ON HOSPITAL MATTERS

Northland Age, Volume 1, Issue 20, 1 May 1929, Page 6

ON HOSPITAL MATTERS

(To the Editor)

Sir,—About seven months ago I attended a hospital board meeting as one of a deputation. 1 stated that I was there to ask tha f ratepayers be supplied with data showing the comparative cost of maintaining two hospitals in the

County as at present, and that of building and maintaining a new hos.p tal at Kaitaia ineduding interest and sinking fund on the new building. The Board has information from the Department showing that a new building with the same accommodation as the Mangonui Hospital could be built in brick for £19,000 which I believe would show an annual saving as against the present system, after paying inteiest and

sinking fund. It has been stated by those who are opposed to removing the institution from Mangonui that ratepayers would not undertake a loan for the purpose of building a hospital but I am sure they would it they can be shown that

by so doing they could get a new hospital built in brick in a central position in place of an old wooden building right at one end ot the County. Old wooden buildings are like old motor cars, the cost of upkeep becomes prohibitive. Furthermore why keep on increasing expesnes by making additions to, and paying | maintainence on, a building that

is already doomed? And why continue to convey patients thousands of extra miles every year which makes it harder for patents to pay their hospital accounts thereby increasing bad debts ? We should also consider those who have friend . in hospital, who have to travel all those extra miles at their own expense in order to visit their triends. It also hits those hardest who have the largest families as owing to their number they have a greater chance both of accident and of sickness, The toregoing are all important points but sink into insignificance when compared with the sufferings of the patients who collectively have to be conveyed all those extra thousands of idles every year. Five sixths of the patients come from the western area and surely it is more humane that one out of every "ix, instead of five out of every six sufferers should have to be conveyed over the longer distance. I am etc

Dan Lewis