T.B. HOSPITAL AT PAEKAKARIKI

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 128, 25 February 1944, Page 4

T.B. HOSPITAL AT PAEKAKARIKI

Establishment Approved By Bpard EXTENSIVE PROJECT

Approval was given by the. Wellington Hospital Board at its meeting last night to the establishment of a tuberculosis hospital at Paekakariki o£ the vertical echelon type, instead of the familiar pavilion design. The acting-chairman, Mr. H. F. Toogood, commented that it would be one of the biggest projects the board had ever undertaken. It meant the establishment of a large hospital, with provision for the accommodation of the whole of the staff required. The board would have to build what in effect would be a suiall township. ' Provision is made in the' tentative plans for the provisional siting of certain other buildings, including an orthopaedic hospital which it is intended to build later. No provision is contemplated for a laundry, as it will be the board’s future policy to provide a central laundry for all its institutions. Mr. J. C. Crawford recorded a protest at the magnitude of the work proposed, which he considered would cost about £1,000,090. The chairman said it might cost that figure or £500,000. Approval had to be given the plans before the estimates could be framed and tne matter placed before the Local Government Loans Board. The tuberculosis hospital as envisaged will be of light construction. The patients’ accommodation is to consist of a hospital section of six 40-bed wards, and a sanitarium section of four 32-bed wards, making a total of 368 beds. Besides offices, clinics, operating theatre and so forth, comprising the administrative section, provision is made for a kitchen aud dining-room block, occupational therapy aud a social hall. It is expected that when the orthopaedic hospital is completed Paekakariki may become the board’s main centre for occupational therapy (including the occupational therapy school, should this later be established under its control). Provision is to be made for a nurses’ home of 162 beds, complete with kitchen and dining-rooms, and a hostel for (a) female staff other than nursing and domestic: (b) kitchen and domestic staff estimated to number 60. Provision is to be made for houses for six of the chief hospital officers, houses (not flats) for 46 other-male staff, and a hostel for 12 single men. There will also be sterilizing facilities, sorting and sewing rooms for laundry, a general office, workshops, a patients’ library, occupational therapy both heavy and light, a garage, staff cats and cycles, incinerator and mattress sterilizer, three or four tennis courts, an eight-rink bowling green, croquet- green, swimming pool, aud a social hall suitable for the screening of moving pictures. . Plans provide, for a small ante-room adjoining the social hall, fo.r ministers of religion, a cafeteria for visitors, a canteen’for the sale.of cigarettes, sweets, and so forth, and for hairdressing facilities for men and women, both patients and staff. The siting and planning of all the buildings is to be left to the Government architect <to consider and report back to the board before detailed planning is undertaken.