HOSPITAL AT LOWER HUTT

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 226, 19 June 1940, Page 6

HOSPITAL AT LOWER HUTT

Erection At Cost COMPANY’S DONATION TO WAR EFFORT The Wellington Hospital Board al a special meeting yesterday unanimously decided to apply to (lie Local Government Loans Board for its sanction to Hie raising by way of loan of an amount; of approximately £2.>!,200 lor rhe erection of a J2O-bed hospital al Lower Hutt (plus food services and stores), a nurses' home block and boilerhouse at Lower Hutt, and the provision of roadways, fences and the layout ami grounds. No objection to the loan application was received from any of Hie contributory local bodies. The building committee reported that the Fletcher Construction Company. Ltd., having placed their organization at the disposal of the Government for war purposes, had intimated Iliat. they were prepared, as one of their donations to the war effort, to erect the Hutt Valley hospital al cost. The offer was accepted and a subcommittee of the board, comprising Messrs. A. 11. Carman (chairman), J. Glover, F. Castle and F. W. Furkert, together with the superintendent and architect, was empowered to proceed with the Hutt hospital proposals in collaboration with the company. The chairman of the building committee, Mr. A. 11. Carman, said that Hie company's generous offer would cost it a considerable sum. Other members expressed warm appreciation of the company's gesture. Mr. F. Castle said that the opportunity of getting Hie hospital built so expeditiously justified a departure from the normal procedure of calling for tenders on'fixed plans and specifications which would have involved considerable delay. The whole of tbe details of accounting would be under the control of the board. Mr. F. AV. Furkert said that the board had perfect safeguards. In reply to a question by Mr. A. W. Croskery. the chairman, Mr. J. Glover, said that the company was not charging a percentage for its work or anything at all for plant, depreciation. Mr. Carman said that. Hie building committee bad decided that if tbe hospital was to be ready by March 31 next. Hie Fletcher Construction Company. was the only company capable of doing it. find that the only way to get the job done in that time was to dispense with the usual calling of tenders. The committee was preparing to approach the company on that, basis will) an offer of a round sum as a fee. but the company made the first move and offered to do the job at cost. He was sure that the building could be erected below the architects’ estimated cost and be ready by the end of March. On Mr. Carman’s motion, the board expressed its sincere thanks and appreciation to the company for its very real contribution to the national effort.