THE FEVER HOSPITAL.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 309, 23 September 1908, Page 9

THE FEVER HOSPITAL.

NECESSARY LEGAL STEPS. MATTERS PROGRESSING FAVOURABLY. Thero, aro ono or two legal formalities yet to bo carried out before the Bill which is to authorise tho transfer of tho fever . hospital site of nine odd acres on tho asylum reserve from the Government to tho • Wellington Hospital Trustees can bo introduced in Parliament, and these formalities appear to bo progressing very smoothly. At tho fortnightly meeting of the trustees, held yesterday, the chairman (Hon. C. M. Luke, M.L.C.) announced that, in company with Mr. R. C. Kirk, also a member of the board, he had waited upon the trustees of tho Rhodes Estate with reference to tho substitution of town acre 765 for town acre 762, held as security for the mortgage held by tho Rhodes Estate, in order that the Rovans Street frontage, arranged to bo exchanged for the fever hospital site, might bo handed over as a block. The trustees of tho Rhodes Estate, said Mr. Luko, had agreed to meet the hospital authorities in the matter, and a definite communication on the subject was expected that day. As soon as this matter was satisfactorily completed the necessary legislation would be introduced in Parliament.

On the motion of Mr. F. G. Bolton, tho action of Messrs: Luke and Kirk regarding tho matter was confirmed.

Some desultory discussion over the new hospital eventuated just prior to the board resolving into committee to consider questions pertinent to the fever hospital. Mr. Bolton asked if the fever ward was still congested. '

The chairman, replied that tho strain on the ward had relaxed a little, and it rjight therefore be inferred that fever was not now so, acute in tho city. Ho was happy to say that the nurses who had been attacked with fever were now rapidly recovering, and were practically convalescent. Touching the question of tho material to be used in the construction of the. fever hospital, the speaker mentioned that in some instances such institutions wero so constructed as to bo easily burnt after serving for a certain length of time. A good deal rested upon tho design of the interior walls. It was desirable that these should be of such a liaturo as to permit of convenient and thorough hosing down. There should be no cornices or ledges where dust particles could rest. It was pointed out that in Glasgow the corners were all rounded off; the Auckland fever hospital had its walls of glazed tiles. Reliable authorities had stated that tho walls should bo constructed of hard material, such as concrete, or Keen's cement. At the conclusion of the sitting in committee it was announced that a meeting had been definitely decided to be held at the hospital at 3 p.m. on Thursday, and that Messrs. Chrichton and M'Kay, who had been appointed architects for the work, would be in attendance at the conference to assist the trustees and their medical advisers in their deliberations regarding the location of the hospital buildings.