OVERCROWDED HOSPITAL

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 60, 11 March 1915, Page 6

OVERCROWDED HOSPITAL

A PROBLEM FOR WAIKATO. WATER SUPPLY BREAKS DOWN. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent J ' HAMILTON, this day. The rapid-growth of the Waikato Hospital district has resulted in serious congestion in the hospital, where the average daily attendance is now 110, while the accommodation is only designed for 75 patients7"The position was brought under the notice of the Board to-day by Dr. Douglas, medical superintendent, who said that a very large" expenditure would shortly .have to be made in alterations to the present building and erection of new ones. The institution was at present overcrowded, and if the growth of the district continued at the rate of the past five years the average daily number of patients in five years' time would be over 160. It would also be necessary, in view of the installation of an X-ray plant to have an additional room adjoining the operating theatre. He thought a new ward of the size of the present big one, and a children's ward were necessary to meet immediate and future requirements. Additional accommodation would also have to be made at the Nurses' Home servants' quarters, where the accommodation was very cramped, while the question of a new home for aged and indigent people would also have to be faced.

The chairman (Mr. Bailey) said he thought that within the next two years the Board would have to spend ten to twelve-thousand pounds.

Mr. Teasdalc said, as the Board had no statutory borrowing powers, like other local bodies, the expenditure was going to fall veiy hard on contributing local bodies if they were called upon during the present financial stringency to bear the new expense.

Mr. Boddie agreed with Mr. Teasdalc, and suggested that steps be taken to secure a Borrowing Empowering Act to enable the expense to be spread tiver a period .of years. • -

The Board authorised the superintendent to procure the best and most modern X-ray plant, and for this purpose a sum was earmarked out of voluntary subscriptions.

The Legal and Finance Committee was instructed to visit the hospital and decide upon the form alterations should take.

A somewhat desperate situation has been created in the Waikato Hospital by the failure to a large extent of the water supply. The wheel at the river upon which the institution .depended largely, for the- supply has broken down, and at. least a -week will expire before repairs can be effected. The matter was brought under the notice of the Board to-day by the engineer, who stated that the hospital could do with eight thousand gallons a day, five thousand gallons being the-mini-mum with which they could manage. The wheel was .a complete break, and they had a fall-back on a well, from which it was only possible to draw two thousand gallons daily. It was absolutely necessary for an institution .like the hospital to have a • good and adequate supply of. .water. Great inconvenience was being experienced, and it was essential that somei thing should be done immediately to remectetflatters. decided to instal an oillenjinepump on the river bank immediately.