HEALTH DEPARTMENT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21909, 22 March 1933, Page 6

HEALTH DEPARTMENT

CONTROL OF INSTITUTIONS IMPORTANT CHANGES ANNOUNCED. (Per United Press Association.) WELLINGTON, March 21. An important statement in regard to the transfer of certain institutions, including tuberculosis sanatoria and -St. Helens maternity hospitals, from the control of the Health Department to hospitaj boards was made by the Minister of Health (Mr J. A. Young). “ The Health Department maintains certain institutions,” said the Minister. " These are two sanatoria for the treatment of early cases of pulmonary tubercu-losis-one at Otaki for female patients and the other at Pukeora, near Waipnkurau, for male patients. There are seven St. Helens maternity hospitals, one each at the following centres: —Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin, Gisborne, Wanganui, and Invercargill. In addition, there is the King George V General Hospital at Rotorua. Finally, there is the institution at H'antner —the Queen Mary Hospital for the accommodation of incipient nervous cases.” The Minister quoted the reference to these institutions in the report of the National Economy Commission. He said the Government had decided that the steps proposed therein should be approved of as a matter of policy, and the Health Department was under instructions to work towards that end. Negotiations had been entered into with the Palmerston North Hospital Board in respect to the Otaki Sanatorium, with the Waipawa Hospital Board with respect to the Pukecra Sanatorium, with the Wanganui and Cook Hospital Boards with respect to St. Helens hospitals in Wanganui and Gisborne. Already the Palmerston North Hospital Board had agreed to take over the Otaki Sanatorium from April 1. The several boards concerned will be approached with a view to entering into negotiations for the' transfer of control.