HOSPITAL FOR HUNTLY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18296, 12 January 1923, Page 6

HOSPITAL FOR HUNTLY.

WHY PLAN WAS ABANDONED. \ MEDICAL STAFFING DIFFICULTY. [BY. telegraph.—own CORRESPONDENT.] HAMILTON. Thursday. A letter was read at a meeting of the Waikato Hospital Board to-day from the Waikato executive of the Farmers' Union asking the board to erect a cottage hospital at Huntly. The chairman, Mr. .P. Bailey, said that when a similar proposal came before the board some time ago tho speaker, with Mr. C. Johnstone, after, some trouble, managed to secure the donation of a site for the purpose before proceeding with the scheme. Later they consulted Dr. H. Douglas, as president of the South Auckland branch of the British Medical Association, with regard to the medical staffing. The speaker suggested that a junior doctor from tha main hospital should be put in charge, but Dr. Douglas said his association would not permit this, and that if anybody was to be in charge that person must be Dr. MacDiarmid, of Huntlv. The British Medical Association would not allow the board to run the cottage hospital with a member of the Waikato Hospital staff. It was due to this action of the British Medical Association that the project was dropped. It was decided to inform the Farmers' Union of the reason for the proposal being dropped.