CHILDREN HOSPITAL.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 78, 2 April 1913, Page 2

CHILDREN HOSPITAL.

MR SCHOFTELD'S SCHEME. . WMf.sMgm&c 'AfgTCT? .. -.--. An interesting.scheme for ike erection. .' , i)f,',e?a(iialJy-aeSignfei':cMdrili's"yarda at ;. ;$&, Auckland > &o&pi:tsil,;:wjt : a. $he'aasiat-: '*nce-of public eothoiriptione,' was.to itave -keen brought before -the Hospital Board •by the H." Sehofield) last night, but the time limit r clause' preKM'notice .of motion; .teAng. dealt $3Sfflibi It will, however, come up. at the next meeting- of" the- Board; IA. i "Star" ■reporter approached Mr Schofield'this r morning for- some- partictilaTS -in conn.ee'•'ition with his echenie.Be replied that' *'h"e had drawn attention to ..the need, for a children's hospital at the first meeting v .jDf j(b.e,,Bpard..arfVer.,hk. election to the i chair, but -the work of the year had ■•'"been so strenuous that thJe:dmportant matter had b'ecn overshadowed. "I feel, however," he added, "that I cannot'allow - "the preeent Board to go', chit of-office , "iwithout again bringing., up-the claiine of -the - ch-Udren- in our.. hospital.: 'In ■ 1898 the Board erected-the Costley wards at a cost of £5,600, these ~w*r<is'~beihg. specially designed for the efhildren. The "cost wae met out of the .funds; proyjded by the bequest of the late Eiwafd CoefcB 3ej. ' The .public teubWibed., £59,6,' "and' ' tide sum, with ffie-&OTerniient.6ubeidy, - -was ample to-provide all-'fche cote, beds, instruments, etc:,'required to fully .equip' the .building.. The four warde provided accommodation for 52 beds. Six years ago this fine building wae -cut- in halves, one-half of which remains, while the . -other -was iaJtered to fit in with the 'present:' two-efibr-ey eiirgacal block. I • consider that was a, jijOßt serious blunder. The building , should have remained intact for a children's hospital, and. the' , eurgical block should have been built "separately." , VV. , . '.. .. . .3£r Schoifield eaid that since thai .time there had been no epecdal- , building , for _. the, treatment-of. children, they having icad; rto ibe accommodated in the different wards. "At the present time," he added, "we haw 41 children in the main hos- ■ prtal buildings and eeven in the infec.'t»ioiiE wards. The batch of 41 are located in eeven; different wards, .aiid '.they are : nil under '12 yeareof age. .It is generally ( agreed that. jn all .large■•hospitals .a special building* for ■ the treatment of eihilcjfen is most desirable. And the time ■has coiMi-TH-henT tffis Board should eeriouely consider the advjeability of taking etepe in this direction. I believe if the •Board should take definite action and appeal to the public for assistance, a •large amount would be raised by eubecriptions, concerts, a Haepital Sunday, and various other means. Ido not think .there would ,be any difficulty in organising a. large citizens' committee of ladies and gentlemen for so desirable an object." •Mγ Schafield said he intended to move ~&hat in-the-opinion of the Board it is -desirable .-that, a cfhildrerfe hospital be erected to accommodate about 75' beds a*y*e early a.date ae.posßiMe. VA euit- . ajile cite overlooking ifche Domain at #he end" of tbe new kHch-en block would, lie said, be recommended. "I am quite em-e- -jthat- if Has, ie done," added Mr Schofield, 3ew Board-will take the matter .up and carry;,it to a sncceesM jesne."