Delay Over Feilding’s Maternity Hospital

Manawatu Times, Volume 70, Issue 189, 11 August 1945, Page 4

Delay Over Feilding’s Maternity Hospital

The delay in proceeding with the building of the long promised maternity hospital for Feilding was the subject **f some straight talking at Thursday’s meeting of the borough council after Councillor H. J. Dewe had introduced the subject and related the unfortunate experience suffered by a citizen this week. Cr. Dewe said he had been awakened at 4.30 a.m. on Thursday by his neighbour and later ascertained that circumstances concerned the removal of the wife of this neighbour to the local maternity home where accommodation had been engaged some weeks previously. On arriving admission was refused as the woman in charge said she could not take in any more as she had no further accommodation. An appeal was then made to the local doctors and they advised telephone communication with Palmerston North. This was done but the Maternity Hospital people stated that they could not take the case but advised that the woman be brought to Palmerston North and they meanwhile would see what could be done at one or the other of the homes. On arrival in Palmerston North accommodation was found, and Councillor Dewe declared in reciting the foregoing particulars that this was not an isolatod case. It was happening all too frequently and it was high time pressure was brought to bear on those in authority to have the maternity hospital built. There was much talk about the need for a higher birthrate but it seemed that the authorities were placing obstacles in the way of this desirable ideal.

The Mayor (Mr. T. L. Seddon) said that he had not heard anything further since he made his last report and that concerned the plans for the building. Jle felt that the council should write to Feilding’s representative on the Hospital Board and ask for some information. Councillor A. C. Buist said that the claims of Feilding for adequate maternity hospital accommodation could not be too vigorously pressed. “We Should register an emphatic protest against this unnecessary delay,” he urged. “It is an intolerable situation for any of our citizens to face up to m not knowing whether proper facilities were available,” said the Mayor in commenting on the case cited by Cr. Dewe. “This had been going on for years without any improvement or any manifestation of appreciation of the urgency of the position,” said Cr. Dewe. ‘‘ If the Hospital Board had our requirements seriously at heart they would have appreciated the urgency of our needs,’” said Mr. Seddon. Cr. J. Jamieson in supporting the criticism suggested that the council should arrange for a deputation to wait on the Hospital Board. He felt that this was the only course open to the council since all other means and approaches had failed to bring about some action. The Mayor considered that it would be best to first approach the town’s representative on the board (Mr. V. E. Smith) and in the event of the position being unsatisfactory then the council might consider sending a deputation. One councillor suggested that the council might do something about withholding the hospital levy until the hospital board acted, but this was not taken up seriously, the Mayor remarking that maybe “Feilding* was not a good baby.” “Blacksheep,” interjected Cr. P. G. Guy. The discussion closed as the council agreed to adopt the Mayor’s suggestion interviewing Mr* ftuiiUu