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(**A good source of information about doctors, midwives and their practices from the 1880's to 1990's can be found in the book "Foxton 1888-1988 the first 100 Years" in the section, "Professional and medical services," by M. Malthus. This book can probably be found in the Foxton local Library. It is in the Manawatu College Library.)


The Palmerston North Hospital being already congested, had patients from Foxton district sent there for observation, staying for up to a week, when they could have been dealt with locally just as efficiently. This would have relieved pressure for Palmerston North Hospital and families involved, as it was a 25 mile (40.2336 k's) journey to Palmerston North. Levin was closer to Foxton but its small hospital, consisting of six maternity beds was reportedly always full. The nearest other hospital was in Otaki, 50 miles (80.4672 k's) away.

The War had brought petrol rationing, tyres were hard to get and roads were metal and not good to travel on. As Foxton was a low-socio-economic area at the time, not many people had private transport.

The district was very extensive for the two resident doctors to manage and it was made worse for them by having to travel on rough roads to patients in other towns, plus all private hospitals were no longer open, therefore the two local doctors had a much larger area to serve than before.

Mrs. Barron, secretary of the Plunket Society Branch in Foxton wrote to the Herald in May 1941 to stress the urgent need for a Cottage Hospital in Foxton. Locals were quick to take on the idea, to help alleviate the wartime rationing and shortages, which made trips to Palmerston North Hospital a huge burden.

This move by Mrs Barron instigated discussions and meetings, resulting in a public meeting convened by Mayor Mark Perreau, which was held on July 8th 1941 where many concerned local people attended in force to support the issue. The Health Department was brought in to hear the discussions and recommended that because the need was very real- the Palmerston North Hospital Board inspect facilities available and provide a cottage hospital for Foxton.

Mr D R Barron, councillor, moved, "that this public meeting requests Palmerston North Hospital Board to carry out recommendations of the Health Department to erect a cottage hospital or maternity hospital in Foxton".


A Committee was set up consisting of:

Mesdames: M 0 Barron E Ebbett H Harvey
Messrs D McKenzie F Woods H Podrnore (chairman)
T Fuller H Osborne W R Byrne (secretary)


(On July 23rd 1941,-a section was offered by the council for a hospital building. Evidently plans for a new hospital were drawn-up to go onto this land but alas did not eventuate, and the section later became part of the Manawatu College grounds.)


A newspaper reported on August 15th 1941 that Hospital Board chairman J Nash, Secretary A J Phillips, Medical Superintendent J H North, and Matron Miss L Banks, had all visited Foxton sometime in August to inspect local facilities and sites in connection

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2005

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