HOSPITAL SEPARATION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18048, 23 September 1920, Page 3

HOSPITAL SEPARATION

MEETING AT KAITANGATA. SOME STRANGE VIEWS. The invitation issued by the Mayor to the residents of 'Kaitangata to attond a public meeting on Tuesday evening to discuss the question of hospital separation was not largely availed of. Tho number present was about 50, and a proportion of thoso came from Balclutha and Milton. Tito Mayor (Mr T. Gago) opened the meeting, explained its purpose, and introduced tho fcpeokors. Air W. E. S. Knight (chairman of tho "tago Hospital Board) said tho roaSon no Public meeting had previously been held : n Kaitangata under the auspices of tho board was that ho was oortain that if tho miners fully understood tho question they would never vote to out adrift from the benofits of tho institutions under tho jurisdiction ot the board. Tho Green Island miners and the Otago Labour Council had passed resolutions opposing separation. As matters stand tho miners and other residents of Bruce and Clutha Counties had tho right and privilege to enter .all the institutions and havo tho boneOt of treatment by trained specialists in, a fully-equipped hospital. He did not think it "wise to surrender such rights, though the wealthy classes could obtain attendance of such a character by paying for it. Mr Knight explained that the scope of tho Kaitangata Cottago Hospital ] which the Hon. Mr Parr had called ft "miserable littlo hospital near a coal mine," was being widened, and patients who could obtain satisfactory treatment would remain in the hospital, while those requiring more export attention would be transferred to the Dunedin Hospital or one of tho other institutions. In rebuttal of tho allocation of "callous treatment" towards the Bruce and Clutha Counties. Mr Knight said that no requost had ever come from those counties for a hospital. While Kaitangata had helped themselves and had a very fino institution tho people in Balclutha had neglected themselves. In those' other centres of population in Otago where hos-, pitals had been erected the ' people had themselves subscribed largo sums, but the Bruce and Clutha people had neither asked for a hospital nor provided any money towards tho erection of one. The board had been accused of extravagance, but the lovios had increased because everything had increased in price. The movement for separation was purely a matter of tho increased levies. In connection with valuations, Mr Knight said that part of tho counties had not been valued sinoe 1914, and in two instances valuations were as old as 1905 and 1907. Mr A. M'Donald (Balclutha): Wrong. Mr J. W. Fenton (Kaitangata): I can vouch for tho 1905 valuation. Mr Knight concluded by urging that the benefits under tho present system were greater than were possible under separation. Mr J. T. Paul, speaking as a delegate from the Otago Labour Council, said that he appeared before the Kaitangata people as a ratepayer, equally interested with them in obtaining the best possible facilities for the alleviation of the sick and suffering. The council had considered the question of separation from a provincial and national point of vieWj and the 'workers in the city of Dunedin -were as anxious to obtain the best possible hospital attention for those in the country as for themselves. Unless they were prepared to affirm that it was no parfc of tho duty of tho more fortunate and well-placed people to help the poor they must afford assistance to the afflicted. It was the duty of every man to help his less fortunate fellowmon, and tho Otago Labour Council believed that the best possible assistance could be provided by retaining the present hospital district intact. Separa-' tion could give the Bruce and Clutha peoplo nothing which could not bo obtained dv remaining united in the Otago Hospital District, and it might possibly prejudice their rights of free to institutions "which were second to none in the dominion. With the Ka.'tangata Hospital extended, as tho board now proposed, and for which plans had been prepared providing for a maternity ward_ and separate provision for female patients, a cottago hospital at Owaka and a district hospital at Balclutha with tho right of entry into the Dunedin institutions, he believed tho best interests of country and city would bo served. This was a progressive age, but no sensible man could dream of a hospital in Balclutha comparable with the base hospitals in the four chief centres. Even if they could afford to purchase the equipment it was impossible to get the specialists to use it, and it was shert-sightcd policy to wantonly discard the inestimable advantages to be obtained in tho Dunedin institutions. In his opinion tho best results were to bo gained for all by unity and not by separation. Mr J. W. Dove, representative of St. Kilda and Green Island on tho board, said that if separation -was carried the working men of Bruce and Clutha would lose a very great boon. It was undemocratic to cut adrift, leaving a part of the dempcracv to carry burdens and responsibilities which they had all undertaken. He had sat at tho board table with representatives of Bruco and Clutha, and they had never voiced any complaint against the hospital facilities of the district, except that one of them had dissented from tho hospital levy. The present board was in 'favour of granting the fullest hospital facilities, and was only awaiting departmental sanction. Separation, from tho working man's standpoint, would do an injury' to all working men in tho hospital district. Mr A. North (chairman of the South , Otago Hospital Committee) asked if they were likely to get a square deal from the Otago Hospital Board while the representation remained as at present and while ''old ladies of both sexes * dominated the board. It was partly due to the district bemg far away from the centre that they could not get full advantage of hospital facilities. On a. population basis they should have had 800 patients in the hospital whereas, according to the latest figures, tliey had only 267. _ Bruce and Clutha could send thoso patients requiring special treatment to private hospitals wnere tho conditions axo moro sanitary than in the Dunedin Hospital. "Tho Dunedin Hospital was only a bog-hole, rotten with microbes," said Mr North, "and tho whole thing should bo scrapped." Some of the board should also be scrapped. Serious cases had been sent away to die on the road. In connection with the report of Dr s Prengley and Wylie Mr North said they had been gathered under the wing- of tho Hospital Board and a few of the frionds of the present combine gavo evidence. The objection to separation, was that ' 'thoy want our money j they don't want our patients—they wanted our £10,000, and they couldn't do without it." Mr A. Ronnie (Milton) said that tho nurses were not getting a square deal. His own daughter had been run off her feet, her constitution had been undermined, and , ho could not find words to express his feelings. They had made a slave of his daughter. If they got a hospital they would have better conditions for nurses. He believed that new methods of curing should bo introduced. Had they ever considered the power of mind over matter, for instance? Ho would undertake to cure a number of people himself without tho aid of specialist;,. Tho Dunedin Board wore "Conservatives to tho heel," and, s aid Mr liennie, "if we get a hospital wo will get the patients out into tho open air. Wo will get them out into tho Colds to grow turhips." Mr A. F. Queleh, treasurer of the board, said the representation on the board was laid do\'yn by law, and was rouglily seven town members and. six country members. Ho answered a number of allegations which had been made, and said that the district should be proud of the fact that the number of patients in tho Hospital was lower than from somo other parts. It showed they wcro a healthy petiplo. It had been said thafc tho Kaitangata Hospital was a whito elephant, and ho ' submitted tho following figures showing tho service of tho hospital to tho district: 1919. 1920. In-patients ... 203 days P3 days. ' Number of patients 13 16 Died ... 2 1 Discharged cured 29 15 Dressings. 830 053 Continuing, Mr Quelch said that separation would break down tho wise system of base ho.-'pi(ils. Drs Frongley and Wylie had taken the evidence of the doctors in the district, and their report was baaed on that evidence, _ and was mado after a tour of tho district. Tho board carried out tho mandatory instructions from Wellington, and had boon anxious to establish a cottigo hospital at Owaka, a request having oomo from tho residents two years ago. Tho then Minuter of Public Health insisted that the residents should find half tho capital cost of tho building and h.-Ut tho con •,[ nqtiipment. That was an impossible task, but when Sir I'Ya.no.ia 801 l becanio ?iliru'stcr of Public Health ho agreed to tho ostnibliahment of tho Qwaku Hospital if tho 10nwlnnts found £50?. Tho plans wmo now awaiting tho approval of tho dapartment in Wellington. Mr Jaspar Clark Flat) cited cases of hardship which h.vJ occurred through puwa boing lient: on a long journey to Dun-

edin. He considered that the nurses' homo m Dunedin was an extravaganco,- and said they could house tho nurses cheaper in tlic country. Mr J. Ramsdon (Kaitangatu) thought there was too much of patients running away to doctors, instead of doctors running to patients. People should bo treated ill their own homos and not pent to hospitals. Mr J. Donaldson asked how much of a hospital could tho.v expect to get for £9000": lie was firmly convinced that separation was a mistake, and he moved—"That this meeting of residents of Kaitangata can setno good object to be attained by separation." Mr John Allen (Kaitangata) seconded the motion. Mr J. W. Fenton said separation was not a mutter of finance from tho city point of view, but. it was from tho countvv viewpoint. Tho cost of running a hospital in Clutha aiid Brueo would bo moro than jt costs the counties at present. )r Mr R. Aitcheson moved an amendment— "l'hat this meeting supports tho separation movement." Mr Ramsden seconded the amendment, which was carried by 9 to 8, the majority retraining from voting.