CLUTHA HOSPITAL PROPOSAL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17426, 21 September 1918, Page 13

CLUTHA HOSPITAL PROPOSAL

MEETING AT BAJJOLUTHA. PROPOSED AREA DEFINED. A conference of delegates from tlio Clutha and Bruoe Counties was held in the Clutha County Chambers ("Balclutha) yesterday, to consider the report drawn up by the special committee appointed to inquire into the question of the establishment of a separate hospital district in South Otago. There was a good attendance of delegates, Mr A. North (chairman Clutha County) presiding. The committee reported that it considered that the proposed hospital and oharitable aid district should be created, to be callcd tbo South Otago Hospital and Charitable Aid District The area of the proposed district should be as follows: —That part of Clutha County north of the Waitati River, leavin.tr out the Glenkenich Riding and part o Waipahi Riding; Balclutha Borough and . the southern portion of Bruce County, com- ' prising the ridings of Balmoral, Matau, Inchclutha, Crichton, and the western part of Mount Stuart Biding, say from Lovolls Flat westwards; that provision be made for the inclusion of other ridings or boroughs which may wish later on to be included. The rateable value, etc., of such district is as follows: Clutha County, £2,013,739; Balclutha Borough, £206,308; Bruce County, £832,184; —total, £3,053,431. The levy compiled on the basis of the Dunedin Board, 1918-19, is as follows: —Clutha County, £2319; Balclutha Borough, £237 17s 4d; Bruce County, £958; —total, £3514 _ 17s 4d. If Kaitangata should join, its ratenbTe value would be £99,055. and its levy £114 * 2s. The above district would thus have a rateable value of £3,052,431, giving a levy of £3514 17s 4d, which carries a G-ov- ' ernment subsidy of about £1 for £1, and should prove sufficient for the purposes of a hospital district. The oommittee considers that it is impossible while the war is on to estimate what tlie cost of erecting the necessary buildings would be. Correspondence from districts similar to and smaller than the above defined district shows that a separate hospital and charitable aid district brings great financial and other advantages. No provision need be made for treatment of special and exceptional cases, which could still be treated at Dunedm. The Minister of Public Health had been requested to visit the district during September. The committee would- leave it to the conference' to deoide whether immediate steps should be made to secure legislation establishing the above hospital and charitable aid district, or whether such attempt should be deferred until after the war. If ' 12 or more ratepayers in any riding in or outside the proposed area requested a meeting on the subject the oommittee considered that the local body should arrange for such a meeting with the object of plaoing information relating to the above proposal before the ratepayers. The report was adopted and the discussion was taken in committee'. After resuming in open council the following resolutions, passed in committee, were confirmed: — " That endeavours be made to secure legislation creating the So nth Otagxs Hospital and Charitable Aid District on the lines recommended in the committee's report; the matter to be left in the hands of Mr A. S. Malcolm, M.P." ■ • " That the members of the Dunedm Hospital and Charitable Aid Board b© asked to , meet the South Otago delegates in conference in connection with the formation of the suggestion that Balclutha be the place of meeting on account of suitability of train service." A Tetter was received from the Hon. G. W. Russell stating that he hoped to visit the district at the end of September or early in October. It was decided that, he be entertained at a banquet, and also token over the proposed area of the suggested hospital district.