborough Express PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. Friday, November 5, 1897. HOSPITAL AMALGAMATION.

The ratepayers of the Picton Hospital Distriot resident on the North Bank of the Wairau, m the Onamalutu, Kaituna, and Waikakaho Valleys, Havelock, and Tua Marina, have a distinct grievance. Though resident m the Fioton distriot, yet from their geographical situation the Wairau Hospital is much more easily accessible to them. ' The residents of the Onamalutu are petitioning the Government to alter the district boundaries so that they may be included m the Wairau district. A much more simple plan of removing the grievance would be the amalgamation of the Picton and Wairau Hospital Boards. This could be attained, and would come into operation from the Ist of April next if each of these boards now passed a resolution to that effect. Both boards would be the gainers by taking such a step I.*1 .* The convalescents and chronic medical and surgical cases m the Wairau district would have the great advantage of change of air and scene by removal to the Picton Hospital with its lovely surroundings and mild climate. Patients resident m the Pioton distriot, but who can more easily reach the Wairau Hospital, would be saved the pain and inconvenience of a longer journey when ill. Others might prefer to take advantage of the more complete equipment of the Wairau Hospital for the treatment of serious cases ; while at the same time the residents of Picton and the Sounds would still have their Hospital for the treatment of emergencies; and as the staffs of both hospitals would be servants of the amalgamated boards, there ought to be no difficulty m arranging a plan by which the services of the doctors and nurses of one institution could be made available for assisting the staff of the other Hospital when necessary. Considering the many advantages of amalgamation to both districts, and as there exists no obvious objection to such a plan, it is to be hoped that the local hospital boards will take early steps to bring this about. The Wairau Board has m the past expressed itself as favorable to this scheme, so it only remains ,for the Picton Board to take a similar view of the matter.