COTTAGE HOSPITALS

Thames Star, Volume LVI, Issue 14324, 10 September 1920, Page 2

COTTAGE HOSPITALS

PAEIIOA A*ND PATETONGA

Two applications- far something in the nature, of ootfcag© hospitals ctune fc«Sfore the last meeting' oi' the Hospital Boai'd. Tli© first cam© Irons tlra secretary of the Fanners' Uiuou, Patetongja. Thila and the surrounding districts he said, wore isolated although thidkly populated. A doctor from Momnsville, who recently at tended a maternity case had char^ied " The Chairman thought that tlie Patetongai ddstrict had greater claJiuib than most to some consideration. On this side of the Waihou River, then©* were g)oad roads, the railway, and another 1 iho&ptital handy at Waahi, I beside^ the: Thame^ institution. The' Hauiraki Plains were certainly deserving of sonio assistance,' but the establishment of cottage hospitals would "only multifply the Board's expenditure to a great extent. The Board however should assist the Plains to get a medical man stationed in soinia oentral position and should appoint a surgical nurse. Cases could tifen be dealt with on the spot and urgeint ones* forwarde* to the Thames Hospital. T!his would, also enable the sick to be visited intlieir o^ti homes. He moved. tha,t the letter be -foawarded to the Health Depaa"tment mid that tli© Board express tihe view that assistance should be givent to: iprbwide foa* the" stationing of a doctor and nurse at some central placie on the Plains and that an officer of the Depaaianient be sent to* report. .Mr MaCarmicik ndded that this was certalinly a case for the Gov i emmie Hit tor" assist th© Board and till© settlers. Tfate motion was seconded by* Ma" Hall am,d carried. \_ ;

The other projposal from-<.aema, fotf a maternity hornie witHi emergency yard was oon.tained'' *n a letter signed by Messrs Poraitt, Braman and Niidbolnis,-- and Mesdannes Porritt, Poland and others. The/letter .said that the meeting! with mem bar's of the Hospital Board at Paeroa. had enooiua-agjod thtemi to apply for a maternity hosjpital with, ememgcncry ward, for Paeroc- The Hospital Trustees Fmid stootir at £9pO and there wore sections <yi land *>ct aside as a hospital &be). The Nurse Penne.ll F\uid stood at £300 and the Ilauraki District Comforts Fmid donation at £250. Tlhe conditions attached to the handing 1 civer l of these sums to build the proposed hospital were that tine land and buildingSs should go to the Paeioa Borough Council in the event of the buildings no ■ longer 1 being used! as a hospital and that ex-seryice men or their depended s <should be treated at reduced rates. I The writer's felt that' these su% afiJ the 'subsidy would go a. long 1 way towardls the funds necessary. Mr Home: I think the; 'Paeroa people are justified in their effort to get a maternity hospital. Mr MoCouimicik: I am sorry I avus unable to gib'to Paoroai. The cottage hospital business was well thrashed out in- 1913 and turned down. I am .pirapaiied to support a straight-out unconditional application for a maternity hospital, bat not with an emergency ward amd not on the. conlditions in that letter. This is not lie clause it as Paea-ioa, but the Boaro must have a policy in these matters; The paincilplo hia® been laid down that cottaigje hospitals should only be established! mi exti-eniely iisolated piacies, whea-e 1 tfcen'e is a liability to accidents. An aipipegl on behalf .v of Upiper Kamaoranglai where th«re are a hundir©d or mottle bushmen following a dangecoufe, octciU|pation would desdryc some cbn9idiei*atio(n. Paeroa. is on the railway liniei in toucih' with Wailii aud Thames Hospital. ■■■Wihait is really wanted is a motor ambulance andi a trained nua'se. , If w© establiislied a casualty wardi ait Paeroa and ano.tJi6i J at Pa.tetoaigla the two might soon cost nearly ss mtiictti as our main hospital and the latter would Jiaive many empty beds. The condition,of the land and buiilding)s going to tlie Paeroa Botrougii Council cannot be eiiterta'ined. We a.re askesd to spend several thousand .pounds and then miaintai» the hosjpital and if at any time oii'Ciuimistances oomtpel its..-clos-ing,,- the Paeroa. Borough takes possession. If there lis ai casualty ward in tlliis :piro(posed hospital, w^ will liaive to maintai'.ii sets of nvmises j / maternity, nui'ses will not attend surgical cases. 1 am prepared support a niatea'nity iioSipfltal foa* Paeroa if the money is put tip imooinditioiv ally. W o cannot miaikie reduced cihargau for diffea^ent classes of people

Mi-. Ro\ve: One of the conditions of"

the Hospital Tanist is %at %ere must be a. casualty ward. lam of opinion thait the Health 'Department will • not allow the. combined hospital.

Mr. Hall: We are all; agreed "as far as tihe Ma't©rnity Hospi^aL We underet oCK j the casualty ward was merely a receiving station. The conditions in theletter are new to us* all.

Mr. Bush: If all members are ;of opinion tha,t the preisent proposal cannot- be supported t 0 tJie, ]>epav'meaifc then w© shoiild return i^ 5 and ask the sigiuttioaies *x> amend i*. —I*l--mwied that th« P^efi'oa. Committee be ■informed'■. *h"*t"tihe Board could no'recommend its application in i*s presen't-Jorm, and Buglges*'ed it t should fe amended a Btra.igh*-put aipplicaUon for a. maternity hospital without any conditions. "This «*as seconded' by Ml-. McCtormick awd carried unanimously. Mr. MciCormiclc said that his o^." 1 opinion was that one hospital was the bfest for all, amd the most- economioajl. ' . . . Mr. Uobinson; Paeroa is tKe mos^ central place for i*. Mr. McCormick': If it had been established a* Paeroiai, t-he THiaims people would have had tp abide by 't.