Newspaper Article – Hastings Hospital – A Magnificent Memorial

HASTINGS HOSPITAL

A MAGNIFICENT MEMORIAL.

THE OFFICIAL OPENING.

Yesterday was a red-letter day in the history of Hastings, for it marked the official opening by the Hon. J. A. Young, Minister of Health, of the Hastings Fallen Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital.

The ceremony was performed in the presence of several thousand people, who assembled from all parts of the district.

Mr George Ebbett, chairman of the Memorial Hospital executive, presided. The proceedings opened with the singing of the hymn “O God, our Help,” this being the only variation in the ceremony outside the speeches.

MR EBBETT’S ADDRESS.

In commencing his address, Mr George Ebbett apologised for the unavoidable absence of Sir Andrew Russell, Sir George Hunter and the Rev. P. Ramsay.

Mr Ebbett said that there were many present at the ceremony who were particularly interested. He referred to those who had lost sons, fathers and brothers in the Great War, and he had to once again acknowledge the sacrifice made by those brave soldiers in our defence, and he offered most respectful and sincere sympathy to those who had been bereaved. To the mourners, however, there was consolation in the knowledge that these men had died a great and glorious death, and no man could die better.

Mr Ebbett particularly referred to the deaths of the late Messrs W. J. McGrath and J. Harris, both of whom had taken a great interest in the erection of the hospital, and every charitable organisation in the district would be the poorer by their deaths.

ONE BIG MEMORIAL.

Mr Ebbett said that the Hastings Memorial Hospital, the site, the cenotaph and the Havelock North Memorial were all part of one big memorial – a tribute to those of this district who had sacrificed their lives in the defence of the Empire and to ensure happiness, peace and prosperity. In this connection, he made special mention of the Maoris, many of whom had made the supreme sacrifice, and all of whom had assisted in this great memorial work. He did not intend to weary his listeners with the history of the undertaking, but he wished to remind them that the total sum received and collected from the people was £15,600, to which a Government subsidy of £9000 was added.

On the other side, the book value of the hospital site was £2700, the cost of installing sewer and water was £720[?], the cenotaph cost £920, the Havelock North memorial £700 and the hospital buildings had cost £20,000. There were other things to be done, but these would be considered later, when the necessity arose

SIGNIFICANCE OF DAY.

It was fitting, continued Mr Ebbett, that Anzac Day should be chosen as, the day for opening the hospital. Anzac Day was a day of its own in New Zealand and Australia and to these places, no other day had such a significance and importance, and it was a day, even though not observed in Great Britain, served to link New Zealand with the old world civilisation from which it sprang. Many years ago it was said that we in New Zealand were destined to carve out an existence, separate and apart from the Old Land, but those people did not realise what a great bond bound us to the Empire, a bond which was proved when the clarion call came in 1914, and who could regret that when the call came to New Zealand, it was not in vain Not only was the call answered, but the Anzacs by their famous landing at Gallipoli had performed a feat which had not only added lustre to the traditions of the British Army, but which would go down in history and life as did the charge of Balaclava and such feats.

It was the fortune of war that many who answered the call returned, and it was likewise the fortune of war that many fell by the way. To those who fell, this audience was fathered in memory. We could never pay those men what we owed. In suffering, courage and endurance they took on their bodies the blows aimed at prosperity and finally they gave their lives. “We cannot repay them,” said Mr Ebbett, “but we can honour their memory and teach our children to honour them through this memorial of their heroic deeds.”

FREE OF ENCUMBRANCES.

In asking Mr J. B. Andrew, chairman of the Hawke’s Bay Hospital Board to accept the deeds of the building, Mr Ebbett recalled that he had made a promise to the board, that, recognising the necessity for an emergency hospital in Hastings, the people would erect the buildings and hand them over to the board free of encumbrances. He did not realise the trouble he had let himself in for, and what he should have promised was that the money would be found, and the board or the Health Department should build the hospital. However, the place was free of encumbrances and he felt that if he had not made that promise there would not have been a hospital to-day. Mr Ebbett said that the Hastings Hospital could not become, at least for many years, a fully equipped base hospital, for if the district. was thrice as wealthy as it was now, it could not support two big hospitals, in such close proximity as Hastings and Napier. He did not mean that the Hastings Hospital would not serve a very useful purpose, but this would depend entirely on the administration of the board’s officials and hospital staff.

Mr Ebbett congratulated the Minister of Health on the fine work of his department, and also referred to the great assistance given the hospital committee by Dr Valintine, Director of Health. He also congratulated the Government architect, Mr Mair, the supervisor, Mr Allen, and the local contractors, Messrs Hillen and Howard on the excellent work they had done.

PRESENTATIONS.

Mr Ebbett then presented the Hon. J. A. Young with a silver casket, engraved with a replica of the hospital, containing a gold key. He made a similar presentation to Dr. Valintine, this taking the form of a cigarette box.

MR ANDREW REPLIES.

Mr J. B, Andrew, chairman of the Hospital Board, in accepting the deeds, endorsed the remarks of Mr Ebbett in reference to the fallen soldiers. On behalf of the board, he could say it would be a duty and a privilege to carry out the work of the hospital in the best interests of the good people of Hastings. He agreed that it would be practically impossible to maintain two large hospitals so close together as Napier and Hastings, and the policy of the department had been to establish base hospitals, with clearing stations. He urged the people. to bear this in mind, and with the help of the Hastings representatives on the board the people could rest assured that the hospital would receive the best attention possible from the hoard. After all, said Mr Andrew, the hospital rate was not large, but it had often been said that the hospitals cost too much. Considering, however, the advance in medical science it was really money well spent. In conclusion, he endorsed the remarks. of Mr Ebbett regarding Dr Valintine. He formally accepted the deeds and gave an assurance that the wishes of the people of Hastings in the care of the sick would be given effect to as far as possible.

DR. VALINTINE SPEAKS.

Dr. Valintine said he wished to be frank and say that he was opposed to the hospital in Hastings when it was first mooted. He did not agree with a lot of small hospital(s), but when the Government agreed to the hospital he turned round and gave it his full support. At the same time he hoped that the hospital would be used as a ward of the Napier Hospital. It should be used in the treatment of maternity cases, then minor accidents and minor illnesses, also for treatment after severe cases had been dealt with at the Napier Hospital. It could not be used as a base hospital, and in any case New Zealand now had enough hospitals. With the fine roads and motor ambulances there was no need many country hospitals.

The doctor said that after visiting England he was well satisfied with the New Zealand hospitals, and there was no reason for anyone to go outside New Zealand for treatment. He contended that there was too much expenditure of public money, not only by the Government, but also by local bodies, but it appeared now as if the country was making a wonderful recovery after a bad time.

MINISTER OF HEALTH.

The Hon. J. A. Young, Minister of Health, said that the greatest sacrifice in the world was for the guidance of humanity and the uplift of the people. In the great war New Zealand sacrificed thousands of lives, but in their memory no better memorial could have been established than this magnificent building It was a fine thing to find in a community public-spirited citizens who realised the necessity of service, under the able leadership of the chairman of the memorial committee. The citizens themselves had responded in a magnificent way in raising £15,600 by voluntary subscriptions. Notwithstanding Dr. Valintine’s remarks, he believed that certain small hospitals gave great service to the people and in the case of the Hastings Hospital he had recommended that the Government should grant a subsidy of £9000, He paid a tribute to the business acumen of the members of the committee, for they bad invested the subscriptions, and the interest realised £3000 so that the people now had £27,000 to meet their liabilities, He had no fear that the institution would not get fair treatment from the Hospital Board, but it behoved the people by cooperation, goodwill and. friendliness to see that their institution was administered in such a way to give satisfaction not only to the board but to the people themselves. The board would welcome the co operation of the community, and, with it, would make the institution a success. Hospital administration in New Zealand was the best in the world, and his department received inquiries from all over the world as to the system in this country.

The Minister agreed that to attempt to make this hospital large enough to give a service similar to Napier would prove a burden which the district could not handle. He urged on the board the necessity of establishing in Hastings a pre-natal clinic for the benefit and instruction of prospective mothers, and hoped that the conditions of entry into the hospital would not he too rigid, as was the case in some places. The hospital should be run on similar lines to that in Palmerston North, with the medical and surgical development confined to Napier.

In conclusion, the Minister thanked the executive for their casket and gold key, which would give him the right of entry into the hospital day and night, but he wanted to say that the doors of the hospital would never be closed to those who desired treatment. It would not be like as was hinted occurred in parts of United States. There would be no inquest on a patient’s banking account. Irrespective of creed or position, treatment would be given and the patient could pay afterwards if he was in a position to do so.

The Minister then formally declared the hospital open, after which it was thrown open to the public for inspections, during which time the Hastings Citizen’s Band rendered a number of enjoyable selections.