OLD PEOPLE’S HOME

Northern Advocate, 14 February 1928, Page 6

OLD PEOPLE’S HOME

FINALITY FAR OFF.

SITES VIEWED AGAIN,

There was a recommendation before •the Whangarei Hospital Board yesterday that its members should consider the purchase of an area adjacent for addition to its property for future requirements.

The ehaiijma.n | said he know that there were two or three offering, and he agreed that members should view the land with a view to purchasing a site for the Old People’s Home, or for T.B. Shelters.

■Mr R. G. Hosking maintained that the intention was to secure the land as a site for general requirements, but he was not prepared to support such a purchase until he knew, by moans of a survey, the area already in the hospital property, and whether it would provide space for future requirements.

It was stated that the board’s property at present comprised IT acres. Mr J. A. S. Mac Kay wanted to know definitely to what purpose it was proposed to put the land, if bought. The Director-General had said that he would not allow the board to purchase a site for an old people’s home, and if that purpose were in view it was waste of time to look at the sections. Dr Valintine had advised tho board that, if the sections were cheap, consideration might be given to their purchase.

Mr A. J. Murdoch said .that Mr McLean ’s motion relative to the recommendation had included mention, of an old people's home', but had not included reference to ’use of the land for other purposes. His idea had been to get a piece of land suitable for use as a site for an old people’s home, or for other purposes.

It was certain, Mr F. Elliott felt, that the Director-General would oppose purchase of a site for an old people’s home, as he had stated definitely that the board should make the Springs a home permanently for old men and old women. The speaker was not sure of its usefulness in that respect, but if it were suitable for the old men it should be also for women. Dr Valintine had further stated that the board owned enough land, and whatever individual members’ views might be it had to be remembered that the Department wasf part owner. It was impossible to consider building an old people’s home for some time to coime.

Mr D. A. McLean declared that recently he had gone through a volume of correspondence dealing with the whole question of the home proposal. He was sure that it would interest members, and it would pay to have it published. The board had had it from Dr Valintine that the Springs could only be used .temporarily to house the old imen. The Minister had said it could not remain as an old people’s home, but the way in which the Department had carried on was farcical, as Dr Valintine now said that it should become an old people’s home permanently.

“I will not sit on a board to be made a fool of, as the Department is making us now/' declared Mr McLean, who continued: “If they want to run the board’s business, let them try it. If they thought some years ago that the: building of an old people’s home was necessary, what has happened! to make it less so now? The Department’s attitude is absolutely farcical, and I will not stay here to be dictated to by Dr Yalintinc.”

The chairman feubmitte,d that although Dr Valintine and the Minister had said that the Springs was satisfactory temporarily, the board had not been prevented from getting a site. “Housing the old men at the Springs is a temporary measure, and we have been told eo time after tbpe,” said the chairman. He added that he.did not believe that the board- would allow much to be done at the Springs to make it an old people’s home, as there was insufficient room there.

Mr Hosking declared that Dr Valin tine had quite definitely asked that the medical superintendent should make a report upon tho housing of the old people at the Springs, and the cost, practically stating that, if the repoit were satisfactory, they would be housed there permanently. If it could be clone, it was his wish to keep them there.

“Dr Valintinc made only one definite statement,” said Mr Murdoch, “•and it was that the board should get the old people kept at Kamo permanently.” Ho had suggested placing nurses and assistants there, despite the speaker’s retort that it would cost £IOOO a year, and that such a suggestion was against Dr Valintine’s own opinions regarding outside building and providing adjuncts to hospitals. The Director-General had also said that he would provide the hot-water system and a chronic, ward if the board agreed to the balance of the £7OOO in ’hand for the old people’s home being used to. pay fof extension to the women’s ward. Dr Va'lintine’s statements regarding making Kamo Springs a home permanently admitted of no doubt as to their being definite, but those statements were against the opinion expressed by the Minister,

Nothing could be clearer, said Mr Mae Kay, than that Dr Valintinc had said that the Springs should become a permanent home. Nothing could bo gained by clouding the issue, as Df Valintino had made a definite statement. As for his previous statements that it should be temporary, the plac-

ing of the old men at- the Springs had been given a trial. It had been demonstrated that the old People 'had been made happy there, and the Direc-tor-General had come to the e’onblusion that it was one of the finest sites in the whole country. 'Consequently he was in a position to recommend that it should '.become, not temporarily, but permanently, a residence for the old; people. The chairman admitteu that he must have taken Dr Valintine up wrongly. However, both the Minister and the Director-General had said that placing the old people at the (Springs was but a temporary measure, and in that the chairman had supported them. He had never favoured it becoming a permanent home, as 'he had in view its development as a spa. In that view lie had been ridiculed, but he felt sure that it would become one, and the people would not allow it to become an old people’s home. After all, Dr Yalintiuo was only one, and the Minister was above him. The chairman had found that Dr Valintine could be bent as well as anyone else. “Wo can listen to him, but arc wc going to follow up all he says'?” asked the chairman.

Mr Murdoch: “No, wc are not.”

The chairman added that he would not approve of the springs as an old people’s home, or, as had "been suggested, a chronic ward, as it would mean that the doctor would have to go out to Kamo every day. Mr Elliott wished to make it clear that he had not suggested that he would follow up all that Dr Valintine said.

The motion to view the sites was then carried, and members did so immediately after lunch. When the board reassembled, after viewing sites deemed suitable for Acquisition, Mr D. A. McLean referred to an acre section owned by Mr F. Higginson and, an adjoining one of five acres owned by Mr J. Conyngham, and he urged that an effort be made to secure both.

As an amendment, Mr E. Swann moved that an effort be made to purchase the property owned by Mr W. Jones, M.P., but he failed to find a seconder.

Whether the board should bo in a hurry at all about getting more land was questioned by Mr It. G. Hosking, wl.b expressed his opinion that there was little likelihood of land going up

in price for some time to come. As an amendment to Mr McLeam’s proposal to purchase the two ' sections, he moved that, before steps were taken to purchase more land, a survey be made of the hospital property, shewing its extent, levels and drains. Mr J. A. S. Mac Kay, while admitting that he did not know the relative areas of various parts of the: board’s property, its levels, or the exact location of buildings, deemed it unnecessary to have a legal survey, but a plan for the board’s own guidance. He admitted that he liked the areas mentioned as the most suitable for extension purposes.

The chairman, Mr T, Ellis, said that the sections mentioned’ had both been considered before as possible sites for tine ,01d People’s Home, as also had the board’s paddock, westward of the maternity annexe. The last mentioned was really a breathing space, and, on account of its proximity to the maternity annexe, w r as not a suitable site for either an old people’s home or t.b. shelters. He felt that the time would come when the annexe would have to be removed to make way for extenison of hlospital buildings. That was why he would like to sec a further section purchased. He suggested also that the staff’s quarters were too congested, and that (here was need to provide for them..

The medical superintendent, Dr. Hall, disagreed with' the chairman, as ho believed that the board did not require any extension of the maids’ quarters, and also that the paddock mentioned was suitable as a site for the t.b, shelters.

That there was no pressing need to buy any more land at present, was the opinion expressed by Mr F. Elliott.

As the sites under review Were offering, Mr A, J. Murdoch was in favour of securing them. He felt sure that the board would not get permission to erect buildings on the paddock, as the board knew that Dr. T. H. A. A r alintinc, Director-General of Health, thought that it was suitable.Mr McLean: “We do not all think as he does.”

Mr Murdoch: ”No, we do not agree with all he thinks. I think very little of it.”

It was contended by Mr J. N. I. McKay that it Tfa.s a wrong step to consider purchasing any seetiohs of.

land without getting the 'Prices of all offering in the vicinity. Mr ft. G. Soaking also favoured waiting until it was necessary to huy land. ■

Seemingly, said Mr McLean, members were losing sight of the fact that the section it was proposed to buy was as a site for an old people’s home, and it had been laid down that it could not be within the hospital grounds. 'The point, however, was emphasised that the intention was to secure a site for such a home; otherwise, there would not have been need •to view them. The amendment to have the survey made was defeated, ; and then Mr Murdoch moved that a committee be appointed to approach Mr Higginson for one acre and Mr ‘ Conyngham for an acre adjoining. He nominated the committee to comprise the chairman, and Messrs JMcLean and Mac Kay.

Thereupon Mr McLean withdrew the motion in favour" of that constituting the committee, and the latter course was agreed, upon.

Mr E. Swann recorded his vote against the motion, and. then suggested that the committee should ascertain the price of Mr W. Jones’ property. After some members had stated thiere wag little chance of purchasing it, the board decided to aecedo to Mr Swann’s request.