NEED OF HOSPITAL IS VERY IMPORTANT TO MARTON. SAYS M.P.

Wanganui Chronicle, 23 July 1949, Page 6

NEED OF HOSPITAL IS VERY IMPORTANT TO MARTON. SAYS M.P.

PARLIAMENT BLDGS., Last Night (O.C.)—Discussing what he termed a “more domestic affair but important just the same.” Mr. E. B. Gordon, M.P. for Rangitikei, said that local opinion in Marton was being aggravated by the fact that so far all attempts to have a hospital built there which would serve the district medical and surgical cases had been unsuccessful.

“We want a local hospital,” he said. “Under the former Minister of Health a hospital was promised, and more than £5OOO was raised locally toward the cost of building it. The idea was to make the hospital our War ?4emorial The situation at present is that the money is being held and we cannot get permission to build a hospital. It is the first time in 30 years that Marton has been without a medical and surgical hospital.” ,All surgical cases had to be sent to Wanganui, he added, and said that one factor that should make the authorities realise the necessity for a modern hospital was that Marton had the third largest railway shunting yards in the country.

“The reply to date from the authorities is that when the present maternity hospital proves inadequate and a new hospital is required, provision will then be made for medical and surgical cases.” he said. “Unfortunately, accidents do not wait to occur until adequate hospitals have been built.”

Mr. Gordon said he was still awaiting a reply from the Prime Minister to a deputation which waited on him recently in connection with the new hospital.