PATIENTS DISTURBED

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 1, Issue 28, 23 June 1939, Page 5

PATIENTS DISTURBED

MAIN HIGHWAY TRAFFIC HOSPITAL BOARD'S LETTER The following letter has been despatched to the Hon. the Minister of Health, by the chairman of the Wha. -katanc Hospital Board. Mr J. W. Sumner, relative to the route of the proposed East Coast State Highway: "It has come to the knowledge ol the Board that one of the proposed routes through Whakatane for the above highway passes along Stewart Street past the frontage of the Whakatane Hospital. A special meeting of the board was held last night, and the following resolution, th.? terms of which have -already been conveyed to you by telegram, was passed unanimously: "That 'this board on learning of the proposal to construct a State Highway past the Whakatane Hospital is unanimous in protesting against such proposal, and that this resolution be 'brought before the Ministers of Pnblic Works and Health. , " The reasons advanced by my board in support of this protest are as follows: — I. When the present hospital site ■•was decided upon over twenty years .ago one of the main considerations •affecting the situation was that it was situated on a side street well away from the noise of main highway traffic. 2. Since that time the volume of noise caused by such traffic has increased considerably, and in the opinion of the board it is now even more Important that the hospital be as far j as possible removed from such noise. 3. The hospital building at present is two and a half chains from Stew■art Street, the proposed Sta.te Highway route, but when the additions to the men's ward are completed, tha't ward will be only one cha'n ironi the street. 4. It will be necessary in the very near future to extend the other hospital wards, and the lay out of the building is such that the only possible way of extending is towards Stewart Street. j 5. This highway'when completed Avill carry a continuous stream of traffic, as it will be the only access to Whakatane from the increasingly thickly populated Rangitaiki Plains }t district, as well as the route which will be used by all through tra-ffic. 6. ft is the considered opinion of the board that the attendant noise inseparable from such traffic would severely hinder the recovery of the sick persons in hospital, to say nothing of the distress it would cause to mothers and expectant mothers In the maternity annexe. 01 7. The row caused by such traffic In daj r time is considered serious 'enough as militating against th? •comfort of patients and when one r 'considers the row from night traffic following the pictures every night and dances and other functions v.i Whakatane ;it a time when patient.* should be afforded every opportunity for peace and ciuietness, the prospect j*. "thereof is a matter which causes this board the utmost concern. 8. It is well known to you and to this board and others interested in hospital work that Wellington and Auckland hospitals being situated nd jacent to busy thoroughfares are experiencing the difficulties which wo as above indicated are desirous to .