TOLAGA BAY HOSPITAL

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16653, 24 May 1928, Page 8

TOLAGA BAY HOSPITAL

SECOND EDITION.

OBJECTIONS TO CLOSING SEPARATE DISTRICT SUGGESTED To protest, against the proposed closing df tlio Tblaga Bay hospital, a largely-attended meeting of ratepayers of Uawa County was held in Reynolds’ Ilall, Tolnga Bay, yesterday afternoon, at \vhit'll the chairman of Hawa Bonnly tJoiiiic.il, Mr. K. B. Boland, presided.

The eh airman said that ratepayers regretted the resolution of Ihe Cool? Hospital Board to deprive them, subject to the permission of the Minister of Health, of the local hospital, and as all were greatly concerned it was the duty of the residents to endeavor to retain the institution. All the ratepayers were agreed, he added, that the hospital was a blessing to the district, and it was xvry comforting to know that such an institution was there for cases of emergency. Before the cottage hospital existed at Tolaga Bay there were numerous cases of hardship caused in taking patients into (lisborne, ami the same thing existed to-day. The plea of good roads was merely an excuse, as the Cook Hospital Board did not seem to consider that this township served a district over 40 miles into the backblocks, and that in cases of aecVlent or. sickness it would take six or seven hours to get into Tolaga Bay, and if another two hours were added to the journey whilst travelling to (lisborne it would mean added, hardship. . Not only that, a person an inmate 'of the local hospital was easily accessible to friends and relatives, whereas in Cook Hospital any patients from 'this district were among strangers, and it was often difficult for relatives to get information as to what progress was being made. Air. Howard Kenway, Uawa County representative on the Cook Hospital Board, had consented to lie present and would add#ss the meeting. BOW COST'OF TREATMENT.

Mr. Ken way said he was pleased to see such a large a.iid. • representative gathering of rate-payers. He then proceeded to give the history of the hospital since before its inception and the incidents leading up to the resolutiones to close the hospital. He pointed out that the levies made on the Hawa County Council since. 1919 amounted t0,£13,509, and that this was out of all proportion to the benefits received by the district. No hospital in New Zealand showed a profit, and it was absurd to say that the Tolaga hospital should show a profit. Mr. Kenway went on to quote the number of eases treated at the Tolaga Bay institution and .mentioned that there was a large number of small hospitals in New Zealand which did not treat as many eases as the local institution. In the statistics for the year ending March 31, H>27, the Tolaga hospital was in the position of third lowest in New Zealand in the cost per patient treated. The ratepayers undoubtedly appreciated the local hospital, and he gladly render anv service to retain it. All regretted 'the contemplated closing, and it was worth while to use every effort to keep it open. (Loud applause). STRONG RESOLUTIONS

Mr. J. S, Patersow moved, and Mr, C. E. Smith seconded, that telegrams be forwarded to the Minister of Health and the Director-General of Health protesting against' the closing of the Tolaga Bay hospital until the ratepayers of the Uawa County have had their side of the ease presented. ' Mr. Pnterson proposed, and Air. D., Caldwell seconded, that Messrs E. P.. Roland, J. B. Morris and D. 11. Hawkins be a local executive committee of the. llawai.County ratepayers to act in conjunction with Air. Howard Kenway to take nil necessary steps to prevent the closing Of the Tolaga Bay cottage hospital; the following resolution was proposed by "Mr. Smith, and seconded by Mr. Caldwell: "That the ratepayers of this coun'ty view* with, alarm the action of the Cook Hospital Board in closing the local hospital, as it'is inconsiderate and unwarranted, and that the board be asked to reconsider the position on the following grounds:— ■■' "(1) That, the ratepayers of this county have up to the formation of the Uawa County Council if) 101$) contributed many thousands of pounds 10 the Cook hospital. • Since the inception of the Uawa County they have iie niiie years contributed £l3,fj,Ci9, in maintenance and capital levies, all of Which was subsidised by the Government., with practically no benefit (o ■this district till the cottage biennial was erected three years ago. The upkeep of the local, hospital, is considered small compared with the amount contributed by this county. Taken from last year's figures, upon which-the board based 'their estimates, the Uawa County contributed a levy of £1731 ? not including the Government subsidy. »

"(2) In addition . to the contribution made for maintenance and capital expenditure, the TJawa County ratepayers arc paying £l2B 19s ,3d ailnunlly'to the Cook County Council for interest and principle on the Cook hospital building loan of £13,200, raised in 1911, and must continue paying that amount till .1947. "(3) The annual report of the New Zealand hospital system for the year ending March 31, 1927, shows that the Tolaga Pay hospital compares most favorably with similar institutions throughout New Zealand, and is the third lowest in cost per patient treated. The local institution, has been run most economically, and the matron and. staff have given general satisfaction. . .

"(4) It is considered that with a population of 1700 Tolaga Bay must have a suitable institution, to cope with maternity cases and general requirements. 'The cost of transport with the loss of time in urgent cases to the Cook hospital is put of the question, notwithstanding the improvement's of the road?. i "(, r >) .Alternatively, the Cook Hospital Board be asked to facilitate the Uawa County ratepayers baking over the management ami control, of the local hospital and forming a, separate hospital district." These motions were all earned unanimously, and the meeting concluded with a. vote ol' thanks to Mr. Kenway for attending and thanks to the chair.