A BIG BUILDING SCHEME.

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 251, 22 October 1919, Page 9

A BIG BUILDING SCHEME.

£120,000 INVOLVED. AUCKLAND HOSPITAL BOARD'S PROPOSALS. TO MEET MODERN REQUIREMENTS. Among the matters to be dealt with by the Auckland Hospital Board when framing its estimates ut a special meeting to be held shortly is that of making provision for a very comprehensive building scheme. Speaking of the matter this morning, tbe chairman (Mr. \V. Wallace) said the board was fully alive to growing requirements of the Aucklnnd district in the matter of hospital facilities, and there existed at the present time nn urgent need for additional facilities. Already the board had acquired a site at Manurewi of 125 acres, on Which it was proposed to erect an auxiliary hospital nt a cost of from - 23.000 to* £30,000. This site was eminently suited for the purpose. It was beautifully situated, witli a large area of native bush on it. and smaller clumps of bush scattered here and there about the propefty. In conjunction with the proposed buildings there would be, of course, tlie necessary administrative nnd other buildings. THE XUKSIXO STAFF. Mr. Wallace mentioned also the nursing stall' of the present hospital, and emphasised the need for more accommodation. At present, lie said, there were .just about 200 nurses employed at the institution, and a number of'these had to be accommodated in the basement of the children's hospital. They were put there temporarily on account of war conditions, but these conditions no longer existed, and extensions to the accommodation would be necessary to provide for about 810 more nurses.' These extensions were estimated to cost about £ .'10.00(1. Mr. Wallace said that when the last extension was made the board at thot time was oi" the opinion that it wn* providing sufficient accommodation to meet the requirements of the nursin" stnfl for nt least 23 years, but barely half that time had pissed before the accommodation was found inadequate. A FEVER WARD. The hospital buildings, too, did not meet with modern requirements, and it was proposed to erect a pew threestoreyed building to take the place of the present wooden buildings erected temporarily during a typhoid fever scare many years ago. It was felt that the wooden building was more or less of a menace to the patients in the event of nn outbreak of fire. While the proposal at present was to erect the new building on the actual site of the wooden one, it was possible that it might be erected in front of the present, and the latter left intact. This would make proyision for a fever ward, and would also absorb about i'.'in.OOfl. ELECTRIC-LIGHTING. An electric lighting system and steam heating equipment for the hospital was also urgently needed, nnd it was proposed to allocate the sum of £10,000 for this purpose. He had been advised by the Board's consulting engineer (Mr. Wnlker) that this expenditure was fully justified, nnd that when the installation was made it would probably save the capital outlay in the course of a few veers. The power that was used for making steam for heating, cooking, etc., could also be used for generating electricity.. INFIRMARY WARD. A female infirmary ward was urgently needed at the Costley Home, the present ward being inadequate for the requirements in this direction. Quite a number of patients were occupying beds at the hospital who could be very well accommodated in a building as proposed at the Costley Home and at much less ex]>ense to the Bonrd. The beds at present occupied were ursently needed for patients daily demanding admisgion to the Oeneral Hospital. It was proposed to allocate £ 10.000 for the erection ot this infirmary ward, which would accommodate from 70 to 75 patients. UP-TO-DATE LAUNDRY. An up-to-date laundry was also among the urgent needs of the hospital, as the present arrangements were quite inadequate to meet the growing requirements of the institution. It was proposed that another £ 10.000 should be allocated for this. Another need which had not yet been considered was the erection of an administration block ot buildings at th* entrance to the grounds to which all the offices in the present hospital building could be transferred, and at which people could get all necessary information before entering the hospital. The Board, Mr. Wallace concluded, was fully alive to the importance of making provision for the increasing population. All the proposals, however, would receive very careful attention before they were undertaken.