Document n3NKpDxnay8J7k42oydzQ9Xm

C 1312 *** Reference number- 2465 :N0 490125.150 :TL Letter Public Health Department to ABA Wittenoom * Proposed Hospital at Wittenoom; referring to letter from Hr A.J. Rodoreda :S0 AUTHOR Cook C.E. OCCUPATION Commissioner of Public Health ORGANISATION Public Health Department PLACE Perth WA REFERENCE File marked"Medical Dept" (ABA Library Index No. Gm.01) ;TY LETTER :L0 Perth 0 CDR :CI NAME Broadhurst C.H. OCCUPATION Manager ORGANISATION ABA PLACE Wittenoom WA : AD NOTES Yes KEYWORDS TOWNSHIP GOVERNMENT HEALTH sTT GOVERNMENT OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA Department of Public Health Perth WA PHD 485/48 CEC/ PB 25th January 1949 Manager Australian Blue Asbestos Ltd WITTENOOM Dear Mr Broadhurst, RE: Proposed Hospital at Wittenoom Dr Saint has shown me a copy of a letter stated to have been addressed to you by Mr A.J. Rodoreda. The information conveyed to you by Mr Rodoreda in this letter is utterly at variance with the facts and I can only conclude either that Mr Rodoreda is completely uninformed of the subject he purports to discuss or that he has maliciously misinformed you. The facta are that I have for a long time been anxious to have some hospital accommodation at Wittenoom and some time ago promised representatives of your Company that I would always endeavour to be one step ahead of your in the matter. On the 9th March 1948, you sent me a plan of the proposed Doctor's residence and consulting room which I sent to the Principal Architect with certain comments. His comments were received on the 19th April and were referred to your Company. There is no record on our files or any reply from your Company. On the 21st October I received from the Under Secretary plans for a proposed hospital submitted by you to him. I expressed the opinion that a small hospital was necessary at Wittenoom but raised several objections to the plan and suggested that it be redrawn by the Principal Architect in the light oft (a) Country hospital experience; (b) Facility of future development. On 8th December 1948 I received a minute from the Under Secretary questioning the wisdom of providing at Wittenoom a hospital on the scale recommended, having regard to the existence of hospitals at Onslow and Roebourne where the daily averages of in patients were well below capacity. I replied on the 9th December inter alia that I considered the existence of hospitals at Onslow and Roebourne irrelevant and recommended the erection of a hospital at Wittenoom. I stated - "I consider we should take the long view and plan for 12 beds. Whether work proceeds to full completion immediately is another matter. The point is Wittenoom needs a nursing post - let it be one that is part of a plan capable of future development to a predetermined size." On the 22nd December the Under Secretary informed the Honourable Minister - "The Public Works Department have now received instructions to prepare a plan for an eventual 12 bed hospital and for the immediate provision of a nursing post which might be part either of the eventual hospital or of the eventual nurses quarters." I have shown the Under Secretary the copy of Mr Rodoreda's letter and he assures me that the statements attributed by Mr Rodoreda to him regarding "the professional side of his Department", and myself, were never made by him. Personally I should have been astounded, having regard to the facts, if they had. I am anxious to have this matter out with Mr Rodoreda and shall be glad of your permission to do so. The impression in the Department is this structure will be erected at the expense of the government in which case it would be subject to Treasury approval and so forth. Dr Saint seems to be under the impression that once an approved plan is available construction is intended to be undertaken by your Company at its own expense. Will you please inform me on this. Tours sincerely, Handwriting (Signed by) C.E. Cook COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC HEALTH