Ohinemuri Regional History Journal 10, October 1968
By SISTER CAMPBELL
After the era of "mutual aid" in times of trouble, Midwives visited and sometimes stayed at the patient's own home, especially in Maternity cases. Then there was a period when a Nurse made the best use of her own home to care for one or more patients. By this time a Doctor was more readily available and the premises were subject to inspection by Health Authorities. Such homes in this district were conducted by Nurses:
Climo, Pitcaithley, Odgers, McGeehan, Manning (Rye Lane), Goldsworthy, and Quinn, Nolan, Marsh (Nealie) at Karangahake.
In 1939 my partner. Sister Glennie and I arrived in Paeroa and took over the lease of Sister Climo's old-established Maternity Home, "Arohanui" in Moore Street. We worked in conjunction with Drs. Little and Haslett, and I remember that Mrs. Billy Nicholl was one of our first cases. She stayed with us for some time. Not only were the war years busy, and trying ones because of black-outs, but being opposite the Railway Station we were subjected to a lot of noise and the tense atmosphere of soldiers leaving for camp and overseas. Social Security assistance was available after 1940 and as this made things easier for all concerned we decided to move to a quiet locality.
In 1942 we bought the house in King Street, to become well known for 20 years as "Park View Private Hospital". For three years it had been owned by Mrs. Jones who kept boarders but prior to that it was the Brenan homestead and was sold when they built a smaller house nearby. Miss Brenan decided later to live in Auckland. We were licensed for 5 patients at first, 3 maternity and 2 medical (including minor surgery). About 1948 we discontinued taking maternity cases as there was an increasing need to have accommodation for more medical and minor surgery patients.
The local Doctors - Bartrum, Haslett and Darby -supplied some of the equipment, such as a Theatre Table, which was used for Tonsil Operations. These were performed by visiting specialists - chiefly Dr. McKechnie and Dr. Coombe who came on set days from Auckland. When an extra Nurse was needed Mrs. Green often helped us. There were also days set apart for the extraction of teeth so we had visits from the local Dentists - (Messrs Blackwood, James, Campbell, Day and Boyd.)
Many patients who were not dangerously ill but who needed a short period of medical care were sent to us by their doctors who made routine visits and kept a close check on progress. Over the years we had a number of elderly patients who always appreciated the reasonably peaceful atmosphere of a small hospital where their visitors were welcome.
But by 1962 the Health Department was demanding extensive alterations which we could not afford to make; neither were there any buyers prepared to face the crippling outlay. So we had no alternative but to abandon "Park View" after selling our equipment privately and putting the house on the market. It is now the home of Mr. & Mrs. J. S. Bax and family.
(Note: Many Paeroa people regretted the closing of "Park View" and losing the devoted services of two outstanding Nurses. Sister Glennie is now on the Staff at Selwyn Village in Auckland and Sister Campbell at the Waihi Public Hospital as she has retained her cottage at the Beach. Ed.)