AUCKLAND HOSPITAL

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVI, Issue 52, 2 March 1905, Page 3

AUCKLAND HOSPITAL

SCHEME FOE IMPROVEMENTS.

I A deputation consisting of Mr. John iMcLeod (chairmaji) and Mr. H. K. Garjland (secretary), of the Auckland Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, -waited on the Premier yesterday afternoon with reference to the improvement of the hospital. Mr. McLeod stated that the Board desired to promote a local bill next session giving extended borrowing powers, so that necessary improvements might be carried out, and asked the assistance of the Government in the matter. The objects of the bill were (1) To give the Board power to borrow for new buildings or alterations to existing buildings on the security of its endowments; (ii) to give power to sub-divide endowments for budding purposes, and make and dedicate roads for the purpose of such sub-divi-sion; (3) to give power to bay out existing leaseholds for the benefit of the trustees, and so extinguish their right of renewal; (4) to buy roads era the leaseholds for the purpose of sub-divi-sion: (5) that the endowments be removed from the Public Trust Office and placed in the Board's hands; and (6) that the old Supreme Court site be made a hospital endowment by repealing section G of the Hospital Reserves Act of 1883. Mr. McLeod stated that the Board and himself had every desire to brinsr about an improvement in hospital affairs, a-nd they asked for the assistance of the Government in the promotion of a local bill allowing the utilisation of the reserves set apart for hospital purposes. and which were valued at £50 000. In reply the Premier said that so long as they confined the -cope of the bill to merely extending tbe borrowing powers of the Board he thought that Parliament would make no objection to the bill. Clauses 5 and 6 introduced debatable matter. He thought that it might not be of advantage to remove the administration of the endowments aa asked for by the' Board, for the probability was that the Public Trustee would be able ;to borrow money on better terms than the Board. It was agreed to strike out clauses 5 and 6. and on this understandI ing the Premier promised to lend every assistance in facilitating the passage of the bilL