BOPDHB History Whakatāne Hospital History Book | Page 7

Because the 11 member Board always met in Tauranga and travel outside that area was difficult, it
was dominated by the six representatives from Tauranga and there was agitation as early as 19042
for two Boards to be formed, one for Tauranga, Te Puke and the surrounding area and the other for
Whakatāne, Ōpōtiki and the surrounding area. It was not until 16 May 1918 that the new Bay of
Plenty Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, with responsibilities centred on the Eastern Bay of Plenty,
met for the first time under the chairmanship of Alexander Peebles, a resident of Tāneatua.
Inevitably there was constant pressure for improved medical services and a hospital to be built
in the Whakatāne County. In 1907 the Ōpōtiki County indicated that it was planning to build a
Cottage Hospital on Hospital Reserve land, Tauranga was proposing a larger hospital in Tauranga and
Whakatāne started looking to erect a Cottage Hospital in the town. By 1908, there were sporadic
outbreaks of ‘Fever’ and larger centres like Tauranga began looking for a suitable building (Belle
View House) to use as a temporary hospital and began planning for a Contagious Diseases Hospital.
In January 1909 the Whakatāne Medical Club (which received an annual subsidy from the Board)
secured the services of Dr JC Wadmore.

Horse Ferry at Matata. Photo: Whakatāne District Museum & Gallery (3015)

In the first decade of the 20th Century, coastal beaches were the main highways
for horses and coaches. The difficulties were experienced at the mouths of the
various rivers that flowed into the sea along the Bay of Plenty coastline and
harbours such as Ohiwa. Crossing these rivers and harbour entrances involved
either swimming the horses across or ferrying the horses and the coach across
as seen here at Matata in the early 1900s.
On Tuesday 5 April 1910, at the first meeting of the newly elected members of the Bay of Plenty
Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, now under the Hospitals and Charitable Institutions Act (1909),
the balance of representation had shifted in favour of the Eastern Bay of Plenty. As a result, Mr Edward
Clay, a solicitor from Whakatāne was elected Chairman, a Whakatāne based solicitor Mr Harron was
appointed Secretary/Treasurer and meetings were thereafter usually held in the Whakatāne County
Council Chambers. For the next eight years, until 1918 when two separate Boards were established,
Tauranga representatives were forced to make the trip to Whakatāne to attend Board meetings.

2

Bay of Plenty Hospital and Charitable Aid Board Minutes, Volume 1 [03.12.1902 –
21.06.1917], 4 August 1904 (Auckland, Archives New Zealand, Reference. ADHL A1669 22975 6)

Page 2