NEW FEVER HOSPITAL

Evening Post, Volume XCVI, Issue 41, 16 August 1918, Page 3

NEW FEVER HOSPITAL

APPROACHING COMPLETION

YESTERDAY'S CEREMONY.

Well up on the Town Belt Wellington's new fever hospital, built solidly in brick, is steadily approaching completion, though the "foundation stone" cere.mony—the laying of a marble tablet by the Minister of Public Health (the Hon. G. W. Kuesell) —did not happen till yesterday afternoon. While waiting for the programme to begin a number of representative citizens had an opportunity to feel, in the brisk southerly, that the institution would not lack fresh air. However, there will be shelter between two wings., and, of course, the building has a sunny side, well fortified against any southerly. ' The patients will have a beautiful view of Lyall Bay and the open ocean., and, though they will be thoroughly isolated on the green slopes of the Belt, they will be able to look down on parts of Newtown.

Mr. H. Baldwin (chairman of the Hospital Board), in welcoming the Minister, referred briefly to the history of the new project. The new building would be used for fever cases, and the present fever hospital would be reserved for diphtheric patients. The new block would take 59 patients. The contract price of the building was £25,000. Other estimated costs were:—Excavation of site and road from top of Coii6tablestreet, £1073; water supply and reservoir of 40.000 gallons (to be supplied from the Roseneath service reservoir), £1375; equipment of building, £2300; fencing. £260; cooking apparatus and hot-water service, £300'; heating apparatus, £1041: total, about £32.000. The administrative block would have accommodation for twelve nurses and four maids. Messrs. Crichton and M'Kay were the architects, and the builder was Mr.' W. E. Knight. Tapping the tablet with a silver trowel, presented by the builder, the Minister declared .the stone well and truly laid. Ue congratulated the Hospital Board, which, "lie said, was in the very front rank of the progressive boards of the Dominion in its conception of its responsibility to the public. It was a most excellent decision of the board to have the fever cases away from,, the diphtheric patients. The longer he was in office, the more convinced toe was that it was necessary to treat dLseaso not by generalisations but by detailed organisation and special effort.

The figures of the District Health Offices showed that the great majority of scarlet fever cases occurred among children, and therefore the Wellington Hospital Board's special provision for conquering this disease was on absolutely sound lines.

Mr. John Smith, who* moved a vote of thanks to the Minister, said that Mr. Russell had done yeomen work for public health throughout New Zealand.

Mr. C. M. Luke snid that since 1885 he had been in contact with many Ministers of Public Health, but he had never met a. more zealous one than Mr. Russell

The Mayor [Mr. J. P. Luke), on behalf of the citizens of Wellington, congratulated the board and the Minister, and paid a compliment to the Superintendent and staff of the Public Hospital. The programme concluded with cheers for the Minister, and for the board (at Mr, Russell's call), and afternoon tea.