AN URGENT NECESSITY.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 July 1925, Page 4

AN URGENT NECESSITY.

(To the Editor.) Sir,—Having been an inmate of the New Plymouth Hospital for the last eight weeks, I feel that I would be doing a great deal of good to my fellow citizens if I let them know how very much we are in need of improving the condition of things at the hospital. I will just take Ward 4 as an example. During the whole of the time that I have been in that ward it has been kept practically full of patients, and

several times there has not been room, som6 cases having to go over into Ward 3. Now, sir, my object in writing this is that there is quite a big proportion of the beds that are occupied by young boys, who, I maintain, should be kept away from the older people in a ward of their own. Now these little chaps without exception are a fine lot, and 1 would be the first -to help any one of them if they needed it, but still there are certain reasons why they should not be in with the men. Quite a number of the adult patients have spoken to me about the same subject. We were all pleased to read the last report of the manager of the hospital at the board’s meeting, where this matter was brought up. He expressed the opinion that something should be done to relieve the situation as it now existed. Now, sir, this town is going ahead by leaps and bounds. The population is growing every day. Therefore more acute will the position become if something is not done very soon. Ido not think the people of New Plymouth and the surrounding districts would mind in the least helping the board over the difficulty. Finance is the stumbling block, but by subscribing their little bit towards a fund -for building a children’s ward, a moat needed and worthy object, the abject would soon be attained. It only wants a start, and 1 am sure it would be handsomely supported. I would suggest that a campaign be started on similar lines to the Battle of the Bullion that was so successfully carried out in Wanganui at the commencement of the Great War by the members of the Wanganui association, of which I was a member, whereby the huge sum of over £60,006 was raised. Such a scheme, only on smaller lines, could quite easily be carried out here, with a handsome return. I would be only too pleased to do all in my power to make it a success, and will explain the working up of such a campaign to the board, or any other body of gentlemen. Let N/w Plymouth have a children’s ward at the hospital that it will be proud of. Hoping a more able pen than mine will take this up.—l am, etc., JACK HOSKIN.