THAT TEMPORARY HOSPITAL

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2554, 31 August 1915, Page 9

THAT TEMPORARY HOSPITAL

IN SUSPENSION. The chairman of the Wellington Hospital Board (Mi-. H. Baldwin) was ask-, ed yesterday what progress was being made with tho temporary hospital for wounded soldiers, and tlic answer was— "Nothing!" It will bo ; remembered'that the Minister for Public Health (Hon. G. AV. Russell) attended a meeting of tho Wellington Hospital and Charitable Aid Board nearly a. fortnight ago for the purpose of discussing with the_ board the orection of. a temporary .hospital for wounded soldiers. At that time no one gave expression to the thought that such a hospital might not be.wanted, but everyone conveyed the idea that" the matter was one of urgency, and the only question really to be settled was dno of site. After a lively debate, in which the Minister participated, _ it was decided that a temporary hospital be erected on tho ground between the main hospital and the Victoria Home, and Mr. F. do J. Clero was instructed to procced ..yvith the plans. 'Since then, however, tho Minister has written to the board, stating that with reference to the s arrangements mado with the Government for erecting a; temporary building to accommodate forty beds for tho use of troops, information had since been received convoying tho impression that such • further provision may not be necessary in the meantime. The Minister further stated that he would be obliged if the board would leave the matter_ whore it was,at present, and if the sixty beds being provided by thei Hospital does not suffice, tho scheme'could be proceeded with as already arranged. On the receipt of this letter the chairman of the hoard instructed the architect to stay his hand, andtlie matter rests in abeyance. As a matter of fact, Mr. Baldwin states that the Hospital intends to provide accommodation for seventy beds for wounded soldiers. To do this they are removing old people out of the Victoria Homo for Chronic Invalids, to the boards' property in Clifton Terracß, the fine old residence immediately above the Terrace School. -These will probably be moved out to-day or to-morrow. The Victoria Home will provide room for 52 beds, and another 18 beds will be' provided in the Main Hospital, making 70 in all. If further accommodation was needed then a new building would have to be provided, and it should go on the site already decided, in order that the' greatest economy could be effected in administration.-