GERALDINE HOSPITAL FACILITIES WANTED

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVII, Issue 23229, 16 June 1945, Page 3

GERALDINE HOSPITAL FACILITIES WANTED

Committee Meets Board District’s Case Presented A proposal that an adequate hospital be planned for Geraldine to meet the needs of the present and future, and that the provision of 24 beds be made immediately, in addition to existing maternity accommodation, was made by the Geraldine Hospital Committee when, it met a committee appointed by the South Canterbury Hospital Board in conference at Geraldine on Thursday. Mr D. C. McKechnie occupied the chair. "You have made out a very good case," said the chairman of the South Canterbury Hospital Board (Mr E. Macdonald) at the conclusion of the conference. "Our committee will discuss your proposals. We cannot commit the Board but we will take some recommendation back to the Board at. its meeting next Tuesday." The Hospital Board Committee comprised Mr E. Macdonald (chairman of the Board). Mrs I. Hewson, Major G. T. Hennessy. Messrs C. Ley, J. Acland, M.P., and C. E. Kerr. The committee was accompanied by Dr’. J. C. McKenzie (Superintendent of the Timaru Hospital). Mr H. G. Naylor (secretary to the Board), Miss Lindsay (matron of the Timaru Hospital), and Mr P. Watts Rule (the Board’s architect). The Geraldine Committee was represented' by Messrs D. C. McKechnie (chairman), K. Mackenzie (county chairman). C. C. Knight (St. John Ambulance), C. C. Burdon and H. W. Williamson (rural interests), W. A. Macphail (Peel Forest), P. G. Withers (Raukapuka), A. J. Kennedy (returned soldiers and rehabilitation), Linton Mann (Geraldine Borough Council), and Mrs J. Wyn Davison (women’s interests). In acknowledging a welcome by the Mayor (Mr D. C. McKechnie), Mr Macdonald said that the delegation had come with an open mind and were prepared to listen to any suggestions put forward by the local committee. Case for District Hospital "It was not until the last few months that some of us realised the urgency which many people feel in the district about the establishment of a district hospital." said Mr McKechnie in introducing the committee’s case. The delay

in meeting the Board's committee had caused concern, and members of the local committee had been urged by responsible district residents to get on with the job. The delay had brought to their notice more instances of how necessary a district hospital was under the changed circumstances brought about by social security. They were sympathetic to the creation of a strong base hospital at Timaru, but this should not be at the expense of an area like Geraldine. Everyone realised the desirability of making rural town and country life attractive. We have every reason to believe that the South Canterbury Board has a sympathetic understanding of our claims.” said Mr McKechnie. Research had shown that there were few centres in New Zealand. similarly situated to Geraldine, and of similar importance which did not have their own public hospital facilities. The Geraldine public hospital will have to serve at least 5000 persons, stated the detailed case presented for the committee. Sites in Raukapuka had been recommended because of the excellent drainage provided by the shingle sub-soil. Electricity and a first class water supply were available. Changed Attitude The introduction of social security and the increasing incidence of hospital rating had changed the attitude of people to medical and hospital services, said the statement. People paying social security and rates pointed out that no public hospital provision was made at the northern end of the district—only at. Timaru and Waimate. The existing private hospital was available only to the smaller number of people who could afford to pay. Public hospital facilities would justify the provision of a hospital of economic size and efficient set-up. The distance to Timaru caused great inconvenience and expense to persons who could ill-afford it, and visits to patients in Timaru incurred journeys of from 50 to 120 miles. The Geraldine district, 25 miles to the north, could be compared with Waimate, 28 miles to the south. Provision of a hospital would keep workers and others in rural areas, said the statement. Men on the land should not be placed at too gfeat a disadvantage compared with then - town brothers. Many elderly people, and people of indifferent health, retired to Geraldine, and hospital facilities > would be a great advantage. As many as 99 out of every 100 residents expressed! the view that they were paying for a service which they could not benefit from to the full unless a district hospital were established. Care of Returned Men Mr Kennedy, speaking on behalf of the returned Service personnel, said there was an urgent need for public hospital facilities at Geraldine, as already there were a number of men requiring medical attention. Owing to the difficulty of transport to Timaru it was inconvenient for them to visit the hospital there. Men who had seen service,, would probably require treatment later in life, and they should not. be separated from their wives and families. “It has been said that I am the ‘black sheep’ because I spoke against the proposal," said Mr Ley. He had spoken against it because of the likelihood of an increase in rates. If the people Acre willing to pay more for the services that might be a different matter. Mr Burdon said that as a representative of rural interests he did not think the ratepayers would object, to the slieh increase in rates involved if they secured better hospital facilities at Geraldine. Mr Knight: The Question of rates should not enter into the matter at all where the health of the public is concerned. Any increase would be small. Major Hennessy said that during the discussion the question of Waimate having a local hospital had been , mentioned, but he wished to state that as far as Waimate was concerned they were on a different footing from other places. The Waimate hospital was unioue in that it had been established in the early days and its continuance was provided for by charter. Geraldine had a strong case and thev should rest their representations on that. Question of Cost Mr Naylor gave details of the cost of providing hospital facilities. Mr Acland congratulated the local committee on the way it had stated its case, and said the question of cost I should not enter into the matter. The | health of the people should come first. Although it w n s necessary to have a ! good base hospital at Timaru. it should not cost any more to provide hospital facilities at Geraldine than it would to provide a similar number of extra beds at Timaru. There was no doubt that something should be done at Geraldine The population was increasing, and it was absolutely necessary to provide suitable hospital accommodation for the neople of the district. After luncheon, those present visit-

ed a number of sites in Raukapuka, and it was generally agreed that the Geraldine committee had made a wise choice in the first preference they had recommended. A visit was also made to the private hospital at Geraldine on the suggestion of Mr Kerr. Meeting Postponed The monthly meeting of the Geraldine Borough Council was postponed from Wednesday last until next Monday as a mark of respect to the Deputy-Mayor (Mr P. H. Davis) in the death of his wife. The flag was flown half-mast at the Borough Council Chambers. Shops shut yesterday during the period of the funeral.