MOVE FOR SEPARATION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18356, 23 March 1923, Page 10

MOVE FOR SEPARATION.

OPOTIKI AND HOSPITAL.

[BY TELEGRAPH.OWN CORRESPONDENT.] OPOTIKI, Thursday. The Hon. ,C. J. Parr, Minister for Health, accompanied by Dr. J. P. Frengley, arrived in Opotiki yesterday, and received a deputation from the local bodies. His Worship the Mayor, Mr. T. G. Johnson, welcomed Mr. Parr to Opotiki, and said that several speakers would address him urging the need for the separation of Opotiki from the Whakatane hospital district. Mr. Parr stated that the reason of his visit was to carry out a promise made to Mr. K. S. Williams, member for the district, that he would visit the district and confer with the ' local bodies before the Government should come to a decision In regard to separation. He understood the position to be that Whakatane was committed to the erection of a hospital costing £30,000, and that plans were propared. Good reasons would have'to be given for separation. The Health Department did not encourage small , bodies in email districts, for the reason that a thoroughly up-to-date . hospital i was not possible in small isolated districts. Mr. J. H. Reid said the case for Opotiki was that the district wished to concentrate its energies on its own hospital. There was no continuity of interest in hospital matters between Opotiki and Whakatane... ' Other -speakers were the Hon. J. B. Gow and Mr.»J. T. Merry, town clerk of Opotiki, who detailed the extent of the district, which extended to Cape Runaway, over 70 miles away. He also quoted figures relating to the cost of. upkeep and administration of the prr~,ent Opotiki hospital, arguing that it could be more economically administered as a separate district. In reply, Mr. Pan- stated that he proposed to sift the evidence and make a report to Cabinet. If a case had been made that 4 Opotiki could do better with separation, then it would b» grated*