NEW HOSPITAL

Evening Post, Volume CXXIV, Issue 119, 16 November 1937, Page 7

NEW HOSPITAL

THE EXTRA £159,250

PETONE DISCUSSION

PROTEST MOTION LOST

A discussion, mainly condemnatory, ensued at the meeting of the Petone Borough Council last evening when; a letter was received from the Wellington Hospital Board stating that on November 18 the board would discuss the following resolution:—"That application be made to the Local Govern* ment 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) Addition to the Nurses' Home; (2) an acute hospital. block; (3) new boilerhouse and additions to steam service— as authorised in Orders in Council of June 3, 1937, and July 22, 1937." Notwithstanding the tone of the comment made at the meeting, a motion of protest failed. ," . The Mayor (Mr. A. Scholefield) said that all agreed that suffering should be relieved and adequate accommodation given at the hospital, but those who were providing the finance should have the assurance that mature consideration had been given by the Hospital Board. Many conflicting statements had been made by members of the board. The position ■ should be clarified. The Hospital Board's area extended as far north as Paraparaumu and the country district surrounding Upper Hutt. The total, population of the Hutt County, Upper Hutt, Eastbourne, Lower Hutt, and Petone was 41,916, taking iU' the population of the Hutt County outside the valley because of the good roads that would connect Plimmerton and Paraparaumu with the Hutt^These bodies contributed £23,416 to the Hospital Board. There were 780 Hutt cases in 1936. The Wellington Hospital was antiquated, but it could still serve the public as an auxiliary hospital. Mr. Scholefleld stated that in his opinion the new base hospital should not be beside the old hospital but between Wadestown and Johnsonville, so that it would better serve the centre of population, with auxiliary hospitals on the present Newtowa site and in the Hutt Valley. He said that a deputation to the Hospital Board would be futile and an appeal to the Loans Board would be more effective. Mr. J. Huggan urged nationalisation pf the hospitals. "The people who used the hospitals paid £40,000 and were subsidised £4 to £1 by the local bodies and the Government. Mr. J. R. Gaynor contended that th« points raised by the other speakers were irrelevant and the letter did .not call for them.' . ' INCREASE IN RATES. Mr. D. M. Dickson supported the protest against the raising of the extra amount. There was a strong argument in favour of a hospital in the Hutt Valley, he said. If the local bodies in the Hutt Valley stood back arid allowed the Wellington Hospital Board to .go ahead the chance of getting a Hutt Valley hospital steadily receded. The rates in Petone were getting so high that it did not pay people to" have property there, and there was rio sig«-of the rates going down. He moved that the Hospital Board be advised that the council was not in favour of this application. • Mr. G. London stated that on a capital value of £1000, the increase in the Hospital Board, levy would mean an increase in rates from £ 1 18s lid to £2 5s 4d. - He did not think that the new hospital would give a 100 per cent, return on the money .spent. Traffic was getting heavier all the time, and there would be the greatest difficulty in getting cases to the hospital on the present site. ' Mr. J. Cumming maintained that as the hospital was ' established in its present position any. additions should be as close as: possible to the main building. He did not think the hospital was in the right place, but the Mayor's suggestions for the situation of the hospital were not practicable. He' thought the council should give tfie board as much assistance as possible in bringing the hospital up to date.; The Mayor added that the chairman of the Hospital Board had stated that there would be a Hutt Valley hospital. It was all this chopping and changing ok the part of-the Hospital Board that did not give confidence to the people. Councillor A» M. Macfarlane maintained that the members of,the Hospital Board: were not. united. The Petone rates were increased to allow for the additions to the main hospital, but would there be a still,further increase when an auxiliary hospital was built in the Hutt Valley? '. The Mayor 'replied, that the whole of the hospital district would bear the cost. W. H.: Edwards said he believed in centralisation and - would vote for progress. A hospital, in the Hutt Valley would be used only for minor cases. , When the motion "That the "Hospital Board be advised that this council is not in favour of this application being made to the Loans Board,' 1 was moved Councillors Gaynor, Edwards, and Gumming voted against it, and when the Mayor added his vote and casting vote the motion was declared lost.