BALCLUTHA HOSPITAL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18424, 9 December 1921, Page 2

BALCLUTHA HOSPITAL

THE SITE) CONTROVERSY. PUBLIC MEETING PROTESTS. BOARD REVIEWS THE SITUATION. A FURTHER DELAY. A public meeting was held at Balclutha on Wednesday evening relative to the apparent intention of the South Otago Hospital Board to fix upon a site two miles from the centre of the town as the site for the main hospitdl for the new district. The attendance was very large, and there was complete unanimity of opinion that the site was not the best that could he procured, the result being that a motion of protest was carried. The Mayor (Mr H. Simson) presided. The Mayor stated that the petition asking him to call the meeting set forth that it was to discuss the selection of a site. Ho therefore enumerated the sites, these being Campbell’s (one mile and a-quarter from the Post Office', Christie’s (one mile), Wright’s (about one mile), and Clarke’s, the one in question (two miles). Eacli one of these, the Mayor said, had its advantages and its disadvantages. A number of others had been rejected on account of smallness of area. Wright’s and Christie’s sites have since been withdrawn by those offering them.* Messrs R. R. Stewart, A. E. Russell, D. G. Algie, and the Rev. Mr Currie were the principal speakers, all opposing Clarke’s site strenuously on grounds that have frequently been aired in the press, and Mr' Stewart moved the protest Mr Algie mentioned that ha hgd, been authorised by Sir Thomas Mackenzie to say that his site at Rosebank (four acres) would he available, if desired, and that an area of 11 acres at the back could be acquired from Mr Lilly. The distance was only five minutes from the railway station. Mr A. North, the chairman of the Hospital , Board, said he came simply to hear the views of the meeting, and" it .would give him pleasure to convey those views to the board, by whom they would bo given full consideration. But he had been sadly disappointed with this meeting, for tho reason that the board had been at great pains to consider the best site for a central hospital, and in this connection he would like to pay a tribute to their Mayor for the amount of work he had put in. If it were only a cottage hospital site they were looking for in Balclutha the position would bo simplified enormously,. because from two to five acres would be, ample. Great scope, however, was required for a central institution, which. would have other institutions connected with it, such as fever, charitable aid, doctor’s residence, morgue, etc. Thus they had to consider the extent of the ground, its conformation, altitude, view, outlook, and suitability for drainage. The board ’ had gone to a lot of expense in boring for water at Clarke’s site, and had been very successful. In a trial run with a well pump they had got a supply of 700 gallons per hour for a seven or eight hours’ run. Four sites had been mentioned, but over 12 had been offered to the board, and of these some had been discarded because they were facing the south-west wind, and could never be sheltered, and others - because of too little level land, etc. Now the board was practically at its wits’ end, because they were boring on what they considered the most suitable site in the vicinity of Balclutha. The board was out to get the best, and would be glad of -any assistance that might be given them. Two out of the four sites mentioned had been considered the. most suitable by tho Health Department. These were Clarke’s, where for a little over £3OO they had secured ail excellent water supply. The other was, Campbell’s, and its drawback was that it was practically on the river bank, and in the cold foggy draught from the river. Another reason why Campbell’s had not been selected was that of cost. Mr Jas. Fyfe said if tho last-mentioned site was tho most suitable it should be bought. Mr Walter Nicol: What extent- of land does the board acquire ? The Chairman: It depends if you have only one block or die whole thing, which would take 20 to 25 acres, whereas five to 10 acres would do for a hospital alone. One town has its hospital in tho town, the fever wards two miles out, and another block half a dozen miles out. Mr North: If the institutions are cut up it means an enormous increase in the cost of administration, and a lot of running about for the medical men. Mr Algie: Is it customary to have a fever hospital in the same block with the ordinary hospital?. , Mr North; Oh no; it must be 100 yards or even a quarter of a mile away. - Mr A. Rennie (Mayor of Milton) and a member of tho board, said that as a matter of fact Campbell’s site had been selected by the Inspector-General of Hospitals (Dr Wylie), "and they should go for. that or lor the one mentioned by Mr Algie. If that was a better site he was. willing .to support it, but personally he would like to see Campbell’s site selected. Mr Nicol said he knew of a site of 20 acres within a mile of tho town, and it could be got at a reasonable price. In any case what were a few hundreds of .pounds, or even , thousands in a matter like this. ’■the motion of protest was put and carried unanimously. The holding of this meeting: was mentioned by Mr North at the meeting of the Hospital Board yesterday afternoon. He, said that the meeting had passed, a practically unanimous resolution against the board going on with the hospital on Clarke’s site. Since' tho board had had one or two offers of other sites ho had very great pleasure in moving that the whole matter of the Balclutha Hospital site be again referred to the Health Department, and that all tho information in the possession of the board bo sent on to the department with a view to the department reporting on all the. sites on offer or any others that might be offered. Mr Rutherford seconded. Mr Gumming said he was not at the public meeting, but it was obvious that something hostile to the board must have occurred. He asked the chairman to give reasons for moving the motion he had just done. Tho Chairman: I pointed out that there was a hostile meeting. That is my reason lor asking for a full report on all the sites on offer and others that may be offered. Mr Mosley expressed the opinion that there was no need to labour the matter. The chairman had given his reason and was quite within his rights in moving the motion. He would like to point out that whatever the board might do in regard to the sites, the last word was with the department, , and if the department favoured Clarke’s site the matter would be finished. There was another way of looking at the question; the site might not be suitable for the hospital buildings, but it might be quite suitable for the farm. He thought Mr Jasper Clark had a motion to place before the meeting. Mr Clark explained that he was going to propose that some of the members of the board should go to Invercargill, where a farm was being run in connection with the 'hospital, and make investigations in regard to it. The Invercargill board had passed the experimental stage, and there was no reason for the South Otago Board to experiment when reliable information could be secured. He would like to know whether the Balclutha meeting had shown itself hostile to the policy of the board or merely hostile to the site on which the board was boring. Tho board had a policy ; it wanted sufficient land to accommodate the hospital buildings, benevolent institution, isolation wards and residences, and also to provide ground for the growing of the foodstuffs required. Ho was not clear as to what was necessary, but he was certain that the information could be got at Invercargill, ' The chairman said he was in sympathy with the suggestion Mr Gumming: The chairman’s motion is to ask an officer of the department to come here and Mr Clark’s is that we ourselves should go to Invercargill. The officers of the department are constantly visiting Invercargill and are quite conversant with tho position there. Why should we go to Invercargill at all when they can Supply tho information here? Mr Rennie, reverting to the Balclutha meeting, said it was not a hostile one at all. It had been one of a number of people quite fair in their attitude, thoroughly sincere, candid, and frank. They had given credit to nil to whom credit was due. All they had taken exception to was the site; they were neither opposed to the board nor to its policy. They wore out. only to help the board: at any rate that was the impression be got. He thought their objections were fair and reasonable objections , Mr Clark: What objections had they to the site ? Mr Rennie: The very good objection that it is too far away and most inconvenient. Mr. Ronnie added that he gathered from their attitude that the people of Balclutha wore considering not merely themselves but the district as a whole.

The chairman said there was some correspondence relating to the subject and the secretary read two letters. One contained the resolution of the public meeting, which reads:—“That this meeting of ratepayers and others interested strongly disapproves, as a site for the Balclutha Hospital, of the piece of land where boring operations are at present being carried out by the South Otago Hospital Board, in view of its distance from the centre of the town, and would respectfully request the board to secure a site for the hospital nearer to the Balolutha. railway station' and Post Office, believing that convenience to these places will be a determining factor in the economic maintenance and popular regard of the institution.” The other letter was from the Clydevalo Branch of the Farmers’ Union, enclosing the following protest against the acquisition of Clarke’s site: “That this branch of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union enters a strong objection to the acquisition by the South Otago Hospital Board of the property known as ‘Clarke’s’ either for the purpose of a hospital or benevolent institution .site, members being of opinion that by reason of position and conformation of the land the property would prove quite unsuitable for either purpose. Further, that this branch respectfully suggests to the Hospital Board I that they do not confine their search for a I site to properties which have been offered, but enlarge their field of operations to include any sites in the immediate vicinity of Balclutha, and which might, on investigation, prove suitable, the matter of securj ing a suitable site being of sufficient importance to warrant, if necessary, the acquisition of the property under the provisions of the I’ublic Works Act.” It Was acided that the branch wished the board to realise that the branch had not adopted the role of the carping critic. It realised, and was sympathetic to the board’s difficulties, and apxjroached the subject simpiy as, a body of interested ratepayers anxious not to embarrass the board, but to try and help it. It being the general wish of the meeting Mr Clark’s motion was given precedence to that of the chairman. Mr Clark then moved the appointment of a committee to proceed to Invercargill, and after a little disjcussion the motion was carried, the chairman and Messrs H. M. Driver, and Jasper Clark being appointed. The chairman then moved his original motion, but Mr Gumming suggested that it might be better to leave it over until after the committee had made its report. Mr Mosley; There is no hurry. The Chairman: There is the matter of finishing the bore It was decided that the chairman’s motion stand down till next meeting. Mr Simson then explained the position in regard to the board, pointing out that if the plant were allowed to leave the ground a good deal of expense would bo entailed in getting it on the ground again should it be necessary. Mr Ronnie said the problem of the bore was a somewhat knotty one. If the department chose Clarke’s site it would certainly be necessary to have the plant back again. Ho thought it would l be best if they got the officers of the department down to report at once regarding the sites. It was pointed out 1 that this question was closed. Mr Simson then said that there was no serious difficulty regarding the bore. It, would take only a day or two to put down the permanent slotted pipes should they deem that desirable. The secretary suggested that the pipes might be left in a loosened condition so that if the bore was not further proceeded with the board itself could withdraw them without the necessity of recalling the plant. The suggestion was considered a ' good one, and it was decided that the pipes be left in the meantime, Mr Stewart to be 1 allowed to remove the plant. | Letters were read Inter from. Messrs' | Simon ( Wright, and John Christie, each ! formally withdrawing the offer of their properties for the purpose of a site. A letter from the Hon. D. T. Fleming was then read relative to the site mentioned by Mr Algie at the public meeting—viz., that of Sir Thomas Mackenzie and Mr Lilly. He indicated that though the site was not formally on offer it would be worth investigation. A visit was made to this site by the board as a body and after investigation, the discussion was resumed. Some were for refusing to entertain any thou'ght of it on account of its not providing sufficient suitable building space, and. others for its immediate purchase, under the provisions of the Act, if necessary, to provide a hospital building site, Clarke’s, site to be bought for the farm. The majority, however, saw no reason for rushing hastily into the matter, and eventually it was left to be ■ considered with the other sites by the officers of the department when they made tb6ir report at a date subsequent to the visit of the Committee of Investigation to Invercargill.