HOSPITAL SITE

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 48, 26 February 1937, Page 3

HOSPITAL SITE

IN HUTT VALLEY

AREA SELECTED BY BOARD

A decision to seek1 permission to purchase a site of about 10 acres in Lower. Hutt, as a site on.-which to build a hospital, was made by the Wellington Hospital Board last evening. The site is between High Street and Pilmuir Street, and-though it has only a small frontage to High Street, board members were of opinion that a large frontage was unnecessary. One boundary is contiguous to the borough reserve. It is expected that there will be an entrance on to the site from Pilmuir Street. The cost of the site is approximately £5664. The board last evening also decided to dispose of a site of nine acres, which it has been holding as a hospital site, in Penrose Street. Members of the board expressed the opinion that the High Street site was the better site of the two.

The Director-General of Health (Dr. M. H. Watt) wrote to the board stating that the question whether the new area was such as to accommodate the required buildings had been considered by the Health Department's technical officers in conjunction with .the board's architect. The area would be ample on which to build a hospital of at least 200 to 250 beds, together with a nurses' home, boiler house, etc., but owing to the proportions of the area the grouping, of the buildings would not be so convenient as oh a square section. Dr. Watt stated that he was prepared to recommend the Minister of Health to approve of the purchase of the site. ■ .

Mr. G. Y. Berry said he thought that the board might reconsidei the purchase of a site with a view to obtaining one with a greater frontage. The chairman (Mr. J. Glover) said that the new site could be purchased for : about the amount the old site would realise. If there were a greater frontage, the cost would be increased.

Mr. A. W. Croskery asked whether the board had taken any steps to- ascertain what.,sites were available in the Hutt Valley and at what cost. Could a better properly be secured? He did not know whether the board had asked holders of land to maka an offer.

Mr. F. Castle said that it had been known for some time that the board was seeking a site in the Hutt Valley for a hospital, and the matter was too well known to require any further advertising. He did not know of a site superior to the one the board desired -to acquire. The proposed site was much nearer the Government's housing site, and it had to be remembered that there would be a large population in that area.

Mr.'A. H. Carman said that a committee of the board had made a thorough - investigation. He moved that- the aboard apply for permission to."-., purchase the site.

His motion was agreed to.1 and the board also decided to seek permission to dispose of its present site. •