INFECTIOUS DISEASES HOSPITAL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13834, 22 February 1907, Page 2

INFECTIOUS DISEASES HOSPITAL.

OPPOSITION mOM,THB COUNTRY. AN ABORTIVE MEETING. A meeting of delegates from local bodies was held in the Town Hall yesterday afternoon for tho purpose of taking into consideration matters connected with tho proposed establishment of an Infectious Diseases Hospital at Peliehct Bay. Over 40 delegates attended, and Dr Mason (Chief Health Officer) and Dr Ogstou (District Health Officer) were also present. In tho absence of tho Mayor (Mr Lawrence) Or Gore, as senior councillor, was voted to the chair.

Tho Chairman briefly explained the object of tho meeting, and called on

Dr Mason, who said lie did : Tiot think there ivould bo in tho minds of any a dispute 83 to tltp necessity for the erection of an Infectious Diseases Hospital. That had been impressed upon them many times through circumstances 1 hat had arisen in their various districts. Ho was glad to say that tho question of site had now been settled. The Defonce, Department had agreed to the nso of the land for a period of 21 years at a pepper-corn, rental. He sincerely trusted that tho delegates would look at tho matter in a dispassionate manner, and that some arrangement would be como to that afternoon bv which tho erection of the hospital would be assured. Ho understood that there was some reluctance to join in the scheme on tho part of those residing in the outside districts. It could not be deniod that the dmount of benefit tho country people would got was not so great as that, which tho residents in the city would derive, but ho pointed out that though they might refuse to como in the health authorities bad only- the Hospital Board to look to. If the country local bodies stood out the Health Department had no power to compel them to do anything, nor could it assist them in their own should occasion require it. In tho event of an epidemic breaking out in a county it was to tho Hospital Board that, they must go. It would bo impossible- for people in, say, Waihemo or tho southern part of Tokomairiro, to tako actual advantage of an isolated hospital at Dnncdin, but they, had to remember that tho port of Otago 6tood between them and the outsidp world, and it was a fair thing that they should. pay something for tho measure of security which an infectious disoases hospital would giye them by reason of its preventing an o'pidonijo epoadiflg from tho port to the country boyond.' He trustee] that tho suggested allocations would bo favourably considered.

Mr J. Agnew (Balclutha Borough) asked if tho only argument Dr Mason had in favour of tho proposal was that it would prevent disease spreading to tho country.

Dr Mason said he had a niiioh stronger reason, but ho had purposely held it back until after there had been some discussion,

Mr Agnew: We have come here at considerable expense to hear .tho whole case opened out to us, and now tho doctor gets up nnd says he- has onlv given ps part of it, and that by-and-byc wo will get tho rest. I must emphatically object to our being treated in that wav.

Dr Mason said be hud not expected that they had como to hoar him speak, Personally ho attended to hear what the delegates ha<] to say. Tho other reason ho had indicated was apparent to most people—namely, that if tho outside local bodies agreed to contribute towards this institution the Hospital Board, on' its part, must look after (ho. sick in their particular districts.

Mr Stevenson, representing the Taiori County Council, said he thought somo nmtako had been made under tho proposed allocation iu assessing hie county at £7 8s lOd per centum. Ho quite agreed that there .was a necessity for such a. hospital as that proposed, and his county was prepared to pay ii fair share towards the cost. Under present conditions, if an infectious disease broko out in a district the local body would bo called on to isolate and pay tho charges connected therewith, and under the proposed alteration these matters could bo dealt with more satisfactorily. Ho thought, however, tho allocation was not satisfactory. . Mr Agnew said the objection his district had to tho proposal was that they would derivo no benefit from thn proposed hospital, as patients could not bo removed from the country to the city. Dr Ogston said it was a- necessity under the act that the local authority should provide for the infectious sick. If, under the new arrangement, an infectious disease broke out in a district where those affected could not bo removed to tl)e central hospital, the Hospital Board could send a trained nurse and provide- for necessary medical attendance in the district where the infection broko out. The allocation he had proposed was tho most equitablo ho could arrive'at, and was based on- the scheme suggested • by tho magistrate at luvcrcargill as a fair and reasonable basis of rating for tho southern districts. Mr Donald Rcid (Mayor of Milton) objected to his borough being rated under tho proposal, for tho,simple reason that the Milton people would get no benefit whatever under the scheme. The distance from Dunedin was so great that no resident suffering from an inlootious disease could, under existing conditions, bo taken to it. Under the act, such a person could not travol on lite railways or in any public conveyance. In any case tho Tokomairiro people did not require an infectious diseases hospital. In the last 34 years there had been very few outbreaks of epidemics, and when one did occur they isolated the cases. Dr Mason, in reply to questions, said that tho Government would contribute half the cost of erecting tho hospital. Assuming that the hospital cost £2500 to erect, the amounts which each local body would have to contribute at the outset would be; ' City of Dunedin, £533 15s; Mornington, £61 ss; Roslyn, £80 12s 6d; Maori Hill, £28 2s 6d; North-East Valley, £65; West I Harbour, £23 2s 6d; St. Kilda, £38; Hawkesburv, £7 10s; Palmerstoti, £8 2s 6d; Green'lsland, £9 7s6d; Mosgiel, £17; Milton, £13 2s 6dj Kaitangata, £17 10s; Balclutha. £12 10s; Port Chalmers, £28 2s 6d; Wa-ikouaiti County, £45 12s 6d; Waihemo County, £16 ss; Taiori County, £92 10s; Bruce County.. £51 17s 6d; ■ Clulha County, £63 15s; Peninsula. Road Board, £33 4s 6i|. OF course the allocation would depend upon the: cost of the building. The annual recurring charge : for maintenance and upkeep would depend on the number of patients in the institution. '

Mr Reitl said that it there was an epidemic the people in the country would still have to provide for their own cases. Or Ogstmi said that was not so, for although the country cases could not come to town, the Hospital Board could send out •instance to I ho country.. The responsiv:!'!v of attending; to these matters was ■ •'■r.ovi'd from the local authority to .-Hal Board, and it was the legal ' i'r.c board to look after cases of ■ disease in any part of the

In reply to the Chairman, Dr Mason said, that if the local v bodies could not como to an agreement as to the amount of their contributions the matter had to be. settled by a magistrate. Tho present meeting had been called to see if there was any modus vivendi. He trusted the meeting would not prove • abortive. Tho Chairman: All that this meeting can do, then, is to say whether wo will agree to this proposal or romit it to a magistrate. Dr Batoholor suggested, in order to get over the difficulty, that tho country local bodies should be left out of tho proposal, and that an hospital for Dundein and suburbs bo erected at a cost of £500 or £600. Ho belioved that would be the most satisfactory course. Mr Mosley (Bruce) Mr Yates (Kaitangatoj, Mr M'Curdy (Peninsula Road Board), and Mr J. Ross (Waihemo County), on behalf of their respective districts, declined absolutely to assent to the proposal that they should be assessed for a hospital in Dunedin and which • was not available to their people. Mr J. Mill iind Mr Shanks advocated tho use of Quarantine Island apd'buildings for infectious diseases hospital purposes, but Dr Mason said that such a- proposal could not be entertained. The quarantine stations wore absolutely essential in tho contingency of smallpox or other foreign disease coming in on shipboard. The Chairman, in reiil.y to Mr Mill, who asked what-the attitude of the City Council was on the .question, said the question had never been before it, and therefore tho council had no views upon it. It was ultimately resolved, on the motion of Mr Brinsley (Duncflin), seconded by Mr M'Curdy-'''Tliat the matter be left in tho hands of tho magistrate to settle."