A SAFEGUARD. THE NEW FEVER HOSPITAL.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIX, Issue 69, 23 March 1910, Page 7

A SAFEGUARD. THE NEW FEVER HOSPITAL.

A MINISTERIAL APPRECIATION. After somo years of discussion, the building of Wellington's Fever Hospital had a quiet beginning, and the work has progressed briskly without ceremony. The omission of the customary wellwishing in the earlier stages- of the project was atoned for to-day by a gathering at which the Hon. G. Fowlds, as ! Minister of Hospitals, put a tablet in its place. After congratulating all concerned in the enterprise, and emphasising Wellington's need of such an institution, Mr. Fowlds remarked that there were doubtless many present who thought that the amount of money that it was proposed to spend on these Buildings was very Targe, and that was certainly the case ; but the expenditure was not by any 'means unnecessary or extravagant, as the accommodation had been reduced to the lowest possible limit compatible with safety and efficiency, aud he might say that, relatively, Wellington needed more extensive accommodation for cases of infectious diseases than any of tho other large centres, inasmuch as the population was more congested, and there was a larger proportion of persons living in each house than was the case in Auckland, Christchurch, or Dtunedin. Hence it was extremely difficult to isolate persons in their own homes. THE QUESTION OF MANAGEMENT. "This question of dealing with infectious diseases," continued the Minister, "calls to my mind a section in the new Act which I trust will be duly taken advantage of by the local authorities, and that they will delegate their powers under the itcalth Act to the Hospital Board of the district, so that the latter body could assume the powers of a Board of Health. One naturally could not expect a large municipality such as the \Vellington Corporation to delegate all its powers under the Public Health Act — but it might, with great advantage as regards efficiency and economy, leave the responsibility as to notification and isolation of and" disinfection after cases of infectious disease to the Hospital Board. The smaller local bodies might waive nearly all their powers under the Act to the board — except those that would involve considerable expenditure, such as provision for water supply and drainage. FOR CONCERTED ACTION. Mr. Fowlds said that as the Act alloYed a board to appoint committees composed of persons of both sexes who were not necessarily members of the board, he would like lo see a Pub' lie Health Committee formed, comprised of certain members of the board, with e\ery Mayor or chairman of a local authority in the district an ex oflicio member of that committee. By that means concerted action could be taken us regards the public health of the district, which was by no means the case under the present system. The. Minister gave great praise to the Hon. C. M. Luke, who had retired frcm the Lospita 1 arena after "twentyfive years of splendid service." "Ihe Dominion." he lemarked, '"can ill afford to lose the services of men like Mr. Luke." He also mentioned that he was exceedingly glad to see that the Rev. W. A. Evans and Mr. R. C. Kirk had been returned. Iheir long and honourable rexord for work and their knowledge of institutional management and the intricate problems of charitable relict woidd be of -special value to the board and district at this juncture.