Growing Needs of Palmerston Hospital

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 7284, 11 October 1933, Page 3

Growing Needs of Palmerston Hospital

MORE BUILDING’S REQUIRED ART UNION ISSUE RAISED At yesterday’s meeting of the Manawatu County Council a circular letter was received from the Palmerston North Hospital Board regarding proposals for improving the accommodation on the administration side of the hospital and making necessary provision to relieve the overcrowded condition of the medical wards. The board had resolved to place before the contributory bodies a proposal that a sectiou to accommodate chronic medical cases be added to the Awapuni homo at all estimated cost of £6500, and that an administration block to provide proper admission facilities, waiting rooms and examination room for patients, together with board room and office accommodation at an estimated cost of £6OOO, be erected at the hospital. The board intended to make application for consent of a loan of £12,500 for a term of 20 years. The annual charge on the loan as .• far as the Manawatu County was concerned would amount to £6l 9s, based on the present valuation of the county. The Government would contribute half the capital cost. After the letter had been read Cr. J. 11. Perrctt remarked that the board certainly required administration . accommodation as well as more spacious provision .for the handling of outpatients. Cr. J. Bovce, the council’s representative on the Hospital Board, agreed with what Cr. Perrott had said. Today the board was faced with a real problem in dealing with the very large increase in the out-patient department, and this arose from unemployment. There was no doubt that the physical condition of those out of employment was suffering, and this suffering was being reflected in the increased work thrown on to tlic board, which was bound to attend to the needs of Ue sick. This treatment was practiea.lv all free, and it was proving an enormous drain cm the board’s resources to keep going and meet all the calls which appeared to be steadily increasing. Apart from this, the hospital was overcrowded and the existing restricted accommodation had compelled the board to consider ways and means of mec - i n rr the situation. The board lackec. administratiou offices, was without a board room and had to meet in town Practiealiv every ward in the ho.:.pi a was overcrowded, but he did. not think that the patients .suffered m consequence of this. There were no conveniences such as an institution of the size required, and it was ridiculous to think that there was no board room. T'>e accommodation for outdoor patients was wholly inadequate, and he had seen from 15 to 20 patients wauino- for attention. The idea of tinboard was to extend the accommodation at the Old People’s Home at Awapuni in order to absorb a number or the patients at present accommodated in the main hospital building. Most ot those patients were incurable-they were victims of old age. But they ha to be kept, and it was considered best that they should be accommodated. at the Old People’s Home. In providing the additional accommodation proposed Cr. Boyce said that these patients could be better looked after with a saving to the board. The board was asking for urgently necessary additions and the increasing cost could not be avoided. He thought it impossible for the board to go on much longer on the present system of financing its work. The chairman, Cr. W. E. Barber: We will have to have an art union yet Cr. Boyce: I cannot see why they don’t.

Continuing, Cr. Boyce could not see anything but the board being forced to increase its levy on the contributing local bodies. The unemploycdwere not so well clothed or as fit as they were when in employment, and these conditions were beginning to tell and were reflected in the enormous increase in outdoor patient relief. Those people could not afford to pay,, and received medicine from the board, font was realised that the sick had to be looked after, whatever else happened. Another point was that the board felt in granting free medicine to the unemployed it was doing its best to relievc overcrowding in the hospital. It. was no use giving unemployed prescriptions to bo made up at the chemists, because they could not afford to pay for them. It was therefore better for the board to issue the medicine. C r . Perrett remarked that a Wanganui doctor had told him that there was evidence of real deterioration in the physical welfare of the unemployed. That was to be expected. The Chairman; That must come when people are not getting enough to cat. I take it from what Cr. Boyce has told us wc will have to Teply to this letter. Our share of the cost of these works is £6l.

Cr. Boyce: That will mean an increase in the capital levy. Cr. Perrett: And it might mean an increase in the maintenance levy as well.

Cr. Boyce: Whatever it means wc will have to meet it. You can allow vour roads to go to pot-holes, but whatever happens you must look after the sick.

The Chairman: I don’t suppose we have any option, and we might just as well reply as to be told later that we have to do it. It is in the interests ot the sick and needy. Cr. Perrett remarked that the board’s letter was sent out in order to give the contributing _ bodies an idea of the board’s difficulties. Cr. Boyce: It is something alarming, the amount of debts written off eachmonth. These people cannot possibly pay. . Cr. N. Morcam: We all realise thathe board is doing its best.

Tho Chairman: I think all realise that the board is doing its best. We have got- the sick with us and wchave to look after them. I really do think that the money which is being given away in art unions should be devoted to this cause.

' Cr. Boyce: In replying to the board, couldn't we put in a reminder about an art unions Pemt.fc; W.« eay. tiftt this

council, as a whole, is of the opinion that money for hospital purposes could be raised bv art unions.

Or. Boyce: I don’t want it to come from me.

Or. Alorcom: It comes from the whole council.

Cr. Boyce: The board accepted £lO from the proceeds of tho Danzig art union—accepted it with thanks. Cr. Perrett: I understand the board’s chairman objects as ho feels that raising funds by art unions might destroy tho present method of collecting revenue.

Cr. Boyce: There was never any suggestion of the present system being done away with. Tho idea at the back of the art union was to supplement the present revenue. The Chairman: 1 understand that the Y.M.C.A. accepted £BOO from an art union without a murmur.

It was decided to acknowledge the board’s letter and to express agreement with the proposals, but at the same time point out that the council was of the opinion that art unions should be availed of to assist the board’s revenue.