NEW HOSPITAL

Evening Post, Volume CXXIV, Issue 113, 9 November 1937, Page 6

NEW HOSPITAL

EXTRA EXPENDITURE

UPPER HUTT OPPOSITION

Advice was received at the meeting of the Upper Hutt Borough Council last evening from the superintendent o£ the Wellington Hospital Board (Dr. A. R. Thome) that on November 18 the board would discuss the following resolution:—"That application be made to the local Government Loans Board for its sanction to the borrowing of a sum not exceeding £159,250 for the purpose of meeting the increased cost of erecting (1) additions to Nurses' Home; (2) an acute hospital ' block; (3) new boilerhouse and additions to steam service, as authorised in Orders in Council of June 3 and July 22, 1937." Dr. Thome added that the board found it necessary to make this further application to borrow in view of the increased cost of building, etc. Mr. F. Castle said that he was attending in the dutol capacity of councillor and Hospital Board member. All contributing local bodies were notified of the board's intentions and not only the Upper Hutt Borough Council. The Hospital Board's original scheme was to cost £507,000 and afterwards the amount was increased to £600,000. Now that the sum had grown to £723,000 it was necessary to get extra authority. Personally he was one of the section of the board opposing the extra expenditure. Mr. J. Purvis stated that he also belonged to the section of the Hospital Board opposed to the extra expenditure. He believed the scheme would cost about £900,000 or possibly nearly £1,000,000, before it was finished. The Hutt Valley was growing so rapidly that it would quite likely be as large as Wellington in time, and if a hospital with 200 beds were built in the Hutt Valley it would reduce the bed capacity needed in Wellington. He thought that a Hutt Valley hospital could be built with the extra money. "We have £1333 on the estimates for the Hospital Board; where are we going to get the extra money?" asked Councillor W. Grei'g. Councillor G. H. Guthrie asked if it would be possible to carry out the scheme with the former sum of £600,000. The Mayor (Mr. A. J. McCurdy). replied that the Hospital Board pointed out that increased costs of building made the additional amount necessary. On the motion of Councillor; Guthrie, seconded by Councillor Castle, the council decided to oppose the extra expenditure. The Mayor and Councillor F. P. Keys voted against the motion.