BOPDHB History Whakatāne Hospital History Book | Page 15

While the idea of establishing a cottage hospital in Whakatāne was first discussed by the Whakatāne
County Council in 190818 it wasn’t until 1912, when the Bishop of Waiapu bought property in
Whakatāne, that a small hospital associated with the Anglican Māori Mission became a possibility. This
Mission Hospital, administered principally by the local Anglican Māori Mission and located in Bridge
Street, was completed and opened in October 1913 by Archdeacon Charles Archibald Tisdall of Rotorua.
It consisted of one ward for four patients, plus an outside ‘infections’ hut to provide isolation facilities for
patients with diseases such as Typhoid, Smallpox, Scarlet Fever and Tuberculosis. Nurse Ada Jane North
became the Hospital’s first Sister-in-Charge and District Nurse, with Miss Evelyn Kingi (who later married
Mr Luke Rangi) as her assistant, together with a small staff of local girls.
It has to be emphasised that there was considerable pressure over the period from 1912 until at
least early 1919 for the Board to find a site and build a hospital. A large number of highly infectious
diseases (the ‘Fevers’) were having a major impact on both the European and Māori populations
throughout the country with diseases such as Scarlet Fever, Typhoid Fever, Enteric Fever, Small Pox,
Erysipelas, Tuberculosis and Diphtheria all causing misery and death. All these and other less known
diseases such as Puerperal Fever and Acute Miliary Tuberculosis were showing up regularly in reports
received by the Board.
The next positive step towards the Board providing much needed medical and hospital care in the district
came in December 191319 when it received correspondence from Rev. Chapman asking the Board:
...to assist the Church by making a grant towards their Māori Mission Hospital at Whakatāne as
it was an institution which was for the benefit of Europeans as well as Maorie’s (sic) and was also
non-sectarian.
The Board sought advice from the Inspector General of Hospitals as to whether it could subsidise the
institution and sought suggestions as to what else it could do. Four months later the Board heard that
the Inspector General of Hospitals had visited Whakatāne and had approved the purchase of certain
articles for the Anglican Mission Home. As a result the Board supplied goods to the value of £15 to
the Anglican Māori Mission Hospital.
At much the same time, the Auckland-based District Health Officer indicated that while the Mission
Hospital could not receive a subsidy from the Board, the Board could, with Ministerial approval, ‘make
a grant to the institution out of its funds.’ In June 1915 approval was obtained to make a grant of up
to £50. Following his discussions with Bishop Sedgwick, the Chairman reported back to the Board20
that:
It was arranged that nurse North should take in emergency cases (not infectious ones) if she had
any room but that permission had to be obtained before sending the patient along and a charge
should be made for all patients sent to the Hospital by the Board.
While progress was being made in accommodating patients either at the Mission Hospital or at the
numerous ‘Emergency Tent Camps’ throughout the district, there was still pressure on the Board
from the Whakatāne County Council and organisations such as the local Chamber of Commerce and
various local residents’ groups to build a Public Hospital for the district.

Anon, Nearest Hospital Used to be Opotiki, Whakātane Beacon, 22.07.1968, (Media clippings

scrapbook “Hospital” , Whakātane District Museum & Gallery)
19
Bay of Plenty Hospital and Charitable Aid Board Minutes, Volume 1 [03.12.1902 – 21.06.1917], 17
December 1913, (Auckland, Archives New Zealand, Reference ADHL A1669 22975 6)
20
Bay of Plenty Hospital and Charitable Aid Board Minutes, Volume 1 [03.12.1902 – 21.06.1917],
10 June 1915, (Auckland, Archives New Zealand, Reference ADHL A1669 22975 6)
18

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