HOSPITAL SITE.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LIII, Issue 16, 21 January 1919, Page 5

HOSPITAL SITE.

(To the Edijjr.)

Sir, — Kindly allow ni© through the j medium, of your' widely-read paper to expound my yiews j bni the above subject, as on© 'who knows intimately the i requirements of a mental hospital. Dr. Gibbs, on behalf of the 8.M.A., asserts that the present Mental Hospital site is a most ideal spot for their contemplated new General Hospital, having the grounds (by the way,' which took about 40 years to, be ,prodght to its present standard of beauty), and drainage, ptc. Sir, in the first place, being such ah ideal spot frdtn ah ehvironiftent point bf view, who has the most' right to its beilefit - patiefit who on ah Average is 'not more 'than a month in the General 'Hospital and discharged cured ; or the unfortunate patient in the Mental most cases are .unf<xH»iii^eiy'' r sDi' jibe ;fiisifcitutdon) for the tSihainder bf ‘ ihmSr lives? Now, Sir, who,' in your candid opinion, needs the best ' environments and surroundings for their welf are?'By th© tone of Dr. Gibbs and ' others', it seems that any oldi ? Out-of-the-way plafce will do them, because’ they are Only lunatics. Another point, Sir, will' the ratepayers put up. wftht ’.thev extra rotes which must-be struck' for the purchase of this site? because the Board have not even the money to build' their great hospital, : let atone buy another site (so, ratepayers. Keep your eyes open). One more aspect. Sir, "What is to become .of .the married staff, of the Mental Hospital ? all of whom have their own homes. Are they, like the unfortunate lunatics, to he pushed into Oblivion at the sweet will; of a feW medical men? and have to self their, cherished possessions, because wherever the asylum is, the staff will be also, because they love their profesdon, because it is humane,* that they'are relieving and lightening the burdens of their felso)v-men.' haps the Board thinks that the staff will be abl.e and tr<Mn their homes,; in the Chairman’s {Mr Neale'S) electric cars. Why does not (he . Board be and point out to the ratepayers (for it is they who will hayp to be burdened with the financial, position and give them some idea of ’ the rates that will inevitably have to "be struck to meet the Boards requirements if they purchase-this.site. • They have been very -reticent on thus most important part of the scheme-. -If it should come to pass that the. Board should; he successful 1 ..in acquiring tjus site, it must be remembered, so says .the Mayor (Mr Snodgrass), ‘ that our late public spirited citizen, Mt Cawttoon, bequeathed ithe xnoney for a new hospital. 'That is quite so, . granted; pnt the trouble is, the hospital not getting the benefit. of thia legacy. It I 3 the architect only . Who hap bfsen employed and thh; iplano-.wiW ;n«pd to be done again if they secure thismtq. in conclusion, Sir, I hope pome able?: spmted person than myself yoll, ; sword 'in "defence of, the t unfortunate mental' patients, and, see it'that ip is ‘not sheathed again juntil v the new, General Hospial is ’built, either onsite old site or Boorman’s Mpy. (as at seems such a desirable place). until then', the ratepayers Will have no peac?. Thanking you .for your ©pace., I a ™’ SLEEPING iDOO® LIB*. I (None of the advocates of* the Mental Hospital site has,, eycr .hinted that the patients of .the. Mental -Hospital should have anything' bht the best possible sur- i roundings.)