TOKANUI’S MEDICAL ASSOCIATION.

Southland Times, Issue 22009, 8 May 1933, Page 4

TOKANUI’S MEDICAL ASSOCIATION.

To the Editor. Sir, —In your issue of May 1 appeared a letter signed True Economy.” The writer of this letter claims to be an economist and to effect economy he would disrupt the Tokanui Medical Association and deprive some hundreds of men, women and children of the benefit of medical attendance. Now, Sir, prior to the formation of the Tokanui Medical Association, our nearest doctor was at Wyndham, fifty miles from Waikawa. My own home is just half way between the two. The doctor’s charge to my place was £5 5/- and increased as the distance increased until, at Waikawa, the fee was £lO 10/- to £l2 12/-. Apart from the high charge, there was at times difficulty in obtaining service from Wyndham. . Amongst the subscribers to the lokanui Medical Association are working men and pensioners. Are these people able to pay five, ten and twelve guineas? I think not, and until the Tokanui Medical Association was formed they were compelled to take serious risks in doing without medical aid. No medical man would consider settling in Tokanui until the association was formed and a substantial subsidy guaranteed. Even with the subsidy, most of the doctors who took up the work voluntarily resigned to take up more lucrative practices. The fact of a capable doctor being in charge of the association relieves the Southland Hospital Board of considerable expense. Your correspondent complains of the cost of administration —£ls per annum. Surely it would be scarcely worth while wrecking the association for so small an amount. If “True Economy” is genuine why did he not tackle some of the more prominent institutions—Waipiata Sanatorium Committee for instance. There a committee of nine (scattered from Riverton to about Timaru) journeys to Waipiata monthly just to say “that will be right” to any suggestions put forward by the Medical Superintendent—l am, WILLIAM DAWSON.