TAPANUI COTTAGE HOSPITAL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14898, 29 July 1910, Page 3

TAPANUI COTTAGE HOSPITAL.

PROPOSAL BEFORE HOSPITAL BOARD. An application .to - establish a cottage hospital at Tapaniii has been before the Otago Hospital Board on a number of occasions recently. At last night's- meeting" of. the board the sub-cominittee appointed' to visit- Tapanui and inquire in regard to the application reported that a deputation of Tapamii residents hud waited upon it and pointed out that the erection of the hospital \ras absolutely necessary. Labourers coin prised about one-quarter of the population of the district, and accommodation was required for infectious diseases and also for casts ■of fractures. Dr Robertson. a member of the deputation, replied to questions submitted by Mr Loudon, atid stated that his services for supervising the proposed hospital would be honorary. He suggested that tJio hospital accommodate six beds—three for males and throe for females—a fever ward, a nurse's rooin, kitohen, and a spare room. There was plenty of ground (five aoros), and the infectious -ward could be looked after from the main hospital. The hospital could be used for fractures, accidents, awl diseases. The nurse could bo employed in district nursing. Mr Quin advised tJiat the site was set aside by the. Government as a hospital site, and ho thought there would bo nc difficulty in raising £300 in tie district. Ho had no doubt that the resident.l! would be only too pleased to raise subscriptions on Hospital SahmTar. The Tapanui Cottage Hospital Committee proposed a hospital of eight bedsfour for each sex—with nurses' rooms, etc., built on such a plan as would facilitate enlargement if neeessary in the future, and the hospital to be erected on the site already set aside for the purpose. The committee further suggested that Dr Robertson be supervisor and honorary surgeon and physician. After givin? detfllJs as to the population and area of the. district, the cominitW pointed out that j thfl -district now conributed something like £900 per annum on account of hospital and charitable aid, tinder statutory pro-! visions, and there was also a considerable sum raised by private subscription. Mr Myers said that no time should lx> lost ill connection with this matter. The residents were prepared to at once, plant, j trees* etc., on the proposed hospital grounds. The letter from the Tapanui Committee (was referred to the Spcoiat Commit- i tee for further recoit N ' 1