WORKING PLANS

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 123, 25 May 1923, Page 4

WORKING PLANS

FOR NEW HOSPITAL BUILDINGS

TO BE PROCEEDED WITH.

The chairman of the Wellington Hospital Board (Mr. F. Castle) -remarked at a meeting of the board yesterday that the architects, Messrs, Crichton and M'Kay, had informed him that the working plans of the new hospital building would be ' ready in about three months' time. When, they were ready they would-be sent ..to the board for final' approval. If the Board approved of them, they would then be sent on ; to the Health Department for their sanction. That would necessitate some delay, probably another month: When that stage was reached, the board would have to see about the raising of the money—probably from the Public Trustee—and as soon as that was done tenders would be called. By that time the medical superintendent would probably have returned from America. He wanted to emphasise this point: that the building, if necessary, coxildi be gone on with, because he did not think Dr. Wilson's inquiries in America would affect the general structure, and if any internal modifications were suggested, these changes could, as the architect pointed out, be easily made. Mr. C. M. Luke said that as the main structure would not be affected by Dr. Wilson's report, he agreed with the chairman that the work should be proceeded with. He suggested that the members of the board should visit the architect's office and inspect the plans. The Rev. Dr. Elliott expressed the opinion that if they delayed proceedings with the work until Dr. Wilson's return they would be on surer ground.

Mr. W. Appletou pointed out that £150,000 was involved in these new additions to the hospital. It might be a good_ thing if the board's architect also visited America. The additional cost would be a mere bagatelle .compared with the total expenditure involved in the new buildings. A month or two's delay would be nothing compared with the importance of getting the best advice possible. Mr. Butler thought the board was makiug a mistake in rushing into an expenditure of from £130,000 to £150,000 without having some further information from Dr. Wilson when he returned from America. He thought the Question of proceeding with the building should be held over until the medical superintendent's return.

Mr. C. M. Luke pointed out that they had been considering this question for about two years. Their architects had had a great deal of experience in hospital construction. The board had also had the benefit of the advice of Dr. Frengley, Assistant-Director General of Health. It would take some ■months for the preliminary work to be carried out, and tenders would not l}e 'accepted until after Dr. Wilson's return.