Pohlen Hospital

Description

About Us
Pohlen Hospital is a Community Charitable Trust Hospital situated in Matamata in the Waikato

The Pohlen Hospital Trust Boards aim is to provide the best possible health and social services in the Matamata District thus increasing the wellness of our community

Whilst the Pohlen Hospital Trust provides some of the necessary health services others are provided by other organisations working from the Pohlen Campus

Pohlen is also an accredited Baby Friendly Hospital and is a member of the New Zealand Aged Care Association

History

Joseph Pohlen JP
1872 1969
Pioneer farmer politician benefactor

Joseph Pohlen was one of the greatest benefactors in the Matamata district He made huge financial gifts for the building of Pohlen Hospital and for the Catholic Church and was a tremendous supporter of many local organisations

He was born in 1872 at Harapepe north west of Te Awamutu the son of Henry Pohlen a soldier who had fought in the Land Wars under Major von Tempsky He was educated there and grew up on his fathers farm

At the age of 14 Joe as he was known went to work on A J Scotts farm for five shillings a week and his keep After four years he moved to Shaftesbury near Te Aroha to work on E F Roches farm Here as a young farm hand he showed the beginning of a lifelong interest in horses and horse racing when he purchased his first farm mare and decided to race her at Te Aroha in March 1894 Then he walked and rode over rough roads to Te Awamutu to enter his horse in a race there which she won

Farming
However farming was his livelihood and in 1898 Joseph Pohlen was able with the assistance of a friend to acquire the leasehold of a block of 320 acres of land in the newly opened Okauia Estate on the foothills of the Kaimai range near Matamata This was difficult to farm and after eight years he disposed of this land and in 1906 acquired the leasehold of 300 acres near the town of Matamata on what is now Mangawhero Road He was a successful farmer and strongly advocated the use of topdressing of pastures artificial fertiliser had been used only for land under cultivation before this In 1908 the Land Board made an inspection of the results of his topdressing When anyone complained that they could not afford to do this Joe Pohlen used to exclaim quotYou cannot afford not to topdressquot

IIis interest in farming and the improvement of stock led him to help form the Matamata Agricultural and Pastoral Association of which he became secretary and a life member The first Matamata show was held in 191 I In later years Joe Pohlen confessed that he had no idea how to run such an event so he went to the Te Aroha A amp P secretary F Wild for advice

Benefactor
Of a benevolent nature Joe Pohlen was well known for his generosity to organisations and individuals It is said that in the early days of the Matamata Settlement he often met newcomers to the district at the railway station and using his own horses and waggon he would offer them transport to their farm property A little later he purchased the first car in the district which was the centre of attention at the first A amp P Show in 1911 It was an quotFMF 30quotmade by the Studebaker Company whose leading car designer was names M Flanders For seven years the car carried the number plate quotMM1quot and its owner generously used his car for the benefit of anyone who needed it

It is said that Joe Pohlen was very generous to anyone down on their luck especially returned servicemen and he often helped them financially

Racing
His early interest in horses continued throughout his life and in 1919 he became a foundation member of the Matamata racing Club IIc is said to have loaned anonymously 5000 pounds to the club at a lower than normal interest to help pay off a hank loan and build a stand for administration Later he became president for 16 years 19431959 and guided the club over the postwar years granting it an interestfree mortgage loan of 8000 pounds to complete a public stand at the race course

After World War Two when he had established himself financially Joe Pohlen went into racing on a larger scale and became a wellknown racehorse owner winning some good races with for example Victory Song Nionyx Jackie Count Kindroon and Schoolmate At the end of his long life he had three horses Kings Aide Landril and Wayfarer being trained by T C Alcock and he was a life member of Matamata Te Aroha and Ohinemuri Racing Clubs