Akaroa hospital to expand

Press, 31 October 1981, Page 6

Akaroa hospital to expand

Banks Peninsula residents needing hospital treatment may no longer have to face long stays in Christchurch.

Plans have been completed for a $25,000 project to renovate the seven-bed obstetric hospital in Akaroa, opening it to treat general patients and providing a surgery for the town’s doctor. Work should be finished within six months.

The Akaroa County Council yesterday voted its support. and guaranteed the $lO,OOO community share. The North Canterbury Hospital Board has promised to provide the balance from its rural hospital funds. Most of the community share will come from a local service club. The Akaroa Bays Lions Club has given $4OOO from its annual golf tournament and plans to raise a similar sum from a second-hand goods auction at Christmas. The council could not finance a private building but has promised help with landscaping and car-parking. Other local organisations and Army engineers ‘ have’ also shown an interest in helping.

The county chairman'(Mr T. J. Brocherie) said that a fully used hospital would secure its future ing Akaroa. “The doctor's surfery may

not be in the most suitable place in town but at least it will give him more room for a clinic and other facilities,” he said.

The Hospital Board’s chief executive officer (Mr R. I. Parker) said that the board had already submitted plans to the Health Department for approval. The renovations should be completed before June.

Akaroa Hospital averaged a 1.6 bed occupancy rate last year because regulations restricted its use to maternity and short-stay geriatric .patients. Reorganisation would allow the hospital to handle recuperating patients who had been discharged from Christchurch hospitals after surgery.

Wharf extensions

Expanding Akaroa wharf : to house a fish processing factory seems likely after - : support was shown at a public meeting last week. i Another $14,000 extension ' to cater for pleasure-launch 1 cruises also received council approval in principle. i Mr Brocherie said that i most of the 40 people at the.. < meeting seemed to the plans of Akaroa Exports,?!

Ltd, to build an enlarged packing house provided that certain conditions were met. Increased job opportunities would be an important benefit.

“The public has had an opportunity to make comments about the proposal,” he said.

A report from the public meeting will be sent to the Akaroa community council for comment and then the county council will recommend conditions on the factory’s development to the Marine Division of the Ministry of Transport. The division has the final say for offshore projects.

Car-parking, the factory’s hours and noise were the main concerns heard at the meeting. A company representative told residents that no suitable land site was

available and because the

factory would be on the wharf, its products would be fresher. “Past complaints about noise have nothing to do with this particular firm,” said Cr G. P. A. de Latour. Nathan Scott, Ltd, wants to move its Miss Akaroa launch service from Queen Charlotte Sound to Akaroa Harbour and has offered to build, an extension, for load-

ing and unloading its passengers in return for a lease from the council.

Cr de Latour said that the Akaroa Fishermen’s Association was happy with the second jetty, which would extend about 15 metres at a right angle to the main wharf.

Fishing boats would still have room to tie up at the Akaroa Exports extension, said the county engineer (Mr K. A. Paulin). Pensioner flats Councillors have taken a gamble and have recommended building three more pensioner flats in the town to the Akaroa community council.

The County clerk (Mr G. E. Hunn) said that present rental limits would barely cover loan repayments and would not cover maintenance costs on the $75,000 undertaking. But the council should speculate that national superannuation and related pensioner rentals would rise by the time the flats were finished.

If the community council gave its approval he would advertise for interested renters. At present the township hai six pensioner flats, said MrvHunn.

Bus cuts

Cutg to week-end bus services between Akaroa and Christchurch may be fewer than planned, said Cr J. L. Inwood.

The Railways had planned to stop one return trip on Saturday and to stop a Christchurch to Akaroa trip on Sunday. But if two busloads of people were to travel to Christchurch on Sunday afternoon it might sway the Railways to retain a return bus service later. Museum levy Councillors opposed plans for a new levy system to cover financial losses for the Canterbury Museum. The levy would almost double Akaroa’s present contribution to the museum. Mr Brocherie said that the change would place a greater burden on rural areas. Proposals included rating on updated capital land values, switching the format from pounds sterling to decimal currency and "additional contributions” to cover any remaining museum deficits. Shell practice The Army will hold a live shell practice at Birdlings Flat on December 19, from 6 a.m. to noon.