RAISING OF MONEY

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 108, 10 May 1938, Page 12

RAISING OF MONEY

DETAILS SOUGHT

QUESTION DISALLOWED

Continuing his cross-examination of Dr. A. R. Thorne, superintendent of the Wellington Hospital, Mr. O'Shea asked what loans had been authorised for the building proposals.

Dr. Thorne said that three loans had been authorised, £79,750 for the nurses' home, £46,000 for the boiler house, and £465,000 for the new block, a total of £590,750. Of that amount £544,750 had already been raised at 3£ per cent. Mr. Powles objected when Mr. O'Shea asked the witness where the money had been borrowed from. "It is not published in the board's minutes and the question is not a proper one,'" he declared.

Mr. O'Shea replied that it was a oublic matter and there should not be any secrecy about it. The chairman: Why do you want to know? Mr. O'Shea: Because it is relevant, Sir. The board's minutes don't show where they got the money from. They borrowed it from someone and we are entitled to know who it was. The chair: Is it material to know where they borrowed it from? Mr. Currie said that he would support Mr. Powles in his objection to the question. Mr. O'Shea: What is the reason that it should not be known where the money was borrowed from? Mr. Currie: Because it is not relevant to this inquiry. At this stage the chairman said that he thought the witness should not answer the question. In reply to further questions by Mr. O'Shea, Dr. Thorne said that the cost of the main block had not yet been worked out in detail, but it was expected that it would be much the same as the last estimate, which- was £588,119. The proposals as to beds were based on an estimate of what the requirements would be when the building was completed.

VOTING ON PROPOSALS. Mr. O'Shea: What was the voting of the board on these proposals at the last three meetings? Mr. Powles said that the voting was shown in the minutes. He did not see why Dr. Thorne should be required to answer the question. Mr. O'Shea: The board is practically evenly divided? Mr. Powles again objected to the question. He said that Mr. Glover would be cross-examined later in the day, and as chairman of the board he was the proper person to answer the question. Mr. O'Shea: So long as the question is answered, it does not matter who answers it. SITES IN HUTT VALLEY. In reply to the chairman, Dr. Thorne said that the board had inspected a number of sites for a general hospital in the Hutt Valley, but had made no decision yet. The question had been left to the incoming board. The chairman: Do you think it advisable that a site should be determined on before very long?—'! think it is very essential that we should •have a site there. If a general hospital was erected on one side or other of the Hutt Valley any maternity hospital and out-patient department established in the district should be in the centre of the population, said Dr. Thorne. Casualty beds should be available in the out-patient department. Dr. Thorne said, he did not think tne number of children affected by the last infantile paralysis epidemic justified the establishment of a separate orthopaedic hospital. (Proceeding.)