Cottage Hospital
A COTTAGE HOSPITAL
DEPUTATION TO THE COLONIAL SECRETARY.
MR. COLEBATCH SYMPATHETIC.
West Australian
2 August 1916
A deputation from Woodanilling waited upon the Colonial Secretary, Mr. Colebatch {1}, yesterday to urge that government assistance should be extended to the townspeople in connection with their district nursing and a proposed cottage hospital scheme. The deputation consisted of Mr. W. Patterson, chairman of the Woodanilling Roads Board, and Messrs. E. Bell and J. Pittelkow, a member, and the secretary of that board respectively. They were accompanied by Mr. S. Stubbs, M.L.A., the member for the district, and Mr. Thomson, M.L.A.
In stressing their claims for assistance, both the delegates from Woodanilling and the two Parliamentarians with them explained the existing unsatisfactory state of affairs at the township. As the result of representations two years ago, the Government granted a subsidy of £50. and the townspeople subscribed £100 for the provision of a nurse. The district had grown so rapidly during the last few years, despite the fact that it was scattered, that the necessity for proper housing of the nurse and her patients had become a matter of first importance.
It was intended, in addition to the cottage hospital, to erect a building which should provide ample accommodation for the nurse. It had been decided to raise about £300 within the next few months, and they desired the Government to subsidise their collections. The Woodanilling residents did not want the Government, particularly in view of the financial situation, to shoulder the whole expense, but were determined to bear their share.
If the Government could grant a £ for £ subsidy the banks would lend further assistance and a start would be made with the work. In the past the district had not worried the Government for requests and, apart from the small roads board subsidy, their requests had been nil. In addition to raising funds for the cottage hospital and nurses’ quarters the settlers were prepared to cart wood and water to the claypit and to cart in the bricks to the site.
The Colonial Secretary, in the course of his reply, said that he was pleased to hear that the good work which had been done in connection with the nursing scheme was appreciated by the residents, and he would have to ask them to do all in their power to keep the scheme in operation under the existing subsidy from the Government.
He was in the unfortunate position that the request had been refused by his predecessor in office, and he felt bound to say that the reasons advanced had been sound. Mr. Drew had not denied the necessity for the work but had pointed out that there was a hospital at Katanning, and that there were many other parts of the State which were in a worse position than theirs. It was purely a matter of finance and the financial, position of the State was about as bad as it could be, principally because the proper functions of government had in the past been made subservient to operations which should not rightly come within the scope of Government concern.
He intended to do everything possible to see that a great deal more was done in the country districts in the direction of attending to the sick and educating the children. Those districts which were are prepared to assist themselves should have the best attention. In other places the Government had borne the whole of the expenses and in some instances, they had not been prudent in the expenditure.
There was a glaring instance in Northam. An unfortunate man who had been placed in a cell when suffering from the effects of drink, had knocked his head on the wall. The doctor had sent down an urgent recommendation that an expenditure of £14 or £15 should be authorised to provide a padded cell. Instead of doing that, it was decided to erect a mental ward attached to the hospital, at a cost of £900. That ward had been completed for two years now. It had never had a stick of furniture in it, an orderly had now been appointed for it, and its doors had not been opened for a patient!
The £900 had been absolutely wasted. However, he hoped that the Woodanilling residents would do the best they could with the present Government subsidy for the time being.
Mr. Stubbs: “I take it that preference will be given to people like those at Woodanilling who are willing to keep themselves, when the Government are able to extend further assistance.”
The Colonial Secretary: “Yes, that will be so.”
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